I recently had my nose pierced. Call it inspiration from my travels to India. Call it a rebellious move because my friend Marcia balked when I told her I was thinking about getting a piercing. Or call it my attempt to connect with my nieces who are young, savvy and one of them has her own set of facial piercings.
Whatever the impetus, it’s done and it’s “totally awesome”.
Let’s say inspiration came from my travels to India and let’s take a look at the history of body piercing as a worldly act.
Interestingly, nostril piercings are known to go back about 4,000 years to the Bedouins in the Middle East and to the Berbers in Africa. It then spread to India in the 16th century where it’s thought to be an honor to the Hindu god Parvathi (the god of marriage) as well as a symbol of social standing and beauty. It’s common to see women in India with a chain that connects their nose piercing with their ear.
Piercings migrated to North America when hippie travelers visited the subcontinent in the 60’s and 70’s. The punk culture then picked up on it and over the last 15 years or so piercings of many body parts have become popular (I think I’ll stop with this one).
Even piercings of the septum and genitals go back to tribes around the world. I guess those punks and goths are more worldly than I imagined!
Neither Marcia nor my nieces have seen it yet and I’m curious about their reactions. And I haven’t been outside my safe community of Seattle, where most things are tolerated.
Whatever the response, just call me a 60’s hippie chick helping continue the migration of piercings!
Happy Travels!
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Anil says
The chain connecting a nose piercing to the ear is not so common anymore. It can be found in certain regions of India though, now considered more as a variation than a mandatory custom.
Eric Been says
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Natala says
I want a nose piercing