Durga - The invincible

I have been working on a full back piece for the last 18 months. It is being done (design and tattoo) by Manuela at Wildfire in Cape Town, who is a beautiful soul and I feel honoured to have her permanent impression on my body.

The first half of my backpiece took 2 sessions of 3.5 and 2.5 hours respectively. The design was drawn from a verbal description which I gave Manuela, it starts on my lower right back with three lotus flowers (in different phases of opening), which have smoke and some skulls coming out of them, and then travels up my back diagonally to my left shoulder with different butterflies, flowers and stars all the way up.

It has deep meaning for me, moving from a dark, muddy depths to the beautiful, delicate lightness of butterflies, it symbolises growth out of a dark, painful place.

There are few people who know me well enough to 'get' its story, but those who do, feel that it is apt and perfect.

The second half of my back piece is still in production, it is the image of the Hindu Goddess Durga. Durga(दुर्गा) "the inaccessible" or "the invincible" is the embodiment of creative feminine force (Shakti). According to mythology Durga was created as a warrior goddess to fight an asura (demon) named Mahishasur.

Mahishasur terrorized the three worlds: heaven, earth and the netherworlds, which angered Shiva and Vishnu so, that beams of fierce light emerged from their bodies, from which Durga emerged. It is said that Mahishasur was not afraid of Durga because she was a woman, but Durga smiled and sipped wine while proclaiming: "Roar with delight while you still can O illiterate demon, because when I will kill you after drinking this, the gods themselves will roar with delight", before she slayed the demon.

Although Durga is considered fearless and invincible, she is said to be compassionate and patient and never loses her sense of humour, even during battles of epic proportions.

People have many reasons for getting tattoo's, but most can be divided into extrinsic or intrinsic reasons.

The reason for me getting this backpiece is totally selfish and not for other people to admire, but to remind me of the battles I have won and to keep my sense of humour and compassion during those hardships which are yet to come.