The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Tattoo-makers cash in on the craze

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Sunday, Apr 13, 2008
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Tattoo-makers cash in on the craze

Staff Reporter

BERHAMPUR: Permanent tattoos have become in-thing among youth in the city. For many, it is a show of their permanency of love towards their beloved. For some, it is a mark of camaraderie. As modern tattoo artists are still a rarity in this part of the country, the traditional permanent tattoo-makers of rural areas are making profits due to this new interest among the youth.

Some three decades ago, people used to have tattoos of the names their husbands, wives, mantras and deities on their hands and other areas. Seafarers of the city used to have tattoos done abroad. But now, the youth prefer modern designs, which the traditional rural tattoo artists do not know. They usually get some professional artist to draw the design and then reach the tattoo artist for the real job.

Vital clues

Tattoos are also of great help for the police in locating members of criminal gangs. Recently, a gang of highway robbers was busted by a police team led by officer in-charge of the Gosaninuagaon police station Jyotiranjan Samantray. He said all the four persons who were arrested had images of goddess Durga on their body and they had named their gang after the goddess. In December last, members of another gang were arrested. They had dragons tattooed on their body. Teenage members of another gang got the names of their beloved ones tattooed.

During interrogation, these teenagers confessd that it was ritualistic affair and that they usually get these tattoos done at some temple. Along with permanent tattoos, they also take oath not to cheat one another. According to the police, films have a major role to play in the rising trend among young criminals.

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