The local artist behind Halifax Henna which brings henna art to weddings, festivals and community events across Nova Scotia has taken on a new project called Henna Crowns. After losing close relatives to cancer, artist Vineeta Rajani realized she could do more with her art.
Rajani created the Henna Crowns project where she works with patients in the Sunshine Room at the IWK Health Centre who are receiving cancer treatment. “These are crowns that I make with henna on the heads of patients with cancer or alopecia,” says Rajani. “Hair is very important to most women, and with cancer treatment, they lose this… Henna Crowns is a way of giving these women a safety blanket or an accessory.”
For more than 10 years, Rajani has brought her intricate designs to events across Nova Scotia. But it’s her work with cancer patients that has made perhaps the deepest impact. Through Henna Crowns — delicate, temporary mandalas and floral patterns lovingly applied to the scalps of individuals undergoing chemotherapy — Rajani offers something far more profound than art: she offers empowerment, dignity, and hope.
As we chat over the scent of simmering spices in her cozy Bedford home, Rajani says, “hair loss can be one of the most emotionally difficult parts of cancer treatment…creating a henna crown isn’t just about decoration. It’s about helping someone feel beautiful again, even during the hardest moments of their life.”
Rajani’s work in the community started more than a decade ago. “I started doing henna back in India, and then I moved to Canada,” Rajani says. When she arrived in Canada, she started working as an accountant and did henna art as a hobby. “It is amazing to be able to call my passion my profession.”
“My aim is to provide beautiful artwork at a reasonable price,” Rajani says with a soft smile, her hands busy mixing a batch of her signature henna paste — a rich, earthy blend made entirely from 100% organic ingredients. “We are strong promoters of natural henna and only use ingredients that are safe and chemical-free.”
Over at the Sunshine Room at the IWK, Jassy Underwood is in awe of Rajani’s work. “It is simply so beautiful. Wigs are not for everyone, and a henna crown gives women like my mother a feeling of pride.”
Underwood first met Rajani during her grandmother’s cancer treatment. “It is incredible to see art transcend geographic boundaries. My grandmother would have never had the opportunity to visit India, but she got a piece of the Indian culture with her, if only for a few weeks.”
Outside of her work at the hospital, Rajani will be at the Kentville Apple Blossom Festival on May 31 and will be at the Halifax waterfront through Build Nova Scotia’s Halifax Pop Up from July 1-7. It is through events like these that help Rajani work towards her mission — to make cultural art accessible, inclusive, and meaningful. She hosts workshops, participates in local cultural festivals, and collaborates with other small businesses to promote South Asian traditions in authentic and respectful ways.
Aditi Rao said that she found Rajani through an Instagram post. “Now I scroll through her feed wherever I am, missing home.”
Rao adds that she feels “seen and represented” when people on the street walk with henna on their hands. Especially now, she says, when hate towards South Asians is increasing, “seeing support for my culture feels nice.”
Halifax Henna has grown steadily through word of mouth, social media, and a loyal base of repeat clients. But despite her success, Rajani remains humble, welcoming each customer like family into her warm, art-filled space in Bedford.
“Henna is more than body art,” she says. “It’s a form of connection. Whether it’s for celebration or healing, it brings people together — and that’s what I love most.”
As the sun streams in through the kitchen window, casting golden light across a tray of fresh samosas and a book of henna patterns, it’s clear that in this home — and through this artist — beauty is not just skin-deep. It’s soulful, sincere, and always created with care.
This article appears in May 1-31, 2025.