A tattoo artist and a parlour owner in Bhubaneswar, India, have been arrested after a viral photo depicted an Italian woman with a tattoo of a local deity on her thigh, triggering protests from Hindu groups and religious devotees.
The controversy centers around the tattoo of Lord Jagannath, the presiding deity of the famous Jagannath Temple in Puri, Odisha, which was inked on the woman’s thigh at her request. In response to the backlash, a case was filed against Rocky Ranjan Bisoi, the 33-year-old owner of the tattoo parlour, for allegedly offending religious sentiments.
Bisoi explained to authorities that the tattoo was applied by one of his artists, Ashwini Kumar Pradhan, 25, after the woman specifically requested it. Bisoi had shared a photo of the woman and her tattoo on his WhatsApp status, which quickly went viral, fueling outrage. The post was later deleted.
Subrat Kumar Mohanty, a self-identified social activist, filed a police complaint, claiming the tattoo’s placement was “objectionable.” In his complaint, Mohanty stated that the tattoo on the woman’s thigh was disrespectful and violated religious sensitivities. He demanded a public apology from the woman in Puri.
“The tattoo has hurt our religious sentiments,” Mohanty said. “We demand a public apology at Puri.”
The woman, an Italian NGO worker stationed in Odisha’s Kandhamal district, issued a public apology, emphasizing that she was a devotee of Lord Jagannath and had no intention of disrespecting the deity. She explained that she chose to have the tattoo placed on her thigh because her workplace does not allow visible tattoos.
Local police official Biswa Ranjan Senapati confirmed the investigation, stating that the woman had visited the tattoo shop on March 1. He added that police would issue her a warning due to her apparent unawareness of local religious sensitivities.
The police investigation revealed that Bisoi had instructed his artist to ink the tattoo on the woman’s thigh, despite concerns from the artist. According to Mohanty, the parlour owner should have discouraged the tattoo placement, given its controversial nature.
Amid the growing controversy, both Bisoi and the woman issued video apologies. Bisoi expressed regret for the incident, clarifying that the woman had asked for the tattoo to be placed discreetly due to her NGO’s policy on visible tattoos. The woman, in her apology, promised to have the tattoo removed once it had healed, expressing deep remorse for unintentionally offending religious sentiments.
“I did not want to be disrespectful,” she said in her video message. “I’m a true devotee of Lord Jagannath. I go to the temple every day. I made a mistake, and for this, I’m very sorry.”
While the woman’s identity remains undisclosed, the incident highlights the growing sensitivity surrounding the portrayal of religious symbols in public spaces, particularly among foreign visitors.
This is not the first such controversy involving foreigners and their interactions with local religious customs. In 2023, a Russian man was deported from Indonesia after a photo of him stripping atop the sacred Mount Agung in Bali went viral, despite his apology. He was banned from returning to Indonesia for at least six months.
The case in Bhubaneswar continues to spark debates over the boundaries of cultural and religious sensitivity, with many calling for greater awareness and respect for local traditions.
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