For long, tattoos have been seen as an accessory to adorn the body. While in the West they are used as a fashion statement, in India many see them as symbols which give them the right direction. This was seen during the third Heartwork Tattoo Festival that was held at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium recently.
As the attempt was to take the fashion of tattoo to the next level, Indian artists got an opportunity to rub shoulders with veteran tattoo artists like Jeff Gouge and Stefano Alcantara from the U.S., Steve Butcher from New Zealand, Randy Engelhard from Germany.
Enlightening on the kind of tattoos which are trending nowadays, Harsh Sethi, a noted tattoo artist, says: “Youngsters wants tattoos of Shiva because He symbolises power and strength. His eye, third eye and full face and body are all time favourites. Boys want Shiva’s face along with his upper half body to be made on their biceps and chest. Some want trishul with Shiva or Shiva with damru.”
People also get other Gods like Vishnu on their bodies but His demand is nowhere close to Shiva. Noting that everyone has a different reason for getting his/her body decorated, Harsh says: “Those who are interested in spiritualism feel this is the way to be associated with the Almighty. Some also get themselves inked because Shiva epitomises masculinity and dare devilry. There are also guys who simply want to get Shiva tattoo as it is trendy these days. Mostly it is done because either they are Shiva’s devotees or it inspires them to do a better job at their workplace.”
The favourite
Concurring with his assessment, senior tattoo artist Sameer Patange says spiritualism is a motivating factor. “Undoubtedly, Shiva is all-time favourite but there is also Kali Ma. We need to understand that people are getting attracted to spiritualism these days because of stressful lives. They believe this would help them to de-stress and be a good luck charm for them. Also, some people have slightly aggressive side to them and want to portray this to others.”
Tattoos also reflect diversity. “Sikhs prefer to use khanda (consisting of sword, two kripans and a circle). Among spiritual leaders, they predominantly go in for the face of Guru Nanak; others go in for Guru Gobind Singh. Jesus Christ and multiple designs of the Cross are also in demand,” says Sameer.
Asserting that there is no dichotomy existing between following fashion and getting inked on religious lines, Sameer adds, “Even if people adopt design elements from the West, they insist that the permanent tattoo needs to have an Indian touch. For them, it is not decoration but a reaffirmation of their faith.”
Attributing the reason for the booming demand for Almighty, Ripon Basak of Assam, reasons, “People go in for religious tattoos as they wish to carry what they believe in. Also, it brings a sense of strength, power and positivity.”