ROURKELA: From a tradition among the tribal communities to a fashion statement, tattooing has come a long way in Odisha and Sundargarh district in particular. Its entry into the fashion world has, however, left an indelible mark about the earning prospects of the traditional tattoo makers.The art form seems to be losing its sheen among its core clientele base or rural folks for various reasons, including urban influence. The artists who satiated the urge of hundreds of tattoo lovers and were an integral part of traditional fairs are now gradually vanishing.A septuagenarian tattoo artist, Motilal Shaw of neighbouring Jharkhand waited for hours at the ongoing Vedvyas fair here to get his first customer. The deft hands of Motilal took hardly a few minutes to emboss an image of Lord Shiva on a youth’s forearm. Motilal charges ` 5 per letter and prices of images vary from ` 20 to ` 50. Motilal said while tattooing has no side effects, he takes care not to inscribe it on sensitive areas.Motilal said he and most of his ilk pursue the art during break from regular agriculture. The demand for the art has declined drastically here while in Jharkand people still have a strong craving for it, said Motilal who is a regular at Vedvyas fair.Old-timers say people would visit fairs in groups and return with tattoos, both as a signature statement and memory. Notwithstanding the fall in demand in recent times, the tattoo artistry is here to stay, claims Motilal, adding with change in perception the demand would pick up again. A touch of modernity included.
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