Tattoo History - India

Although India is one of the ten most industrialized counties in the world, generating world wide desired scientists in nuclear energy, space flight and information technologies, the south Asian country belongs to the few cultures in the world who kept their traditional rituals until today. The reason for this is sort if a paradox. India is one of the most populated countries in the world, experts estimate it over a billion which is about 16 percent of the world population, but economically one of the weakest. Three quarters of the population lives in the countryside. The people there hold more on to the traditional culture than civilizing advancements which are only carried on in the few congested areas. Therefore the traditional culture is the only luxury they possess.

The Indian culture is penetrated by clerical symbolism. Colors, numbers and designed or from nature adapted shapes are used for cultural coherence same as for banal symbols. Scientists have observed the higher caste the and social position of the women the smaller and canny are the designs. As worshipers of Vishnu and Shiva, the two big Hindu divinities, or follower of a teaching which places the principle of the female energy above everything, Indians wear a tattooed or sometimes burned in point on their forehead, the only place on the body not bedraggled by any excrement, which coloration shows the wearers affiliation to the different religious communities. The point called Bindi stands for the "Third Eye", the connection between the earthly live and the divine beyond. The wearer of this mark is hoping for the blessing of the god worshiped by him.

A big part in India is also played by the painting of the face. The eyes of babies are bordered with grime by their mothers to protect them from the "Evil Gaze". In many places women dye their apex red to show they are married. And let's not forget about the complex and mythical Henna decorations on Indian brides. Their faces contain a make up made from black and red color and also the palms of the hands and the sole of the feet is painted. Also applied with Henna are complex patterns, the so called Mehndi, on the back of the hands and feet. This temporary skin decoration has found many admirers with the body art boom in the western civilization whereas in India little attention is given to the symbolic powers of the colors orange, yellow or ocher. The Indian assigns colors to certain numbers, sounds, melodies and moods. Red is the color of blood and fire and stands for warmth, energy, mental and bodily activity and vitality. Blue is connected with the mythical hero Rama, spirituality and erotic. To most Indian the body is not strong, healthy and beautiful until it is painted because the the unpainted body is defenseless against diseases.

Not less important were the ornaments described by Marco Polo who traveled through India in the 13th century. Even Indian divinities carried tattoos. According to the legend Vishnu drew a tattoo on the hand of his wife Laskhmi for protection. Tattoos were mostly more of a female matter anyway and sometimes it was even a disgrace for a girl not to be tattooed. I central India the mothers of the groups of the Muria and Maria applied extensive tattoos on their daughters during puberty using sharp iron needles and black charcoal dust. And very often traditional patterns also decorated the faces of young girls. On the north west coast were also women beautifying their faces, neck, chest, arms, hands and legs with tattooed patterns.

Before the ornaments, which also showed a sign of wealth, were punctuated into the skin they were drawn onto the skin with touche. This touche was extracted from petroleum grime that was mixed with a decoction from the kino tree which contained a tanning agent and milk or urine. The tatauing process was very painful but was bravely sustained by girls and women.

In country sides of northern India and Nepal suchlike body decorations are kept up together with the traditional coherency although it is not naturally for every family to have their children tattooed. In the Indian cities on the other hand this traditional patterns, counted points, lines, moon like shapes, blossoms, leave and twine patterns in the face, are considered old fashioned. At the same time in modern and western influenced commercial studios tattoos like wristwatches, airplanes or radios have become very popular with men. Religious and mythical images are no priority for young Indians and faith also doesn't matter anymore.

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