World Tattoo Day: For Madhya Pradesh Tribals, Tattoos Are Part of Religious Belief

While tattoos have been a matter of fashion among youth these days, for Baiga tribals in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh, inserting tattoos is part of their religious belief. Tattoo artist Ansh who runs a shop at Sadar Bazaar of Jabalpur said that he has been inserting tattoos for the last five years.

Jabalpur: As people celebrate March 21 as 'World Tattoo Day', a tattoo artist in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur has mastered the art of inserting the tattoos on the bodies of the tribals, who consider the tradition sacred and part of their religious belief.

Tattoo, which is called 'Godan' in the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, has been a centuries-old part of the community. People claim that the tradition of tattoos goes back about 3000 years in human history. For tribal people, inserting tattoos is a religious subject, while in urban areas it is a fashion. For others, tattoos are a symbol of their love for someone.

For common people, tattoos may be a matter of fashion, but for the Baiga tribals of Madhya Pradesh, tattoos are not just a matter of fashion, but are linked to religious faith. The tribals believe that after death, tattoos made on the body are sold as ornaments. Hence Baiga tribals get tattooed on their bodies, although it is very painful.

Tattoo artist Ansh, who runs a tattoo shop in Sadar Bazaar of Jabalpur, has been making tattoos on people's bodies for the last five years and has mastered the art in a short span of time after learning the art for 10 years. In a special conversation with ETV Bharat, Ansh said that due to the increasing faith in Lord Shankar among the people, people are getting tattoos of his different postures made on their body.

Ansh said that he has now mastered this art and has done the most expensive tattoo worth about one and a half lakh rupees.

Ansh however warned that making a tattoo is a difficult art and there are many risks involved in it. “Many times people use the same needle on the body of more than one person, which can spread diseases. There are different layers of skin in the body. If the color of the tattoo goes deep inside the body, then people can even get cancer,” Ansh said.

As for the color of the tattoo, tribals make the black color from the fruits of a wild tree which is later used for inserting indelible tattoos.

Pertinently, the first tattoo convention in history was held in 1976. Since then, the acceptance of tattoos has increased throughout the world.