When did you first begin tattooing? I started my own journey of getting tattooed 18 years ago and commenced my apprenticeship 11 years ago. I’ve been tattooing for eight to 10 years now. 

Where do you look for inspiration for your tattoo designs? I was born in India and raised there until I was 10 years old. I was lucky enough to be exposed to art, culture and painting, as well as seeing tattooing from a very young age. My tattoos and artwork are based on my cultural roots and a rich history of folklore and stories I grew up learning. I get my inspiration from my culture and the continuous pull to go back to my roots once a year. Whilst I commenced a traditional apprenticeship, my style follows the principles of American traditional and tribal tattoo execution, but done in my own way that is influenced by folk art from South East Asia. 

How are your tattoos a way for both you and your clients to connect to where you come from? Tattooing is such an ancient and sacred craft. For centuries, people have been marking their bodies to feel more in their skin and stand strong with their beliefs and associations. In a sense, the entire experience for both my client and I is a kind of connecting. Tattooing links us to our ancestors and to each other, paying homage and respect to our people, to our land and to our bodies as we carry them with love, sharing stories and maintaining a permanent bond together.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tell us a little bit about the cultural significance of your style of tattooing. There is such a powerful and strong history of tribal and street tattooing in Indian culture – something that is private and wasn’t always recorded in the history of tattooing after colonisation. The significance lies in the deep meanings associated with the imagery of tribal tattoos. The images are connected to the greater Devine, gods, planets and Mother Earth itself, so they hold a very powerful meaning. As such, my tattoos and tattoo designs represent these stories that are connected to the land and the gods. I try to create tattoos that pay respect to folklore, Hindu stories and my love for the land, as well as what the land provides us – something that we are so lucky to have.

Tattooing is such an intimate experience – how does it feel when you see a piece on someone’s body come to life? What makes me the happiest after completing a tattoo – whether it’s small or a bodysuit – is seeing how happy my clients are at the end of the journey. Tattooing is painful – it takes courage to sit through. It is also very tricky. It’s one thing to draw designs on paper and another to take the time and care needed when creating tattoos on a living, breathing person. There’s a beautiful release, both for myself and my client, once we have gone through that journey together. Maybe more so for my clients, as they have bravely sat through the pain and trusted me.

 

 

 

 

 

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You’ve just moved to New York from Australia – what prompted the move? I moved from Australia because I wanted to broaden my skills and learn from some legends I admire. I also have family living in the US and I wanted to be closer to them. I have been lucky enough to tattoo many South Asian people living in the US – connections that I've made that have evolved into friendships also prompted the move. I also wanted to go deeper with my art and paint more devotional art. New York has so many creatives and creative opportunities, and so it felt right for me to move here.

Do you have a favourite tattoo that you’ve done on someone? It’s so hard to answer because I simply love tattooing and everything it represents, in regards to its connection with positive body transformation. Each experience I have with a client is wonderful and fulfilling in its own way.

 

 

 

 

 

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