The word Eid (IPA pronunciation: [iː d]) heard commonly is a generic word in Arabic for “festival”.There are two Islamic festivals:
One is called Eid ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر) that marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan,
The other is Eid ul-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) or Eid-e Qurban (Persian: عید قربان) which is celebrated to commemorate Prophet

Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son for God.
Eid-e Norouz (Persian: عید نوروز) marks first day of spring and the beginning of the Iranian year as well as the Baha’i year.
The municipality of Eid in Norway.
A greeting Eid Mubarak (Arabic/Persian/Urdu: عید مبارک, lit. blessed festival) in Middle Eastern cultures.

More About Eid Festival…

1) Mehndi - The mark of a Bridal

2) Arabic Mehndi Designs

3) Eid ul-Adha

4) Eid ul-Fitr

5) Eid Mubarak

6) Salat al Eid

7) Daler Mehndi Designs

What is Mehendi

9) How to apply Mehendi?

10) Cooking Recipes

11) Mehndi Designs

You can make your own powder by drying henna leaves in shade. It might take weeks for them to dry to a crisp and you need to grind them thoroughly. You may also buy henna powder from the market.

Take….
1. Henna powder sieved through a muslin cloth.
2. Well strained strong tea decoction.
3. Eucalyptus oil (few drops).
4. Strained lime juice.
5. Sugar (one table spoon).

Take the henna powder in a bowl, add the tea till it becomes a thick paste (similar to a dough). Add eucalyptus oil, sugar and lime juice and mix well to make it into a smooth and thin paste.
Leave it covered over night or during the day if you prefer to apply in the night.

Make a cone….
Take a thick plastic cover or use any thick freezer bag - cut it into shape of rectange 7″ X 4″. Twist one corner of the cover to make a cone. Tighten the tip to make tiny hole. Hold the tip and fill the paste and tie the broader end tightly with a thread.

You also get readymade cones from the market.

Let imagination fly…
Now have fun. What ever you draw is beautiful and is a master piece in its own.

Remember….
You should leave the mehendi to dry on your skin and keep it on for as long as possible (4 to 6 hours if possible - you may go to bed also with it). Scrape it after that. The color will become deeper if you leave it untouched by water for another 4 to 6 hours. A deep color may last upto two weeks. The coloration varies from person to person.

The art of Mehendi has existed for centuries. The exact place of its origin is difficult to track because of centuries of people in different cultures moving through the continents and taking their art forms with them and therefore sharing their art with everyone along the way.
Some historical evidence suggests that Mendhi started in India while others believe it was introduced to India during the twelfth century A.D. I personally feel that it would be hard to argue the fact that it appeared as an art form in Egypt first.

Proof has been found that henna (MEHENDI) was used to stain the fingers and toes of Pharoahs prior to mummification over 5000 years ago when it was also used as a cosmetic and for it’s healing power. The mummification process took 70 days and as the Egyptians were diligent in planning for their deaths and their rebirth in the afterlife, they became quite obsessed with the preservation process. The Egyptians believed that body art ensured their acceptance into the afterlife and therefore used tattooing and mendhi to please the gods and guarantee a pleasant trip.

The henna used for Mehendi comes from a bush called Lawsonia Inermis which is part of the loose strife family and is grown in the Sudan, Egypt, India, most of the North African counties, The Middle East and other hot and dry places. The bush is also grown in Florida and California for his ornamental appearance and often grows to be quite large, ranging from six to twenty feet in some cases. The lance- shaped leaves from the bush are harvested, dried and then crushed to make the henna powder. Henna is used for hair dye, as a skin conditioner and as a reliever for rashes. The art of mehendi is referred to as henna or mehendi depending on where you are and which name you feel came first. No matter what you call it though :- the art form remains essentially the same as it was centuries ago. It is beautiful the way it stains the skin!

Mehendi is not the huge commitment that tattooing is because of its temporary nature. For people who are too scared to endure the poking of a needle or are too ambivalent to commit to wearing the same permanent design forever :- mehendi is a wonderful alternative. I would suggest that anyone who is hesitant about getting a permanent tattoo :- try walking the streets with a henna design for a couple of weeks first. It helps you discern if you can accept the constant backward glances and whispers that you often hear when you are in public as a decorated person. Henna also allows you to play around with designs until you find one that you are comfortable with and then you can get it permanently etched into your skin if you want to. Some people like permanency while others are much more comfortable with temporary forms of body art. Regardless of how you use henna to decorate your body ; the main idea is to have fun.

Mehendi designs have traditionally fallen into four different styles. The Middle Eastern style is mostly made up of floral patterns similar to the Arabic textiles, paintings and carvings and do not usually follow a destinctive pattern. The North African style generally follows the shape of the hands and feet using geometrical floral patterns. The Indian and Pakistani designs encompass more than just the feet and hands and generally extend further up the appendages to give the illusion of gloves and stockings which are made up of lines, paisley patterns and teardrops. Lastly, the Indonesian and Southern Asian styles were a mix of Middle Eastern and Indian designs using blocks of color on the very tips of their toes and fingers. All of these styles remain popular today but have also been joined in popularity by celtic designs and chinese symbols. The point once again is to have fun with designs and experiment with them until you find something that you feel really passionate about.

