“Wear your heart on your skin in this life.”
– Sylvia Plath
Most marks humans uncover on their skin—scars, wrinkles, freckles, tears—don’t always start out as well received. But there are always those that learn to love them, embracing each as an identifier, the tiniest speck of something that makes them who they are. And then there are those who purposefully, painfully even, endure needles and shrill skin-stabs to tell their own personal story.
Tattoos or ‘creative forms of self-mutilation’ aren’t a new form of self-expression. The oldest known one dates back to the late fourth millenium B.C., and ever since, reasons for tattooing oneself have ranged from basic self-identification within communities to anti-semtisism and racially-biased branding. So why do we mark ourselves today? Inspired by Isaac Fitzgerald and Wendy MacNaughton’s lovely book titled ‘Pen & Ink’ (a collection of illustrations and stories based on people’s tattoos) we set forth to collect tattoo tales of our own from people across the country and were enthralled to uncover that the millenials of today have far more individually motivated reasons for their ink. [For those who missed the previous edition of this series, do read Vol. I.]
Chefs, entrepreneurs, bloggers and other mavericks. Join them as they lay claim to different chapters in their lives through the ink on their skin.
Who:
27-year-old Aakanksha Gupta, runs her own PR and Marketing Firm and works as a dancer in her free time.
The tally marks:
“I have gotten three over six years now. I make it a point to sleep over the idea for at least a year before I get it done on my skin. I definitely plan to get more.”
Her story of ink & skin:
“Every tattoo has a story. On my leg, the dancer makes sweet love to the djembe. I used to be a professional dancer, but a back injury and ankle injury rendered me bedridden through what was probably one of the most exciting times in my dance career. Dancing has always been my calling and I am trained in bharatnatyam, salsa, bachata, jive, rumba and belly dancing. This tattoo took over 11 hours to ink. The djembe, made of roots and earth, teaches me to stay grounded no matter how loud the sound of success gets. The dancer is naked, as she believes that dancing is her ultimate truth. There are no presumptions, no masks. She is naked in her art; she is the ultimate truth to herself. For me, this one is more like my promise to myself to never give up,” she confides.
“Around my ribcage, you will find a symbol of my spirituality. I am an ardent worshipper of Shiva. Incidentally, my community’s God is also Shiva or Nataraj. I got a lotus, which stands for nirvana or truth. It could also be seen as symbolic of goddess Laxmi. It is also said that the most spiritually attained leave their soul on earth through the head of the body and to a lotus—this is my basis. Peace with oneself is represented by the Om and the method of my attainment is Shiva.”
Lastly, she has a tattoo that represents her as a Gemini. Based on the notion that Geminis are two-faced, she got a tattoo of Goldie, her dog that passed away, and Oldie, her husband—her two sides. “Oldie is the calm, composed, stabile side of me whereas Goldie is the impulsive and feisty one who is an affection seeker, yet most loyal,” she muses.
Who:
33-year-old Allen Claudius is the founder and creative director of a digital magazine that deals with men’s fashion and lifestyle. He also works as the lead on fashion community and influencer programmes with Wooplr, which is an app that inspires young women with the latest trends in the world of fashion.”
The tally marks:
“I have been getting inked for the past nine years now. I have over 12 different tattoos now, but some of them merge so it all becomes one piece eventually, I guess. I just began work on my sleeve and it should be complete in three or four months.
His story of ink & skin:
“I got the ‘Wolverine eating steak’ one when the beef ban happened in Mumbai because I love beef so much. For something more deep, we have the arrows.”
“Arrows signify resilience—upward arrows signify war and downward ones signify peace. Therefore, the arrows in opposite directions signify the conflicts that I constantly face with the world around me and within myself. Arrows also signify overcoming odds. When life pulls you back, you got to stay strong because you will shoot ahead through it all like an arrow—and because you should not take life seriously, I got the splash of watercolours.”
The artist:
“All my ink is by Sameer Patange of Kraayonz Tattoo Studio. He’s a legend in the sense that he converts your ideas and concepts into something so ridiculously detailed. He understands you as an individual before he gets to work on the ink.”
