It is not uncommon for people to spend huge sums on makeup and beautiful dresses to get noticed, but for many young people like Karuna, it is tattoos that catch people´s attention most. [break]
Tattoos have a long and rich history in Nepal, particularly in the Newar community, where this art is known as ´lha- chyeugu´ -- ´lha´ means ´flesh´ and ´chyeugu´ means ´writing´.
Newari women would have images of flowers, plants and sun and moon tattooed on parts of the body that it was culturally acceptable to expose, such as the calf, ankle and wrist, recalls Sankha Laxmi Hengaju, who is 75.
“I first had tattoos made on my ankle and wrist when I was 16, and I still remember my mother making the tattoos for me,” she says. Tatoos not only have beauty value, it is believed they keep misfortune at bay.
Tattoos of stars and half moons on the wrist symbolize calm, Hengaju believes. Equally, there is a belief that tattoos protect children from evil spirits.
According to Om Dhaubhadel, a culture expert, tattoo materials used in the past were a mixture of oil and soot applied by a needle piercing the flesh. But this has changed a lot as mixtures of many types of chemicals are now used, as are enchanting designs.
Along with its popularity, the tattoo business in Nepal is growing rapidly and tattoos are done not just on the hands or shoulders but on sensitive parts of the body as well.
Shree Ram Kisi, a professional tattoo artist in Bhaktapur, says that the tattoo craze is catching on, with tattoos on the arm common among young people and many preferring tattoos of gods and goddesses, especially Lord Shiva.
The cost of a tattoo ranges from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000, depending on the size and colors, says Kisi, who has 10 years´ experience in the business, adding that the price is cheap compared to what is charged elsewhere.
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