India— Tattoo scenes & cities

In Chhattisgarh, in central India, the Ramnami movement arose in the 19th century as a peaceful protest against caste rules that kept many people out of temples. Its members tattoo the name of Ram on their bodies to say that the formless divine is everywhere and belongs to everyone.

The ink is made of lamp soot mixed with water, kept in coconut shells, and the skin is pricked with wooden needles. The name of Ram is also printed on clothing with wooden blocks. Today, most young Ramnamis give up the full-body tattoo: a single "Ram" on the hand or arm is often enough.