9/2/2023 0 Comments Skin deep tattooThe tattoo motifs preferred by the Mer tribe of Gujarat also include holy men, popular gods and symbols derived from nature. Tattoos are also used to strengthen the marital relationship between couples, with the symbol of Moon protecting his favourite wife and Lord Vishnu’s tools like wheel and lotus being marked on the wife’s palms to keep her secure. Despite the wails of pain, the ladies are always perfect in their designing of the symbols and figures. The Kothari women generally begin the task of elaborate tattooing by bestowing blessings on their subjects while the Rajput women bear the emblem of Krishna’s crown on their arms as a mark of aristocracy. The Rabari women tattoo elaborate symbols onto their necks, breasts and arms, signifying their strong faith in magic. A small quantity of turmeric powder is also added to brighten the colour and to prevent swelling. A traditional Rabari tattoo kit is simple: a single needle and gourd bowl to hold the liquid pigment, which is made by mixing lamp soot with tannin from the bark of local trees. ![]() The Rabari women of Kutch have practised tattooing for decorative, religious, and therapeutic purposes for hundreds of years. On completion, the tattoo is washed with soap-nut water to cool it and decrease the pain.Įven among the tribes of western India, the craft of tattooing is revered, with tattoos having a close relation to secular and religious subjects of devotion. The chati godai, for instance, is a tattoo inscribed on a girl’s chest when she attains puberty and, if not then, when she gets married. It is believed the painful experience prepares a girl for motherhood and gives her the strength to face the challenges of life. The number of these tattoos is always odd, because odd numbers signify life and even numbers symbolise death in Santhal cosmology.įloral patterns are painstakingly inked on the bodies of Santhal women, including their faces. The men inscribe tattoos called sikkas on their forearms and wrists, named thus because they are usually the size of coins called sikka in the Santhal dialect. The Santhal tribes of Bengal and Jharkhand have different tattoos for each sex, for different parts of the body and for different life stages. Women of the Kutia Kondh tribe of Orissa, called the ‘the people of the spirit world,’ ink themselves with beautiful geometric facial tattoos it is said these identifying marks ensure they recognize each other once they enter the spirit world. The bare skin was covered with kohkana (Gondi for tattoos) to ensure they looked decent. The Gonds of Central India, one of India’s largest tribes, traditionally left much of their bodies exposed. ![]() ![]() The Mundas thrice defeated the Mughals and, to commemorate these victories, Munda men even today tattoo three straight vertical lines on their foreheads. On the other hand, the Munda tribe in Jharkhand, which values courage, uses body art to record historic events. Due to the prevalence of purdah, women from lower castes had to have visible parts of their bodies tattooed to signal their inferior status. The Dhanuks in Bihar believe tattoos deglamourize women – this helps them evade the eyes of influential sex predators. Among the Toda tribe of South India, the hands and calves and shins are tattooed with the same geometric patterns used in their embroidery.Ĭentral India also has a long and barbaric tradition of tattooing.
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