M uch like a fresh manicure, a hand tattoo can spark joy every time you look down. Each artist we spoke with for this story mentioned a growing interest in hand tattoos among thei ...

Traditional Polynesian tattoos used a comb called “au” which was tapped with a mallet “sausau” to push the ink into the skin. Pushing ink into the skin by hand is an ancient practice.

At the recent Nagoba Jatra, Kova Laxmi embraced an old Adivasi practice by getting a Trishul tattoo on her right hand.