From wearing the perfect winged eyeliner to getting streaked hair, Delhiites love experimenting with their looks. For fashionistas in Delhi, getting inked has always been a trendsetting statement.
With its modish design studios and inventive artistes, the “body art” has captivated many minds. Butterfly designs on girls and furious dragons inked on boys are a common sight now.
The art of tattoo-making, dating back to nearly 12,000 B.C, has witnesses its fair share of changes. From the traditional Indian godna to the latest bio-mechanical ones, tattoos have come a long way. While a decade ago tattoos were mostly meant for making a fashion statement, they have now become a medium for youngsters to express themselves.
“An inner desire made me go in for my first tattoo,” said Abhay, who was getting inked the second time.
“My tattoos tell a story and the artiste helps me convey it,” he said. For him, what matters is the inner meaning attached to the design and not the glamour.
New designs are more expressive and personalised, note tattoo artistes.
“The most remarkable change in the art form has been its ability to cut across boundaries like age, religion and profession. This Independence Day, an Army official came in to get a portrait of Bhagat Singh tattooed,” said Abhijeet Dhaila, the owner of RIP Tattoos.
He explained how tattoos were once used by the Army to identify soldiers from their battalion and that soldiers often get patriotic tattoos in the memory of martyrs. The influence of Bollywood is visible too.
“Earlier the Saif Ali Khan tattoo was the most popular choice and then there was an increasing demand for the design Varun Dhawan flaunted onscreen,” said Alex, a tattoo artiste at Devilz’s Tattooz. For those wanting a religious design, Sanjay Dutt’s Shiva tattoo is a popular choice.
When it comes to name-bearing tattoos, there has been an interesting turn in the story. People now go in for the names of those sharing a blood-relation with them.
“It is a safer option. Your blood relations don’t change, unlike girlfriends and boyfriends,” added Abhijeet.
Tattoo-making is also emerging as a popular career option for those blessed with a creative mind. Many youngsters are getting professional training in the field and their families have become more open to the art.
For some it’s a hobby and for others it’s their full time profession. From being a big deal a decade ago to getting wider acceptance, the tale of tattoos has changed for the better.
( The writer is an intern with The Hindu )
