Tattoo artist Vicky Choudhary (in bandana) with a customer at the shop and (above) another customer flaunts a fairy tattoo on her arm. Pictures by Ashok Sinha

Patna, March 28: Bollywood heartthrob Akshay Kumar has his son’s name Aarav on his back. Saif Ali Khan has his girlfriend Kareena Kapoor’s name on his arm. And English football star David Beckham has it all over his body.

Now even Patna residents can get art imprinted on their skin, thanks to the new tattoo shop that has opened doors at Dumraon Palace on Frazer Road.

Though it is new in town, tattoo art has found many takers in the state capital. Mahipal Krishna, owner of Wildink, the tattoo shop, claimed that more than 500 customers have come to their shop to get artwork on their body.

“Tattoos are all we can think of now. It is stylish, a conversation starter and the best way to express ourselves,” said Shailesh Singh, a Class XII student of Kendriya Vidyalaya, who has a colourful Scorpio zodiac sign on his right bicep.

“But the real reason for getting a tattoo is it attracts girls,” said Shailesh.

He added: “It pained a lot to get it done. But it is worth the trouble. My friend also got one done. Now this Scorpio will stay with me forever.”

There is a range of designs that you can choose from, like swastikas, lotus, angel, dragon, lion and zodiac signs. While the lotuses are symbolic of luck, angels depict one’s destiny.

While some like to flaunt it, others want to keep it to themselves. “I always dreamt of having a tattoo on my back. It is not visible and I don’t want to flaunt it. It is for someone very special,” said Patna Women’s College student Meenakshi Sharma. She added: “I was inspired by Sanjay Dutt, who has a beautiful tattoo on his hand.”

Getting a tattoo involves a certain amount of pain, as the ink is injected into the skin with the help of a needle.

“The pain is different for each person. Those who have a high tolerance level will hardly feel anything. For others, it could be intolerable. The place where you get a tattoo will also decide on the pain factor,” said Suraj Vishwakarma, the main artist at Wildink.

Krishna said: “One should be very careful about the tattoo healing. It should not come in contact with anything, as it might get infected. It is a wound that is healing.”

There is another pain that you will feel once the tattoo is complete: the pinch in your pocket. “The price depends on the size and the colour of the tattoo. It begins with Rs 1,000 and goes up to Rs 40,000,” said Vicky Choudhary, another artist. He also explained the process of making the tattoo: “First we decide on the art. Either the client can bring it or we can pick something. We make an outline of the tattoo, then trace it and illustrate. The artwork selected must be meaningful for the client.”

But Krishna, also a tattoo artist, said one should be careful about the tattoo one gets.

“Client remorse is the biggest risk. We want to make sure that the client is sure he or she wants to carry the tattoo for years to come. It should not be something that the client will repent because it will remain for a lifetime and can be removed only through surgery,” said Krishna.

So be sure about what you get under your skin — literally — or you may end up like Deepika Padukone who got the initials of her ex-beau Ranbir Kapoor engraved on her nape, and is now stuck with it even though the relationship has gone kaput!

Love can be fickle, not the tattoo.