Tattooing in Nepal – By Ganesh Shakya

Tattooing is a fantasy, expression and exposure of one’s feeling in the form of art in any part of the body skin. Whatever the result, the youngsters of today are rapidly jumping over tattooing. Anyway, the tattooing fashion is amazingly spreading all over the world.  Apart from global scenario, tattooing is getting popularity in Nepal also. It is estimated that more than 1000 Tattoo artists are providing tattooing services in different parts of the country. Of course, there is no record of who and when tattooing has been started in Nepal, but it is believed that tattooing has been started in Nepal since no time memorable. The people in those days do the tattoos using charcoal and the plant milk mixture.

Tattooing is particularly famous among the women of Tharu tribe and Newar community since long time ago. Tharu women do tattooing in hands, legs, neck and back side of the body and more exposing. But, the Newar women of Thimi, Bhaktapur have tattoos in their legs and hands. In those days, the tattoos are being done for religious purpose. People believe that there is nothing to carry with them after death. The only thing they carry with them is tattoos. If they are disturbed or checked-in on the way to heaven, they can give the tattoos to the checkers to let them go ahead. But now, the religious tendencies have already changed and the tattooing becomes fashion.

Tattooing in Nepal now a days

The text below is based on an interview made with Mr. Raju Kuwar – a fine art artist by profession and now, the proprietor of Strings Tattoo House at Kalanki, Kathmandu. He has started tattooing for 6 years and inspired by his brother to enter in this business. He said that he is satisfied with this business. Most customers visited to his house prefer to have a small size of tattoos. He is doing just black and white inked tattoos.

He said that the number of male and female customers visited in his house is more less equal. The age of customers visited in his house is range from 20-25 years. In response to my query “Is there any girl customers asked for tattoo in their secret and sensible parts?” he replied that the number of customers is 20 percent in an average.  The most used words are “Dad”, “Mom”, name of the lover and customer’s own name in their pulses. Beside that some customers have other choice like rose, birds, crescent moon arts etc. According to him, most customers do tattoos without any meaning and just fun and fashion. They just like to imitate or copy the tattoos what they have seen on wrestlers and celebrities’ body.

Answering to my query, he said that he is well aware of forthcoming event 9th International Nepal Tattoo Convention and also commented that Nepal should organize a national convention to boost up the present status of Tattooing profession in Nepal. Based on the interview, the concluding remark is “Tattoo profession in Nepal has a bright future” because the cost of tattooing in Nepal is comparatively cheaper than other countries and arts and designs are amazing and unique. The Tattooing profession should be developed in an organized way and has to produce more skilled artists/designers along with new varieties of products.