Tattooing practice fading among Tharu women

By Avinash Chaudhary,Dhangadhi, Jan. 24: The traditional practice of tattooing on the arms and legs of married women in the Tharu indigenous community in Kailai is gradually disappearing. This decline is supposedly due to societal ridicule faced by those with tattoos. The younger generation, in particular, no longer wants to make tattoos.  In the past, Tharu women used to tattoo pictures of household goods and animals on their legs and arms. 

Lauti Chaudhary of Krishnanagar, Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City-18, recalls how she was influenced to get a tattoo while witnessing her peers getting one. “All my friends got tattoos, so I decided to get them too.” While showing her traditional tattoo, she said, “The tradition is declining and now no one does it.”

Traditional tattooing was not simple. While being pierced with needles, people often felt feverish. According to Pabitra Chaudhary, the wounds after inking lasted for at least a week and the dangers of infections also persisted. “Despite knowing these consequences, everyone preferred getting one,” she added. 

Tattooing was traditionally done by travelling tattoo artists or local women, who were compensated with either five rupees, rice or eggs. For many, tattooing was a personal choice, but for some women, it was an unavoidable cultural norm. 

Kamali Dabangora, a 68-year-old woman from Baijpur, shared that in the past, women were pressured to get tattoos after marriage. "If a daughter-in-law did not have tattoos, her father-in-law used to call her 'Satgori' (a derogatory term) and refuse to drink water served by her," she said. This societal compulsion often made women regret getting tattoos later in life when they faced ridicule for it.

Similarly, Lalmuti Chaudhary, 64, recalled that after marriage, women were required to get tattoos immediately. "After the wedding, it was mandatory to get tattoos," she said.

A belief in the Tharu community had it that tattoos could be sold after death to sustain oneself in the afterlife. Pavitra explained, "It was believed that tattoos could be sold to survive when reaching God’s home after death."

The tattooing process involved using three, five, seven or even eleven needles at the same time to pierce the skin. Women recalled that soot from a lamp was collected on a plate, mixed into a paste, and used to draw patterns on the skin before needles were used. The wounds were then treated with a paste of grass and oil. After a week, the tattoos turned green and lasted a lifetime.

Indu Tharu, an activist advocating for indigenous rights, viewed tattooing as an integral part of Tharu identity. "This is not just about decorating hands and legs; it represents the Tharu community's identity," she said. However, the younger generation avoids tattooing due to ridicule, and older women often hide their tattoos, fearing discrimination.