Who:
29-year-old Amit Dhanani is a traveller, writer, lyricist, chef and a barista. “I am the co-founder of B. A. D., an urban tapas cafe and I am working towards launching a brand known as UndercutBoss, which is about chef wear and many other products that combine Japanese technique and cuts with French culture.
The tally marks:
“I got inked for the first time when I was 16. It’s been 13 years now and now I have over 50 tattoos. I have many more that I want to get.”
His story of ink & skin:
“Back in 2013, I got this tattoo on my leg. It took three days. It is the stamps of places I have visited, the dates which marked me, stories which were never meant to be, beautiful moments...and the fucked up ones. There is a face, which describes my past and the pain that I have gone through. There is a quote that I wrote, which runs through my leg. It reads ‘some stories never end, some lives go through a drastic change, some moments are irreplaceable, some days get shorter, some hours are eternal, some reasons are not understood and love is just like music, you feel the beat and it all makes sense’. Behind, there is a cutting chai glass and sangria spilled all over, which is symbolic of a melange of Spain and India. There is the Chinese circle of life, which means being complete and finding the satisfaction within you— this happened when I started my own music company and wrote my first ever song,” he shares.
“The cards describe my journey with poker and my hand, which is 2 and 7. It is considered as the lowest hand, but it saved my ass in Prague. We were out of cash for our trip and with 50 euros I made 700 euros. The JD and the cocaine are self explanatory.”
“These tattoos are memories of a wicked life filled with ups and downs. It tells me not to have regrets, to work towards making my dreams come true. Take risks, cross oceans for the most ridiculous things, send drunk texts, make an arse of yourself once in a while and keep inspiring people to believe in themselves.”
The artist:
“The artist is Sameer Patange of Kraayonz studio, Mumbai”
Who:
This 20-year-old is a hospitality student as well as a travel and food blogger. She spends most of her time looking for stray cats to pet, backpacking with friends, clicking pictures and experimenting with food.
The tally marks:
“I got my first tattoo at 19. It’s a lotus on the inside of my ankle. I have gotten two more since.”
Her story of ink & skin:
“I got a lotus because of something my favourite teacher at school once said to me. That very ‘something’ has changed my life for the better in so many ways,” she says.
“As a child, I was subjected to sexual abuse and this left me absolutely shattered as an adolescent. I unintentionally began blaming all of my life’s problems on it and withdrew into a shell. I happened to confide about this to one of my teachers at school and that was the turning point of my life. Here’s what she said to me: “Sweetheart, you’re like the lotus! You’re strong and and so very beautiful. Like the lotus doesn’t let the muck it grows in affect its glory, you mustn’t let your circumstances dictate how you live your life”. I’m not sure if she knows, but that day she changed the way a 14 year old girl lived her life. Every time I look at my tattoo, I can almost hear her voice in my head telling me to replicate the lotus in its resilience,” she confides.
“The other two tattoos are also absolutely amazing. One is a Japanese sumi’e illustration of a cat and the other one an adaptation of the Sri Yantra. But to me, the lotus on my foot will always mean a great deal.”
The artist: “I got mine done from Als. It was designed by Olly and inked on my skin by his junior artist.”
Who:
24-year-old Gautami Khanvilkar is a student at Maharaja Sayajirao university (MSU), Baroda, Gujarat. “I have a bachelors degree in art history, and I’m currently pursuing my masters in museology so that I can become a textile conservator,” she shares.
The tally marks:
“I have thirteen tattoos. I got my first tattoo about seven years ago and I definitely want more.”
Her story of ink & skin:
“The last tattoo I got is a geometric cat. I’ve always loved cats even though I’ve never owned one. This way, I have one on my body and it will be on my body forever. I like to treat my body as a canvas because it gives me the power to have art on my body, which will always stay with me. Getting a tattoo is a very personal process for me. If I see something I like, or if I have an idea in mind, I go ahead and get it done. My tattoos are a mix of the things I like and they reflect the kind of person I am. When I get a tattoo, its aesthetics matter more. And after it’s on my body, the process of loving it starts. People get tattoos that are really meaningful to them. But, I get them because I genuinely like the entire process of getting a tattoo. The sound the tattoo machine gets my adrenaline pumping. I don’t regret getting any of my tattoos. Some of them could have been made better, but I like that they are not perfect—just like me. The tattoos have grown with me and I cannot imagine my body without them,” she shares. “I don’t really have stories behind getting my tattoos. It has always been a spontaneous thing. I was diagnosed with a few mental disorders a few years ago. Most of the tattoos I have are from this time. They gave me a sense of confidence. When I look at them I feel calm and I’m reminded of the better times I’ve had in all the chaos my mind created.”
