Courtesy of the artists
For the Tharu women of Nepal, tattooing as an artform holds great signi fcance and is known by many names: tik ā, godan ā, chedn ā, and lil ā. Tik ās adorning the bodies of women serve as transcendental ornamentation; such designs draw upon Tharu mythology, agricultural practices, and the environment of the Terai lowland region of southern Nepal. Certain representations, such as grains and utensils, are believed to be able to transcend death, transported along with the spirit to other realms beyond the living.
Tikās also serve as a tether to matrilineal bonds. In the valley of Dang, a region in midwestern Nepal, married women would return to their birth village and receive elaborate tik ās that wrapped their shins and calves. One belief describes this intricate work as illustrating majorwa (peacocks) that are free to dance and play in a phulrya (garden).
These images are part of an ongoing research initiative by ArTree Nepal and Urmila Gamwa Tharu.