In India, it is used at celebrations like weddings and other special occasions which are traditionally associated with transcendence and transformation. It is used for worship and work but not for the sake of vanity. It is traditional for the bride to get together with her friends and have them spend hours applying the henna to her skin and give her marriage advice in tandem. The patterns used for weddings are much more intricate and time consuming (than the everyday wear) and therefore the bride’s friends have lots of time to give her advice on erotic activities for her wedding night, sexual pointers and tips during the hours that it can take to complete the design. The bride’s henna must be more beautiful and intricate than anyone else’s of course since it is, after all, her special day. Another interesting fact is that the bride has good reason to look after her henna for she is not expected to partake in housework until the henna is gone. This means that she will not be rubbing, scrubbing or tubbing a lot unless she really loves doing work at home.

Click on the picture for a bigger image below

Eid al-Adha (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of

Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismael for Allah. It is one of two Eid festivals that Muslims

celebrate. Like Eid ul-Fitr, Eid ul-Adha also begins with a short prayer followed by a sermon (khuṭba).

Eid al-Adha is 4 days long and starts on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar.

This is the day after the pilgrims in Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from

Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

Official name Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥā
Also called The Festival of Sacrifice,
Sacrifice Feast,
عید قربان Eyde Ghorban (Iran),
Kurban Bayramı (Turkey),
Kurban Bajram (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Bulgaria),
ঈদ-উল-আজহা Id-ul-Azha or কোরবানী ঈদ Korbani Id (Bangladesh),
Lebaran Haji (Indonesia),
Kurban Ait (Kazakhstan),
Hari Raya Haji/Iduladha/Aidiladha/Qurbani/Qurban (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore),
Eid el-Kbir (Morocco, Egypt, Libya),
Tfaska Tamoqqart (Berber language of Jerba),
Tabaski/Tobaski (parts of Africa),
Babbar Sallah (Nigeria and West Africa),
Ciidwayneey (Somalia),
Īd-ul-Azhā or Bakr Īd (Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, South Africa)
Type Islamic
Significance Commemoration of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah.
Marks the end of the Pilgrimage or Hajj for the millions of Muslims who make the trip to Mecca each year.
Ends 13 Dhu al-Hijjah
2006 date January 10 to January 14; December 31 to January 3, 2007
2007 date December 20 to December 24
2008 date December 8 to December 12
Observances Prayer, sacrificing a goat, sheep or a camel, sending to poor people as a donation
Related to Eid ul-Fitr, the other Islamic festival, which occurs after the last day of Ramadan

Other names for Eid al-Adha
Eid-ul-Adha (Adha Eid) is also known as Eid el-Kbir in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt and Libya; Tfaska Tamoqqart in the

Berber language of Jerba; and Tabaski or Tobaski in some parts of Africa; Babbar Sallah in Nigeria and West Africa;

Ciidwayneey in Somalia and Somali speaking regions of Kenya and Ethiopia.

In India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan it is also called Eid ul-Azha, goat is the animal most likely to be sacrificed in those

countries. In Bangladesh it is called either ঈদ-উল-আজহা Id-ul-Azha or কোরবানী ঈদ Korbani Id. In South Africa it is also

called Bakri Eid (or simply Bakrid in India). The Indonesian term is Idul Adha.

In Turkey it is often referred to as the Kurban Bayramı or “Sacrifice Feast”. Similarly, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania

and Bulgaria it is referred as Kurban Bajram. In Kazakhstan, it is referred to as Kurban Ait. In Kurdish it is called Cejna

Qurbanê[1]. This Eid is for 4 days. Also known as the bigger Eid because it is a day longer than Eid-ul-Fitar. i luv eiddd

Traditions and practices
Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing and perform the Eid prayer (Salatu’l-`id) in any

mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows, and

goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called “udhiya Arabic: أضحية”, have to meet

certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. At the time of sacrifice,

Allah’s name is recited along with the offering statement and a supplication as Muhammad said. According to the Quran a large

portion of the meat has to be given towards the poor and hungry people so they can all join in the feast which is held on

Eid-ul-Adha. The remainder is cooked for the family celebration meal in which relatives and friends are invited to share. The

regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid ul-Adha by the concerted effort to see that

no impoverished Muslim is left without sacrificial food during these days. Coming immediately after the annual hajj ends with

the celebration of the Day of Mount Arafat. Eid ul-Adha is a concrete affirmation of what the Muslim community ethic means in

practice. People in these days are expected to visit their relations, starting with their parents, then their families and

friends. (Arabic audio with English meaning).

In the name of Allah بسم الله
And Allah is the greatest والله أكبر
O Allah, indeed this is from you and for you اللهم إن هذا منك ولك
O Allah accept from me اللهم تقبل مني

Distributing meat among people is considered an essential part of the festival during this period, as well as chanting Takbir

out loud before the Eid prayer on the first day and after prayers through out the 4 days of Eid, see about Takbir in

“Traditions and practices” of Eid ul-Fitr.

its an eid festival by zeshan sheikh

Eid Ghah
Eid ul-Adha in the Gregorian calendar
See also: Islamic calendar
While Eid ul-Adha is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to

year since the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar. The Lunar calendar is

approximately 10 days shorter than the Solar calendar.[1] Each year, Eid ul-Adha (like other Islamic holidays) falls on one

of two different Gregorian dates in different parts of the world, due to the fact that the boundary of crescent visibility is

different from the International date line.

