Assamese culture entering the realm

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 18:  Chinese, Japanese and other foreign designs are common for people tattooing on their bodies. Breaking this stereotype, Bhagyaraj Baruah, a local youth, is trying to make tattoos and set a trend from the rich Assamese cultural and traditiol designs.

Talking to The Sentinel, Baruah said that the idea came to him when he and his friends were making an attempt to script a record by tattooing on each other's bodies, by sitting in a circle.

"Every tattoo has a meaning of its own. It's a lifetime commitment like a relationship. At that time I got a rhino tattooed on my body. The idea struck me that it could turn out to be a trend to draw designs from the Assamese culture and tradition," Baruah said.

"With the change of time and years being passed by tattoo designs unknown to us might lose its fresh appeal. If an individual knows the source of the design on his body, he can even explain it to others and rrate the stories revolving around it," Baruah said.

Baruah has been tattooing for seven years now and he has been making Assamese designs since 2015. "The idea of tattooing ethnic designs dates back to around 80 years in Assam. The people from the Tea Tribe drew designs on their face and body. They believe that such drawings dispel evils and diseases from them. In modern days I am trying to revive the culture by making ethnic designs," he added.

Baruah has drawn inspiration of tattooing Assamese designs from xorai, one-horned rhino, Xinghaxan etc. He has also designed ladies tattoos inspired from Assamese Jewellery like Dhansira, Junbiri and Ramdhenu .

"I went to Sivsagar to get inspirations from the Ranghar and Kareng ghar designes," he smiled.

"Customer response to the designs has been overwhelming. Non-Assamese people also opt to Assamese designs. Recently I tattooed a one-horned rhino on the body of a boy from Denmark. The design of one-horned rhino is favourite among people outside Assam," Baruah further said.

Baruah has his studio, Exclusive Studio, at Panjabari in the city.