If today we tell you a tale of tattoos, which might be 100 years old, will it surprise you? Might come as a shocker for some from Generation Z, right? But it’s true. The tradition of permanent skin tattoos has been practised in India for over a century. Back then, people used to adopt the ancient maze-like designs discovered on rocks as permanent marks on their bodies to represent their tribes.
Today, getting inked has got different meanings. Some people believe it to be a “permanent reminder” of their purpose, while for some it is just a reminder of the moment that they decided to get a tattoo. On the other hand, people also find getting a tattoo has now become a trend and there’s nothing wrong with that.
“It’s the best way of expression for introverts,” said a boy who was excited about his first tattoo, but didn't want to be name. “I am doing it to hide my scars,” said another.
Some also use tattoos as a medium to tell a tale that is very close to their heart. For example, celebrity stylist Sapna Bhavnani has a story of Sindhi culture inked all over her legs. Back in 2019, she released a documentary called Sindhustan which told some untold stories of Sindhi culture for which she interviewed people who had witnessed the Partition, and took these stories to tattoo artist Yogesh Waghmare.
Based on those interactions, they designed tattoos for her legs, with corresponding visual and typographical representations. “Yes, it was a bold move but it is my way of expressing my strong belief in the story of Sindhis. You might find it hard to believe but we completed the tattooing process in just 10 days,” she told Moneycontrol.
On the whole, tattoos are something you take to your grave and different people have different meanings for that.
According to a market research report by Fortune Business Insights, the global tattoo market is projected to grow from $1.89 billion in 2022 to $3.55 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 9.43 percent. The Asia-Pacific is one of the fastest-growing regions in this space. The report further quoted several industry experts who believe that individuals in India chose creative careers, like tattooing over traditional jobs.
In January 2023, the Kula festival, which brought global artists together in one place, took place for the very first time in Mumbai. The three-day festival witnessed hundreds of artists under one roof representing different forms of art, including tattooing, piercing, music, dance, and graffiti, among other things.
Among them, some tattoo artists who had interesting tales to tell caught our attention.
Mangala Bai
The very first stall as we entered the Kula festival was of Mangala Bai who represented the traditional art of the Gond and Baiga community in her tattoo designs. She wishes to keep the ancestral art of traditional tattoo designing alive.
The people of the Gond community get newborns tattooed with three small dots. Among Baigas, girls start getting tattoos on their bodies at nine years old. At the age of 12, they get their backs inked, at 13, their legs get tattooed, and after marriage or having a baby, they get their chests tattooed. This way, they get their entire body inked over time, except for their abdomens.
“I’m worried that it’s just a matter of time – maybe another decade – when this tradition will completely vanish. I hope to preserve the art form. So I’m now drawing the different designs on charts and canvasses,” she said.
Hailing from the Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, Mangala Bai uses homemade kajal to do her designs. “We use kala til (black sesame seeds) to prepare the kajal. First, we roast the seeds, then crush them, and add a small amount of sesame oil and burn them in a clay pot. From there, we collect black deposits that serve as organic kajal, which becomes permanent on the skin when thorns pierce into it,” she told Moneycontrol.
Sunny Bhanushali- Alien’s Tattoos
Just out of his love for body art, Bhanushali started all by himself as an independent tattoo artist back in 2019. It is inspirational to see someone who started tattooing his friends and family members develop a portfolio and become a celebrity tattoo artist years later. As things stand today, he is the owner of 15 Alien Tattoo Studios across the country. Bhanushali also started a tattoo school to train tattoo makers.
“My vision is to elevate lives through art and creativity. Tattoos are a medium of the same. When I first became a tattoo artist, I saw the downside of the industry and I wanted to revolutionize it to make it a safe space for all. As a tattoo artist, when I ink someone, I help them express themselves through art,” Bhanushali told Moneycontrol. “They carry my work wherever they go and to the grave, so I wanted to make it an immersive experience, the one that they will remember.” Bhanushali makes hyper-real tattoos.
Fade Meraki
Meraki, who flew from England for the Kula festival, has been tattooing since the age of 18. She worked at several tattoo shops before she had her store at the age of 22.
“I started with not much, limited kit and small shop as I didn't have savings or anyone to help me,” she told Moneycontrol.
She knows how to talk about tattoo anthropology based on her experiences travelling to stay with remote tribal tattooing cultures in Borneo, Mentawai, Rapa Nui and Tahiti. She has also studied with The Godmother of tattooing USA and various legendary tattoo artists around the world.
Walking through her designs, it was evident that her expertise lies in large Mandala-like tattoos. Shapes are something that excites her. Another tattoo artist got tattooed her to hide her scar.
Meraki is all set to release her book this year called, Ancient Tattoo Revival: A Global Journey From Tribal Tattooing To Contemporary Culture.
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