2005: January 21
2006: January 10 and December 31[2]
2007: December 20
2008: December 8
2009: November 27
2010: November 16
2011: November 6
2012: October 26

Salat al Eid (Arabic: صلاة العيد) also known as Salat al Eidain (Arabic: صلاة العيدين) is the special prayer offered to commemorate two Islamic festivals. Both the Eids are collectively known as Eidain (عيدين) in Arabic language. The two Islamic festivals are:

Eid Al Fitr, (Arabic: عيد الفطر) is celebrated on the 1st day of Shawwal, the 10th month of Islamic calendar.
Eid Al Adha, (Arabic: عيد الأضحى) is celebrated on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the 12th month of Islamic calendar.
On both the occasions this special prayer is usually offered in Eidgah, a place in the outskirts of the city dedicated for Salat al Eid.

Importance
Salat al Eid is Wajib according to Hanafi scholars, Fardh according to Hanbali scholars, Sunnah al Mu’akkadah according to Maliki and Shaf’i jurisprudence. Some sholars say it is Fardh Ain and some said its Fardh Kifayah[1].

Participation of women and children
During the time of prophet Muhammed, it has been a practice that women and children too had participated in Salat al Eid.

Timing
The time of Salat al Eid begins when sun reaches approximately two meters above the horizon until it reaches its meridian before Dhuhr. Adhering to the Sunnah the time for Eid al Fitr prayer is delayed and Eid al Adha prayer is hastend, so as to facilitate distribution of Fitrah before the Eid al Fitr prayer and offer sacrifice after the Eid al Adha prayer. This has been a proved Sunnah and has been well recorded in Hadith books.

Eid mubarak (Persian/Urdu: عید مبارک) is a traditional Muslim greeting reserved for use on the festivals of Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr. The phrase translates into English as “blessed festival”, and can be paraphrased as “may you enjoy a blessed festival”. Muslims wish each other Eid Mubarak after performing the Eid prayer. This celebration continues till the end of the day. It is notable that saying these exact words is a cultural tradition influenced by deep roots of religion in it; however, it is not part of any religious obligations.

Eid refers to the occasion itself, and Mubarak is roughly ‘may it become good for you’, but the phrase is used in the same context that Merry Christmas would be.

Throughout the Muslim world there are numerous other ways of greeting for Eid ul-Adha and Eid ul-Fitr.

Eid ul-Fitr or Id-Ul-Fitr (Arabic: عيد الفطر ‘Īdu l-Fiṭr), often abbreviated as simply Eid, is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Fiṭr means “to break the fast” and therefore symbolizes the breaking of the fasting period. On the day of the celebration, a typical Muslim family is awake very early and then after praying the first normal everyday prayer, is required to eat in a small quantity, symbolizing the end of Ramadan. They then attend special congregational prayers held only for this occasion in mosques, in large open areas, stadiums or arenas. The prayer is generally short, and is followed by a sermon (khuṭba). Worshippers greet and embrace each other in a spirit of peace and love after the congregational prayer. After the special prayers, festivities and merriment are commonly observed with visits to the homes of relatives and friends to thank God for all blessings.

For Muslims, Eid ul-Fitr is a joyous occasion with important religious significance, celebrating of the achievement of enhanced piety. It is a day of forgiveness, moral victory, peace of congregation, fellowship, brotherhood and unity. Muslims celebrate not only the end of fasting, but also thank God for the help and strength that they believe he gave them throughout the previous month to help them practice self-control. It is a time of giving and sharing, and many Muslims dress in holiday attire.

Click on the picture for a bigger image below

No Pakistani wedding is ever complete without the Mehendi. Whichever part of the country the bride may be from, her hands are adorned with the lovely red hue of the mehendi (mehndi).

Beauty parlors have special bridal mehendi packs - these days, the brides have a choice between the Pakistani mehendi (which covers pretty much most of the palm) and the Arabic mehendi (in which the pattern is drawn to one side of the hand). The cost of applying the mehendi may vary from parlor to parlor.

Mehendi (Mehndi) is associated to lots of things - a good dark design is a sign of good luck for the marital couple. It is common for the names of the bride and groom to be hidden in the mehndi design; and the wedding night cannot commence until the groom has found the names. Some examples of popular traditional images used in mehndi designs are the peacock, which is the national bird if India, the lotus flower, and an elephant with a raised trunk, which is a symbol of good luck.

From adorning brides’ hands, to being used to make hip tattoos on arms and bellies, Mehendi / Mehndi or Henna has gone international. Once a typically Pakistani custom and an indispensable part of a brides makeup, Mehendi has gone cosmopolitan thanks to the attention it gets through stars like Madonna, No Doubt and Bjork.