The artist:
I got my initial tattoos in Pune. After moving to Baroda, I found a brilliant artist. His name is Akhil Patel. He has inked five of my tattoos.”
Who:
30-year-old Girish Nayak is a pastry chef at Olive Beach, Bangalore. He likes riding bikes, drinking cocktails and eating sourdough bread and ramen.
The tally marks:
“Two years ago, I got a tattoo and I kept working on it since. Now, I have 3/4th of a sleeve and I plan to keep working on it.”
His story of ink & skin:
“I grew up right next to the beach as a kid and used to swim every Sunday morning,” he begins. “After a couple of years I moved to New York City. I used to live in Spanish Harlem and worked as a pastry cook in bunch of restaurants along with lot of people from Mexico.” It was in an effort to bring these memories together that he got a tattoo that included the dia de los muertos (a sugar skull candy) and waves.
“It was basically meany to represent the favourite places I lived in: the beaches, NYC, Spanish Harlem, the Latin American people and their culture. I still have to get lot more done to this. I am just waiting for the time and money.”
The artist:
He got his first tattoo at Skin Deep in Bangalore by an artist named Madan. The second time, he went to an artist called Takky, who is currently supposed to be one of the best artists in Bangkok . “It took him eight hours to complete it and all in one sitting. It was a free hand sketch. I absolutely love it,” he beams.
Who: 29-year-old Mehak Sabat is a marketing professional who divides her free time between movies and music.
The tally marks: “14 tattoos over a period of 10 years,” she says proudly.
Her story of ink & skin:
“When my three year old relationship broke down in 2013, so did a part of me,” she recollects. “By the time, the year rolled to 2014, I decided that I had mopped around enough and that I needed to get my act together. I coloured my hair, took a solo trip, began spending more time with my friends and I even got on Tinder!”
As she got more comfortable with the idea of being alone, she began to realise that the break up was probably the best thing that happened to her. The tattoo was designed as a way to celebrate the relationship, the break up and the new person she had become. “The skull represents the celebration of relationship and the decay of it. The roses depict the blossoming of the new me from that decay. Yogesh added his bit by adding the circle of life flowers. I love the duality of it, which in essence is life.”
The artist:
“I always wanted a skull and roses but did not want it to look like a sugar skull. I went to a renowned tattoo artist and after some high-handed behaviour I was back to square one. It was a match from Tinder who told me about Yogesh and Leo Tattoos. And the rest is history,” she muses.
Who:
21-year-old Nayanika Kapoor is currently pursuing a degree in fashion media and communication. She is also a freelance stylist and model and is based out of Delhi.
The tally marks:
“I have five tattoos in total, and I got my first one when I was 16. I wasn’t legal then, but I was with my mom who was getting tattooed, and on the spur of the moment I designed one and asked the tattoo artist to do one for me as well. Every year since, I get a tattoo and I have absolutely no plans of stopping. For me, they are little charms, each representing a chapter of my past, and leading me to the next.”
Her story of ink & skin:
The most recent addition to her collection is that of a unicorn on the middle finger of her right hand. “I do not remember when my fascination with unicorns began, but I just connected to them and found comfort in what they stood for,” she begins.
“I was sexually abused as a child and I grew up having no self-esteem. I hated the world, suffered from anxiety and I kept people at bay. I developed an eating disorder and all-in-all, I was uncomfortable in my own skin.”
