TATTOOS..!!!

The other day I was talking to a friend of mine and during our conversation, she pointed out that by looking at my pix, anyone can say I’m kind of a ‘narcissist’ (self- loving person), and I wonder as to why she said it..!!?? She pointed out on my tattoo n d way I’m trying to show it off in d pix.

Ok, so what I have a tattoo engraved on my arm, so many other people have it too..!! I mean its just some sort of a body art. And body art has been evident into our human race for ages, insignificant of the race n culture; in d form of decoration, ornamentation, or reshaping of the human body. And people have marked their bodies with tattoos almost everywhere in the world at one time or another. As evidenced by mummified remains discovered in Europe, Egypt, Siberia, and elsewhere, the practice has been around for thousands of years. Even in India, the tradition of writing d person’s name on the forearm has been on for ages..!!

Tattoos have meant different things to different cultures: For some people a tattoo promised invincibility in war, for some tattoos protected against sickness or misfortune, for some they offered safe passage into heaven or the afterworld, and for some they furnished a visible badge of rank or of membership in a certain group. Tattoos have been used to mark prisoners and society's outcasts. They can serve as a way of advertising one's emotional (or philosophical) attachments. Most commonly, however, tattoos have been and still are used for decoration.

Pacific Islanders have worn tattoos for hundreds of years. (In fact, the word "tattoo" comes from the Tahitian tatau). Definite evidence of the use of tattoos in ancient times has been found in various parts of the world….
Until the advent of Christianity tattoos were commonplace in Europe. They were banned by the church and had virtually disappeared when they were "rediscovered" by European sailors who came into contact with American Indians and Pacific Islanders. Some explorers returned home wearing tattoos; they also brought back drawings of decorated islanders and Indians.

Over the time, tattoos were favored largely by society's rougher members—soldiers, sailors, bikers, criminals, laborers, punks. By the mid-1990s tattoos had largely shucked their old criminal or counterculture associations and had generally come to be considered a form of personal expression or style.

In recent years tattooing and other forms of body art, such as piercing, have surged in popularity. In fact, they are kind of a chic fashion accessory nowadays. From a huge sized tribal tattoo on shoulders to d barb wire on biceps and from a simple flower to other designs on various parts of d body, tattoos are getting famous both among men n women. Nonetheless, tattoos remain a symbol of rebellion and defiance for many. And that’s why, people who think such a symbol might cause trouble at the office are careful to have tattoos only on parts of the body that can be easily covered by clothes.


PS- Anyways, for those who can’t make out clearly as to what exactly has been carved out on my arm, it’s a dagger (for God’s sake don’t say it’s a CROSS, even though it luks like one..!!). Actually I wished to have a twine around this dagger and a rose at its tip, but alas..!!! I’ve done enough to freak out those who are near n dear to me. Can’t afford to try anything else..!!!