SWISH SET’S NEW SKIN SINS

Popeye, Angelina Jolie, Winston Churchill and Rakhi Sawant might never end up in the same subset; but fact remains that they are all linked with ink. Tattoos play a vital part in the projection of their personalities.

Related more to punk funk, till recent years, permenant tattoos have suddenly emerged as the new style statement on the fashion circuit universally and Gujarat’s swish set is going all out to ink their attitude.

Neck napes, wrists, shoulders, lower backs, biceps are expressing personal preferences. Like Bob Dylan’s song,’ times they are a changing’, tattoo trends too are no more just a cult custom but, a widely accepted attitude, even in the middle aged groups. It’s not just the twenty somethings’ who are going in for the skin sin.” Most of my clients are professionals, in their mid thirties or more,’ smiles tattoo artist Jagruti Parmar .In the field for more than 10 years now, this boho chic promoter is known as Gujarat’s Kat Von D when it comes to tattoos.

Parmar’s studio ‘La Nina tattoos’ at Vastrapur Ahmedabad, is like a mini museum of tattoo history, the walls depict pictures from ancient Japanese body art to Jolie’s arm candy (tattoos, not Brad Pitt, silly).” 3-d and glow in the dark tattoos are very popular with the elder age group. A lot of people are getting various gods depicted on skin and since Indian gods wear a lot of ornaments, the effect in radium coloured tattoos comes out amazing. Tattoos are the only jewels that go with you to your grave. I just did a Cleopatra type replica on a client’s eye, it was a tricky task”

The Raamnamis of Chattisgarh no more monopolize the mantra sutra. Elderly Gujaratis are getting Gayatri Mantras, Hanuman Chalisas and Maha Mrityunjay jaaps permanently penned on their backs and shoulders for instant nirvana. Kavita Dave, who runs D N Tattoos at Jodhpur Satellite remarks,’ we have clients who are upto 65 years of age as well. Many come in from Saurashtra, Kutch, Baroda and some go for fancier versions of their Kul Devta.” Ahmedabad being central for Gujarat,” Even foreigners and NRI’s prefer getting their religious tattoos done here because as Indians, we are able to give genuine divine expressions for the ever popular Ganeshas and Shivji idols and innumerable options for the ‘om’symbol,” points out Parmar.

Tattoos are not new to Gujarat. The Rabari tribes of Kutch have a trend of body art called ‘chhundanas’.Many centuries old, it consists of geometrical designs and dots that is often visible in their embroidery and home décor rangoli motifs as well. Meant to adorn the skin, this definitely makes their women look sexier.

La Nina‘s tattoo artist has a client who got her boy friend’s name permanently tattooed in 7 secret places. “She adds one more every month and is married now.” Young girls commonly go in for dainty butterflies and fairies, but, the women are going in for more elaborate, serene Buddha images surrounded with exotic floral creepers and sensual snakes intertwined with dragon like creatures.” I have a phoenix on my back which signifies my character, am planning another for my ankle soon” says Sonali Desai, a young mother. ” Tattoos are the new fashion mantra for Surat’s suburbans”confirms Lavesh More, who has trained under famous tattoo artist Sameer Patange and shuttles into Tapi town every fortnight to upgrade Surat’s swish set with styles that are ‘in style ‘in Mumbai because,”Surtis always want something unique and different and are willing to pay for the fact that I never repeat the design again. I plan to permanently work out of Surat now due to the growing demand.”

Not bearing social stigma anymore, tattoos are openly flaunted with pride. It’s not just the fashionistas who are falling for the trend.” Many of my clients are doctors, they usually want one on their biceps or neck nape, they don’t mind if their patients notice it, others are patients of luecoderma or have surgery scars and tattoos help them cover the same” says Kavita.
Celebrity charisma has direct bearing on fans who risk the pain for visual pleasure. Just as Saif followed David Beckham, penning the name of the love of his life, “Alphabet tattoos are very common but also lose their charm as soon as girlfriends change. I have to play music in accordance to the mood and theme of my clients’ make ups and break ups.Ours being a dry state, there is no alcohol in take before the act unlike other towns.” giggles Jagruti.
Premal Zaveri, 44, has adopted Hrithik Roshan’s new star tattoo on his right wrist while his wife sports the same on her left wrist. ‘It gathers immediate attention at work, “smiles the textile trader,” but no one has dared ask yet. My wife is very fair skinned and also has a beautiful floral one on her back. The colours have come out wonderfully well.”
”I am planning to go shopping for more halter necks, “winks Sonal Patel., 37, from Rajkot, who has got a 3 d shadow effect tattoo done on her left shoulder that extends to the nape, “it feels sexy to get noticed for it. I am trying to get my husband go in for a Shivji one like Sanjay Dutt’s.”

While its style quotient for ladies, its all about symbols of power for the gentlemen.Al’s Tattoo studio in Bandra, Mumbai is run by four brothers .Al has done his masters in fine arts from M S University in Baroda. They cater to Bollywood stars and celebrities, back in Gujarat, Jagruti Parmar who has a TBTI certificate from New Jersey, dreams of having just one celebrity client,’I would like to make a Kohinoor for chief minister Narendra Modi, on any secret body part that he wishes to have one on.”


Box section-Tattoo trivia-
1. Tattoo comes from the Tahiti word ‘tautau’-meaning ‘to mark’
2. Numbing creams like ‘Xylocain’or ‘Prilox’ may cause temporary itchiness.
3.8 out of 10 patients bleed while getting a tattoo done.
4. Cases of improper precaution can lead to skin cancer, hepatitis or AIDS
5. Tattoos normally take upto 3 weeks to heal totally.