Portraits of tattooed Ramnamis in India.
âThe Ramnamis are a religious sect founded by âlow-caste Hindus, deemed âuntouchables.â They were denied entry to temples and forced to use separate wells.Â
âTattooing was an act of defiance against caste-based discrimination for the Ramnamis. Writingâs the lordâs name on their bodies was both a rebellion and a message to higher-caste Indians that âGod is everywhere â even here with me.'â
Source:
Taylor, Alan. âTattooing the Name of God on Your Body as an Act of Faith and Defiance.â TheAtlantic.com (Jan 12, 2016)
Photos © Fanil Pandya, Adnan Abidi where credited.
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