Tatts All Folks!
So it would appear that you really can’t come to India and not get a tattoo, and on Sunday the time came for me to get mine.
I’d been considering getting something done for quite some time now. Last year in Thailand I contemplated getting an “OM” symbol done in the Khao San Road but fears of catching monkey aids or something put me off. Even in Kuala Lumpur I was looking, but it’s really since I arrived here that I haven’t been able to talk myself out of it.
Added to that there’s a bit of a birthday tradition of getting ink. On my 21st I got my first tattoo, a rose on my left shoulder, on my 30th I got that covered over by a tiger done by the amazing Dennis Cockell (he did all The Stray Cats’ tattoos), on my 40th I got the Japanese tribal ones on my ankles done by Miles Better* at Into You in Clerkenwell. On my 42nd I got the now faded tiger turned into a panther while I was in Melbourne doing the Comedy Festival. Since then, nothing.
In a month’s time I will be 50 so what better way to mark it than by getting inked again? During my time on the work programme I had access to the net and last week I did my research. I found a fabulous “OM”, but I also found the Zen Circle symbol for nothingness and the representation for Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. I found three more designs that I also want but decided to keep it to three for the first go. I found a tattooist who has his studio just up the road. He lives here because of the Osho commune, has been coming here for the last seven years, and he gives a discount to fellow sannyasins. Gotta love a ‘mate’s rate’ deal!
So there I was on Sunday lunchtime, no maroon robe to be seen, sitting and discussing the placement of the tattoos. There was another significance in choosing three that I only realised afterwards - the loss of three people I love very dearly. How fitting that they are all symbols of peace in one way or another.
I was surprised how little pain there was. The ankle ones all those years ago hurt sooooo much I wept! These posed a bit of mild discomfort. Granted two of them - on my inner forearms are on fairly fleshy parts of my body, but the third which is behind my right ear has no meat on it and the most painful part of that was sitting for so long with my body contorted in such a way that he could reach the target!
I’m not allowed to swim or sunbathe for 15 days, but I’m sure I’ll cope, and boy they look amazing so it’s well worth the inconvenience. I have a sneaking suspicion that I may get the other three done before I leave here!
*Not his real name I suspect
I’d been considering getting something done for quite some time now. Last year in Thailand I contemplated getting an “OM” symbol done in the Khao San Road but fears of catching monkey aids or something put me off. Even in Kuala Lumpur I was looking, but it’s really since I arrived here that I haven’t been able to talk myself out of it.
Added to that there’s a bit of a birthday tradition of getting ink. On my 21st I got my first tattoo, a rose on my left shoulder, on my 30th I got that covered over by a tiger done by the amazing Dennis Cockell (he did all The Stray Cats’ tattoos), on my 40th I got the Japanese tribal ones on my ankles done by Miles Better* at Into You in Clerkenwell. On my 42nd I got the now faded tiger turned into a panther while I was in Melbourne doing the Comedy Festival. Since then, nothing.
In a month’s time I will be 50 so what better way to mark it than by getting inked again? During my time on the work programme I had access to the net and last week I did my research. I found a fabulous “OM”, but I also found the Zen Circle symbol for nothingness and the representation for Buddha, Dharma and Sangha. I found three more designs that I also want but decided to keep it to three for the first go. I found a tattooist who has his studio just up the road. He lives here because of the Osho commune, has been coming here for the last seven years, and he gives a discount to fellow sannyasins. Gotta love a ‘mate’s rate’ deal!
So there I was on Sunday lunchtime, no maroon robe to be seen, sitting and discussing the placement of the tattoos. There was another significance in choosing three that I only realised afterwards - the loss of three people I love very dearly. How fitting that they are all symbols of peace in one way or another.
I was surprised how little pain there was. The ankle ones all those years ago hurt sooooo much I wept! These posed a bit of mild discomfort. Granted two of them - on my inner forearms are on fairly fleshy parts of my body, but the third which is behind my right ear has no meat on it and the most painful part of that was sitting for so long with my body contorted in such a way that he could reach the target!
I’m not allowed to swim or sunbathe for 15 days, but I’m sure I’ll cope, and boy they look amazing so it’s well worth the inconvenience. I have a sneaking suspicion that I may get the other three done before I leave here!
*Not his real name I suspect
Labels: Travel
posted by JoJo Smith at Tuesday, March 01, 2011
1 Comments:
Simple clean powerful symbols...
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