Godna Tattoos
The Godna (tattooing) has an interesting dichotomy in the context of Dalit activism. Its mythological origin dates back to the time of Lord Shiva who hosted a feast where all the gods were invited, and among them was the Gond god (overseer of the “lesser” clans and tribes). As the Gond god went to the female section of the party he mistakened the goddess Parvati for his wife. In fury she declared that all tribal women be marked with tattoos as a form of identification that they were part of the “lesser” tribal gods. This notion is deeply embedded in the culture behind this form of tattooing. It stands as a mark of the lowly status held by the members of the Dalit community. However, today female Dalit Godna artists and also those that have these tattoos are reclaiming these markings as a sense of identification of their history and reclaiming it for themselves. (Kloß, S. T. ,2022)
