New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS): Most people get the names of their loved ones tattooed on their bodies, but India’s 'Living Wall Memorial' has got the names of 631 martyrs inked on his body and his efforts have been honoured by the India Book of Records.
Abhishek Gautam from Hapur in Uttar Pradesh got 631 tattoos as he wanted to show his love and respect for the Indian Army and freedom fighters including Mahatma Gandhi, Chhatrapati Shivaji, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Bhagat Singh, to name a few.
However, his tribute to the country’s martyrs does not stop at people as he has also got memorials like India Gate inked on his body.
It took him 15 days to get all the tattoos done as it needed a lot of time and tolerance for pain to accomplish the mammoth task.
Asked how the idea came to his mind, Abhishek Gautam said, "Last year I visited Leh-Ladakh. The Indian Army saved one of my friends during an incident and throughout our journey, we felt safe as the soldiers were always there. Since then I had been thinking about a befitting way to pay tribute to them. That’s when the idea of getting inked came to my mind."
"For an entire year, I researched the names of martyrs and met with some of their family members. I then approached a tattoo artist in Delhi, who designed the tattoo and began the inking process," Abhishek Gautam stated.
"Before getting the tattoos, I consulted doctors who advised against it due to the lengthy process and potential adverse reactions. However, despite their warnings, I proceeded with it," he stated.
Surprisingly, his family, including his wife, were unaware of his decision initially, but supported him in his endeavour later on.
"Nowadays, people show their patriotism on August 15, January 26, or during India-Pakistan cricket matches, but otherwise, they’re indifferent. While I couldn’t join the Indian Army, I wanted a daily reminder of my patriotism and these tattoos serve that purpose," he said.
The high point came when the India Book of Records that has been the curator and custodian of Indian Records since 2006, decided to honour Abhishek Gautam’s amazing feat.