Priyancka Jaiin has found a way to combine two very different parts of her life: a career in software engineering and a childhood passion for mehndi.
While working as a software engineer in the US, Jaiin also takes mehndi bookings, reportedly charging around $100 an hour. What began when she was a young girl learning the traditional art from her grandmothers has gradually developed into a creative side business.
For Jaiin, however, mehndi is not simply another income stream. It is an art form that has been part of her life since childhood and one she has continued to develop even after building a career in technology.
How Priyancka Jaiin Learned Mehndi From Her Grandmothers
Jaiin’s connection with mehndi dates back to when she was around five years old. She learned the basics from her nani and dadi, practising designs with a wooden stick at a time when ready-made mehndi cones were not as readily available.
The early practice eventually became a skill that stayed with her as she grew older.
Even after entering the technology sector and becoming a software engineer, Jaiin continued making time for mehndi. Rather than treating the childhood hobby as something she had outgrown, she gradually developed it into a more serious creative pursuit.
Software Engineering by Day, Mehndi Artist by Passion
Today, Jaiin manages mehndi appointments alongside her full-time technology career.
Her work includes bridal and wedding mehndi, along with customised designs created for individual clients. According to the details shared about her work, she charges around $100 per hour.
For larger wedding or bridal bookings, she can reportedly earn close to Rs 1 lakh for approximately 10 hours of work, depending on the assignment.
Those figures illustrate the commercial potential of a specialised creative skill, but Jaiin’s work extends beyond conventional wedding bookings.
From Bridal Mehndi to Henna Crowns for Cancer Patients
Over the years, Jaiin has used mehndi in settings that go beyond traditional celebrations.
She has created designs for pregnancy bellies, giving expectant mothers a personalised way to mark an important stage of their lives. Her work has also included henna crowns for cancer patients experiencing hair loss.
These projects demonstrate another dimension of the art: mehndi can be used not only as decoration but also as a form of personal expression during significant life experiences.
For clients dealing with emotionally challenging circumstances, a customised design can provide a creative and meaningful experience.
Jaiin Also Teaches Mehndi Online
Jaiin’s creative work has also expanded into education.
Through her YouTube channel, she teaches mehndi techniques and designs, allowing her knowledge to reach people beyond her local client base.
Teaching online has given her another way to build on a skill that initially started as a childhood hobby. It also shows how a creative skill can develop into multiple opportunities, including client work, education and content creation.
Her Advice for Turning a Hobby Into Income
For people considering whether a personal interest can become a side business, Jaiin’s advice is straightforward: “Practice, practice, practice.”
Her journey suggests that developing the skill should come before trying to monetise it. Consistent practice can help improve the quality of the work, while building a portfolio can make it easier for potential customers to understand what a creator offers.
Starting with smaller assignments, maintaining professional standards and gradually building a customer base can also help transform a hobby into a sustainable side hustle.
A Childhood Hobby Becomes a Creative Business
Jaiin’s story reflects a broader shift in how people approach work and income. A full-time profession does not necessarily have to be the only outlet for a person’s skills or interests.
For Jaiin, software engineering remains her professional career, while mehndi provides a creative pursuit rooted in her childhood.
What began with a young girl learning designs from her nani and dadi has developed into a skill that can reportedly generate around $100 an hour.
Her experience shows how hobbies can evolve over time. A skill learned simply for enjoyment can eventually become a source of income while still retaining the personal connection that made it meaningful in the first place.
