I got my tattoo back in in 2011 when I turned 21. It's a Maori tattoo similar to what the Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has. There isn't any deep meaning behind it. My dad had told me that I could get a tattoo done after I graduated from college so I didn't ask him. After college got over, I just got the tattoo done and came home.
Dalton D'Souza, 25, Anjuna
I got my tattoo done about three years ago when I was 18. My father was a little hesitant but my mother was absolutely fine with it. My tattoo is basically a swallow. And although I didn't want to attach any meaning or significance to it when I first got it done, I began to find it stemmed from a more profound place than I initially thought. Right now, it represents my nomadic nature and my intense love for freedom. I plan to get more done but only after I've saved up
Gail Pinto, 21, Porvorim
I got my tattoos done about three months back but my parents were not too happy about them in the beginning. Each one of the tattoos has a different meaning. I've got mandalas which are basically a symbol of unity and equality for me. Then there's an arrow with a compass which to me depicts how life takes you in different directions and you never turn back and just keep moving forward. I've got a hamsa which is a good luck charm and a valknut sign on top which is like a symbol of strength. I've also got a feather which shows the complexity of the simplest things. Another has the word tapas which means inner peace or finding your inner energy. I've got another two words on each hand which says 'home life' - it's from a song which I really like.
Arnie Rego, 22, Merces
So far, I've managed to get two tiny tattoos done. Both were custom-created for me by an artist friend in Pune. One is a vivid, colourful splotch that symbolises my love of art (so it's like a palette with brushes), while the other is the date my parent's got married (in roman numerals) artistically inked forever on my wrist. I hope to get another tattoo done this year. It will be a geometric design of some sort symbolising my individuality.
Mariella D'Souza, 23, Benaulim
I always wanted to get a tattoo, so three years ago, while I was sailing in the Caribbean, I finally decided to get it done. I got my first tattoo, a large one of a fox across my upper chest and arm and it was painful. I actually had to pop a painkiller so that the artist could work his magic properly. It was totally worth it. I was thrilled with it, but when I returned home, my mom was pretty mad. The second tattoo was a '19' symbolising the nineteenth alphabet in the English language 'S'. I hope to get another one soon, something on my calf muscle, I think.
Standly Gomes, 27, Navelim
