Navratri Mehandi Design: Dandiya, Kalash and Garba Patterns

12 designs, updated 3 October 2026

Difficulty: EasyMediumHard

A navratri mehandi design carries the joy of the nine nights onto your hands: dandiya sticks, the kalash, a glowing diya and the lotus. Most girls put it on a day before the first garba night so the colour is deep when the dhol starts.

This page has 12 mehandi designs for navratri, from a 7 minute dandiya pair to a full kalash palm for Ashtami. Each shows the time it takes and how easy it is. For more festival looks, see our Diwali mehandi designs, which come soon after.

Navratri dates change every year, so plan your mehndi a day or two before Ghatasthapana.

Dandiya and Garba Mehandi Design

Garba mehandi with crossed dandiya sticks is the most loved navratri special mehandi. The sticks are easy to draw and instantly say raas garba.

Garba mehandi with two crossed dandiya sticks and tassels in the centre of the palm — Easy 10 minTwo crossed dandiya sticks with tassels and a round flower behind them. Easy, about 10 minutes, perfect for the first garba night.

Simple navratri mehandi with small dandiya sticks running down the index finger — Easy 7 minTiny dandiya pairs line the index finger with dots between them. Easy, about 7 minutes, great when you have to rush to the pandal.

Garba mehandi design with mirror work circles and dandiya sticks on the back hand — Medium 20 minSmall round mirror shapes like a chaniya choli border, with one dandiya pair near the wrist. Medium, about 20 minutes.

Kalash and Diya Navratri Special Mehandi Design

The kalash of Ghatasthapana and the akhand diya are the heart of the festival. These navratri special mehandi design ideas suit puja days and Ashtami.

Navratri mehandi design with a kalash, mango leaves and coconut in the palm — Medium 25 minA full kalash with five mango leaves and a coconut on top fills the palm. Medium, about 25 minutes, lovely for Ashtami puja.

Navratri ki mehandi with a glowing akhand jyoti diya at the wrist and flame rays — Medium 18 minA tall akhand diya on a stand glows at the wrist, with rays climbing to the fingers. Medium, about 18 minutes.

Mehandi design for navratri with nine small diyas in a curved row across the back hand — Medium 22 minNine small diyas in an arc, one for each night of Navratri. Medium, about 22 minutes, a meaningful choice.

Shakti Inspired Navratri Mehandi

You can show devotion without drawing any figure. Abstract symbols like the trishul-style line, lotus and red chunri border keep the design clean and respectful.

Navratri mehandi with a trishul-like line pattern rising from a lotus on the palm — Medium 20 minThree pointed lines rise from a lotus, like a trishul made of leaves. Medium, about 20 minutes, simple but powerful.

Navratri special mehandi with a chunri style scalloped border around a mandala — Hard 35 minA round mandala framed by a scalloped chunri border with tiny gota-style dots. Hard, about 35 minutes.

Navratri mehandi design with a lotus bel climbing from the wrist up the forearm — Hard 40 minSmall lotuses climb in a bel from wrist to forearm with round dots like kumkum marks. Hard, about 40 minutes for Ashtami or Navami.

Quick Mehandi for Navratri That Lasts Nine Nights

Mehandi for navratri has to survive nine nights of clapping, dancing and dandiya. Bold lines and some open skin fade more evenly than heavy fill.

Bold Arabic style mehandi design for navratri with thick petals in a diagonal trail — Easy 12 minThick shaded petals in a diagonal trail fade evenly over the nine nights. Easy, about 12 minutes.

Easy navratri mehandi with a small round tikki and a dandiya pair inside it — Easy 6 minA small round tikki with a dandiya pair drawn inside, done in minutes. Easy, about 6 minutes, good for teens and kids.

Navratri mehandi with filled finger caps, a thin wrist band and dots on the back hand — Easy 9 minFilled finger caps with a matching wrist band and empty middle, very quick for weekday garba. Easy, about 9 minutes.

How to Make Navratri Mehandi Last All Nine Nights

Natural henna stains orange first and darkens to reddish brown in 24 to 48 hours, then slowly fades. To keep navratri ki mehandi looking good till Navami:

Apply it one day before the first night, so it is dark on night one.
Keep the paste on for 4 to 8 hours and seal with lemon and sugar.
Scrape it off, do not wash. Avoid water for 12 to 24 hours.
Rub a little mustard oil or balm every morning before you wash dishes or bathe.
Choose bold designs with open skin. Fine fill fades in patches by night five.

More colour tips are in our mehandi ka rang guide.

Tips for Drawing Navratri Motifs

Dandiya: draw two straight lines crossing, then add stripes and a tassel. Keep the sticks the same length.
Kalash: start with the round belly, then the neck, mango leaves and coconut last.
Diya: draw the base bowl, then a teardrop flame with a thin bare line inside so it looks lit.
Respectful symbols: we keep these designs to symbols like the kalash, lotus and abstract trishul lines rather than drawing any face or figure. Many families prefer this, since henna on the palm gets washed and rubbed.

New to these shapes? Practise them on paper using our mehandi drawing guide.

Navratri Mehandi Plan for Each Day

When	Best design	Time
Before night one	Dandiya palm or mirror work back hand	10 to 20 minutes
Weekday garba	Finger caps or small tikki	6 to 9 minutes
Ashtami puja	Kalash palm or chunri mandala	25 to 35 minutes
Navami or Dussehra	Lotus bel up the forearm	40 minutes

For teen girls, our simple mehandi designs have even more quick options.

Common questions

Which mehandi design is best for navratri?

Crossed dandiya sticks in the palm and a kalash with mango leaves are the top picks. For Ashtami, a chunri style mandala looks festive. Choose bold lines so the design lasts all nine nights.

When should I apply mehandi for navratri?

Apply it one day before the first garba night. That gives the stain 24 to 48 hours to darken. Many girls touch up fingers again before Ashtami.

Can I draw the Goddess's face in navratri mehandi?

Many families avoid it because henna on hands gets rubbed and washed. Use symbols instead: kalash, diya, lotus, a trishul-like line or a chunri border. They show devotion and look neat.

What is a quick mehandi design navratri girls can do on a weekday?

Filled finger caps with a wrist band, or a small tikki with a dandiya pair, take under 10 minutes. Both look good with mirror work outfits. Our easy mehandi designs have more ideas.

Is navratri mehandi safe for kids who play garba?

Yes, with natural henna only. Avoid black henna because it can contain PPD, which may cause serious skin reactions. Keep kids’ designs small and take the paste off after a couple of hours.

Do dandiya sticks spoil fresh mehndi?

Wet paste will smudge, so let it dry fully and scrape it before you hold sticks. After the stain sets, normal dancing does not harm it. Rub a little oil before you go so sweat does not lighten it.

More mehandi styles