Richard, a student, says, “I got my band name tattooed on my wrist. It keeps my bloodstream pumped and every nerve fibre of mine scintillates with musical joy.” Body art denotes the transition from childhood to youth, it is like a story. Arjun, a student of ICFAI, adds, “Tattoos fulfill my need to inscribe the self as an individual.”

There are well-known tattoo studios in Bangalore including Shasha on Brigade Road, US and UK Tattooing and Body Piercing on Jeweller’s Street, Dark Arts in Fraser Town, Brahma Studio on Brigade Road and Graffic Inc in Richmond Town.

Youngsters today choose to modify their body for different reasons. Many of them consider tattooing and piercing as dangerous and socially unacceptable but they want to make a fashion statement. Vijay Kumar, a student of Christ University, says, “Body art is an affirmation. The scorpion on my right shoulder is my best pal now. I feel good carrying it.”

But some of the teens get body art done to identify with a certain group or rebel against the mainstream culture. Girish, the tattoo artist of Brahma Studio, has a collection of 60,000 Celtic, Thai, Indian and Gothic designs to help the young make a perfect style statement.

Body art is the best way, feel teens, to make a mark of their existence. The reason could be anything. From looking different to acquiring that oomph look. Arvind, a student, says, “Piercing is just macho. It is a permanent and life-long commitment, same as marriage. It makes everyone look back at me out of curiosity.”

While this is a fashion statement, the questions are many. How much does it cost? How long does it take to get it done? Is it painful? The cost of getting tattooed and pierced depends on demands and designs. A tattoo could start from Rs 300 and go up to thousands depending on the size and design, while piercing starts from Rs 250 onwards.

Tattooing and piercing are painful but the intensity varies in accordance with the individual’s tolerance level. Nidhi Iyer, a student, says, “The pain of getting pierced and tattooed is one of a kind. Whether it is calling for attention or making a statement, tattooing and piercing are magic words. While fashion and trends come and go, body art last a lifetime.”