Instead of blaming society for her problems, she decided to fight it with desire to change it. She decided that she would fight to change the way people around her looked at girls, treated mental disorders, and reclaim herself in the process. “I decided to be open about what I have been through with people. It is so important to speak up, you never know who might need your support and who might be willing to give you theirs. But realising this, didn’t make things easy. Three years ago, I lost almost all my hair and health to anorexia. I had to drop out of an amazing college in Singapore and come back home. It was an on-and-off battle between depression and anorexia/bulimia, but somewhere I knew I wanted to heal. I promised myself that I would fight this and be strong enough to support those around me who are going through the same thing. That’s when I knew I wanted to get a unicorn on my middle finger. It was my way of saying “fuck your misogyny” to society in the most elegant and feminine way possible. The fact that it sounds so crazy to people is the charm in it,” she confides.
For her, unicorns are an archetype of spiritual significance, embodying everything she has imagined an egalitarian society to possess. “They exude rainbow tons of female energy and an aura of purity, and childlike innocence—things I felt stripped of. When I won the KOOVS Goes To College competition last year and was the only one from India to get an all-expense paid internship in London, I felt like I was finally on the path I have been looking for all along,” she adds.
The artist:
“I got my unicorn tattoo in London, at this tattoo parlour called Soul Rise. All my tattoos have always been an impulsive decision, and so was this one. Being alone in London I realised that nothing makes me happier than embracing all my eccentricities. I call myself a unicorn rider because they are creatures that can never be caught or tied down—and that is how I feel. My little inklings help me embrace my past. They are both unalterable. My tattoos are something I recognise as my own, making my body feel like my own. They not only represent the path that I have walked on, stumbled and fallen on, but also act as road signs and milestones to the paths I should take.”
Who:
21-year-old Ornellius Saldanha is a self-trained graphic designer. He is currently working with the Mumbai Film Festival and also freelances as a designer.
The tally marks:
“Just one. I was initially unsure if I would be able to live with something on me forever, but I like the idea of it now. As soon as I have a reason, I will get another one.”
His story of ink & skin:
“I call it the Healing Cross and I am extremely happy with the way it came out to be. My mom has always been against the idea of getting a tattoo, but she actually cried when she saw this and understood why I got it,” he shares.
“In May 2014, I was in Goa for my relatives’ wedding anniversary. The resort we were staying at had a pool and my cousin and I decided to take a dip the day before we had to leave. I decided to dive in and the pool wasn’t as deep as I thought it was. I hit my head to the base of the pool, blanked out for a few seconds, and then got back. I had a shooting pain near my nape area. It was agonising, but as soon as I got back to Mumbai I did some physiotherapy and I was healed. My therapist told me that I was very lucky that I didn’t get paralysed—people have even died because of such incidents. As a gift to myself, for my 21st birthday, I decide to get myself a tattoo of a band aid in the shape of a cross near the injured area. I don’t want to get preachy and explain the cross, but this is my story.”
The artist: “Rupert Sequeira is my tattoo artist. He is a dear friend of mine and I was left speechless, when he was done with his work.”
Who:
30-year-old Rahul Vijaykumar graduated with an engineering degree but life had other plans for him. From working in an entrepreneurship and design thinking space, he has shifted to a design and branding firm. “I am also a motorcycle enthusiast and an avid traveller,” he says.
The tally marks:
“I have resisted getting a tattoo for the longest time. I prefer body piercing instead, mostly because it isn’t permanent. However, I got a tattoo earlier this year. I plan to get two more this year.”
His story of ink & skin:
“Many of my friends have tattoos that they are embarrassed about and this is one of the biggest reasons why I always avoided getting one. However, I ended up getting one, anyway. It was a time when everything seemed to be going haywire: a quarter-life crisis, so-to-speak. I was looking to get something that would serve as a reminder to stay focussed and positive,” he shares.
While foraging around, he came across the work of MC Escher and then decided to dig deep. He found the Penrose triangle. Escher specialises in creating ‘impossible objects and visuals’. “Penrose, also a fan of Escher’s work, created a physical version of the ‘infinity triangle’, thus proving that the impossible can also be overcome. That is what my tattoo reminds me. This tattoo also reminds me that life is continuous and that ups, downs, happiness and sadness are cyclical, and to not get too attached to one thing for too long.
The artist: “I got it done at Skin Deep in Bangalore.”
Compiled by Sanyukta Shetty