‘Mari laijanu ke cha ra, euta tattoo ta ho!’ (“What will we take with us when we die, except our tattoos!”) is apparently the guiding mantra behind people getting inked these days. Many are choosing to get tattoos as they want a piece of something they hold dear (like their parents or children) or things that have meaning in their lives (mantras or symbols) to be an intrinsic part of them, say the artists ApEx spoke to. Whatever the reasons, tattoos, once controversial and a niche pursuit, are now a booming business with tattooists charging upward of Rs 4,000 an hour and a tattoo taking anywhere between a couple of hours to 10 hours to complete, with some even requiring multiple sessions.

Prashanna Man Pradhan, proprietor of Thamel Babu’s Tattoo and School, Nepal’s first tattoo studio opened in 1994, says earlier tattoos were limited to tribal prints and patterns but now the designs are elaborate, requiring hours of preparation. In 2017, when Donald Trump became the 45th US president, Pradhan drew his face on a Nepali man’s lower back. The man had lost a bet. But these kinds of random, impulsive tattoos are rare, he says. Most of his customers understand the implications of having a tattoo and are clear about what they want—and why.

“This change in how people see tattoos has been a boon to the artists,” says Abhishek Shakya of Tattoo Heritage in Thamel, Kathmandu. When customers know what they want, tattoo-artists can use their creativity to improve on that vision and create something meaningful and timeless. A student of fine arts specializing in Thangka painting and metal-carving, Shakya enjoys carving tattoos of traditional Nepali prints that have historical and cultural significance. “It’s not unusual for people to want a tattoo to mark a memory or keep a loved one close to their heart. Often, they are also reminders or amulets of sorts,” he says.

Tattooing has been practiced by different cultures for centuries. The oldest proof is a 5,300-year-old body of a man who remained frozen in a glacier in Italy, where it was discovered by two hikers in 1991. He had 61 geometric designs on his wrist, torso, lower back and legs. Ancient body art, dating back at least 3,000 years, has also been found in human remains in Chile, Egypt, China, and Russia. The ancient Greeks used tattoos to communicate among spies. The Romans marked criminals and slaves with tattoos. In Japan, too, a line was tattooed across criminals’ foreheads, with arches for each offense thereafter. The totality of three tattoos made the Japanese symbol for ‘dog’. Before going to war, some Europeans inked a cross on their hands or arms, which meant they wanted a Christian burial should they be killed.

In Nepal, too, tattooing has been a part of many communities, especially the Tharus. Their women have traditionally marked their bodies with lines, dots and crosses to enhance their beauty, like a permanent form of jewelry. Tattoos also had a protective purpose. In the bygone eras, it saved Tharu women from being kidnapped and kept as sex slaves by royals who apparently disliked tattoos of tribal and indigenous origin. Despite its cultural ties, tattoos get a bad rap as people associate them with drug addicts, goons, and prisoners. Shakya says one reason could be that previously tattoos were sloppily done and thus gave a ‘dirty’ impression. 

However, Kshitiz Shrestha of Tattoo Pasal in Jyatha, Thamel, says tattoos are widely accepted as art today. People use body art as a way to express themselves and to assert ownership of their bodies in a world that mandates conformity. It’s more or less an extension of their personalities. Shrestha says, as surprising as it might sound, youngsters are getting tattoos of gods and goddesses (albeit with a few tweaks). Older, god-fearing parents apparently find these images harder to object to. “You can say a tattoo is a talisman. I have seen it increase people’s confidence and foster body positivity,” he says.

But getting a tattoo is a major decision and the artists advise caution. Though tattoo removal is available, it’s a lengthy and painful process. Samyak Shakya, who runs a tattoo studio in Balkumari, Lalitpur, says youngsters often get tattooed on a whim. It’s also the artists’ job to counsel such clients and make them aware of what they are getting into. “You shouldn’t go by aesthetics alone. A tattoo has to look nice but that shouldn’t be the only reason you want one,” he says.

Even if you are sure about the kind of tattoo you want, it would be best to ensure the artist you go to gets your concept and will be able to execute it properly. “For that, you need to know what kind of art the tattooist or the studio you are going to specializes in. Some are good with traditional designs while others are good at modern art,” says Shrestha.

Anil Tamrakar, founder of Traditional Tattoo Nepal in Mangal Bazaar, Patan, says tattoos aren’t for everyone. Though it’s a personal choice, you shouldn’t get one because it’s trendy or you feel like it. In these fast-paced digital times where memories can be made and erased with ease, body art can be an indelible illustration of what’s important. But it’s also a lifelong commitment. “If you get a tattoo because the design symbolizes something you believe in or marks an occasion, you are less likely to regret it 10 years down the line when the novelty wears off,” Tamrakar says.

Juju Tamang, artist at Freak Street Tattoo in Basantapur, Kathmandu, who has made over 300 designs in his seven years in the business, says tattoo-placement is vital as well.

“Tattoos on the neck, wrist, and ribs are challenging for the artists as we have to be extremely careful in these delicate areas. But often these are the very places people want tattooed,” says Tamang. Shakya of Tattoo Heritage adds that he suggests his clients make tattoos in less noticeable places but inspired by their favorite Bollywood and Hollywood actors, people still want to tattoo their forearms and necks.

There have been instances of people having been asked to remove visible tattoos prior to medical tests that they had to undergo to be eligible to work in places like Qatar and the UAE. Although the stigma around tattoos has certainly gone down, most workplaces still frown on their open display. So making tattoos in easy-to-conceal places might be a better idea, counsel tattooists.