I had recently gone to a Bengali family party, and was sitting on the floor talking to an older auntie type, when I noticed she had something gold in her nose. I asked her what it was, and with a little pull here and there, she pulled out a punk-rock style gold septum ring. A little shocking, since as a desi girl I was more familiar with the more traditional nose piercings, but not the septum style. She continued by telling the story of how she got it as a girl, and and how the piercing was supposed to bring shanti on her husband- basically (what I garnered from my poor Bengali) anytime she exhaled, she would be bringing good luck on her mate.
Nose piercing was first recorded in the Middle East approximately 4,000 years ago… Nose piercing was bought to India in the 16th Century from the Middle East by the Moghul emperors. In India a stud (Phul) or a ring (Nath) is usually worn in the left nostril, It is sometimes joined to the ear by a chain, and in some places both nostrils are pierced. The left side is the most common to be pierced in India, because that is the spot associated in Ayuvedra (Indian medicine) with the female reproductive organs, the piercing is supposed to make childbirth easier and lessen period pain.[link]
The septum piercing that this auntie had is the second most popular piercing next to ear-piercings and even more popular than the traditional nose piercings.
The piercing is also popular in India, Nepal, and Tibet, a pendant “Bulak” is worn, and some examples are so large as to prevent the person being able to eat, the jewellery has to be lifted up during meals. In Rajasthan in Himachal Pradesh these Bulak are particularly elaborate, and extremely large.[link]
See mom, body piercings are a part of our culture! That line of reasoning didn’t quite fly as well when I presented it to her after I got mine. I personally opted for the chin-piercing better known as the labret back when I turned 22.
The term “labret” is Latin in origin, from labrum meaning “lip” and is pronounced “lah-bret.” It is the modern, umbrella term for all piercings around the opening of the mouth. [link]Until the late 19th century, the Eskimo of Alaska defined social status among groups by lip piercing. Eskimo women usually wore only one central lip-plug as decoration; however, the highborn Tlingit girls wore a labret to indicate their noble social status.[link]
I was scared of my folks and was able to keep it a secret from them for six months- that is until I had to fly back to see them for their wedding anniversary. Surprisingly, they didn’t say anything much about it, and I think after 3 years my dad still hasn’t noticed it. There was an added benefit to it as well- once the aunties and uncles saw that piece of metal on my chin, suddenly the comments from them of “There’s a nice engineering boy in Oklahoma that’s looking to get married,” came to a sudden stop.
I don’t even notice it anymore but one of my favorite stories is when I was in Ahmedabad, Gujarat volunteering at Manav Sadhna playing with with the children from the local slum who were there for Saturday school.
A group of girls ages 7 and under ran up to us. After smiling, this one girl, obviously the leader in the group with long light hair in a green outfit, points to my chin piercing. She whispers amongst her girls looking at it. “doesn’t it hurt?” she asks in Hindi. I point back at her nose, which has a piercing (though not jewels, but a stick to keep the hole open) and ask her in English, “doesn’t it hurt?” She giggles, and starts conspiring with her friends. She grabs my hand and we go running through the grounds…
Who would have known that a simple piercing could serve to create that kind of a connection? Ok, ok, I promise I’ll take it out. That is, when I grow up.
I have been Wanting to Get My Ear pierced and never really grew B@ll’s but i guess i might just go get it done after reading this blog…..
I guess Soco U should get it done Hun….i got 4 rings per ear n i m planning on getting my Nose done…Left side is meant for Better health or Something but i plan on getting my right side done…. Cant wait to see my rents once thats Done…Guess when They will never mention BIO DATA again…hehehe….
When I got my labret pierced, my mom didn’t talk to me for 3 months. She went ballistic and said that only people who have “morals like Dennis Rodman” would get pierced or tattooed.
Fast forward 7 years later — the labret is out but I’ve been itching for another piercing. I decide on my nose but call to ask Mommy dearest’s permission, lest she freak out again. Lo and behold, she not only approves of the idea but tells me about all the diamond studs and rings she can give to me that she no longer uses.
The hypocrisy!
yo if you want a real piercing get the prince albert its painfull but exiting i have it done in three places down there and they werent even that painfull so its somthing you should consider
My beauuuutiful girlfriend and I both got matching studs in our right nostrils. The only reason, because we had to choose and we’re both right-handed. It is rediculous to think that sides symbolize sexual preference, simliar to thinking females with really short hair are gay, or guys with both ears pierced are gay. This is 2006 people – grow up, kids. Besides, they’ve got rainbow car stickers now.
Wow, I just read this and I loved it. I have the left side of my nose done, and I came on to find the meaning. I have had it done since August 3rd. I think it’s really cool how piercings relate to cultures. =]]
Hi this is my first time on this site as I stumbled across it while searching the net. I am a Sikh female and have facial piercing’s and tatoos which are visable as I have one large one on my neck.
I don’t give a flying monkey about what anyone thinks about me just as my arm tatoo reads “Only God can judge me”. Therefore humans should not care so much about what others may think as others are a bunch of uneducated dumba**’s for gossiping in the first place. Last year I came home after my last tatoo and my family looked at me and I looked at them and said “The difference between you and I is that you care more about ‘people’ than your own child where I care more about me than other people”.
The only bit of advice I would freely give to anyone is that don’t be afraid to be yourself, we are so pre-occupied by society and its conventional rules that we forget who we are amongst all the anarchy besides who makes the rule in the first place?
Be true to yourself, live your life and be good to those who are good to you.
Desi xx
Say no to Indicorps! It is a Gujurati organization that promotes anti-secularism and Hindutva. Indicorps is part of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a radical Hindu organization. My friend got rejected because he didn’t attend an Ivy league school!
I really liked the topic
The origin of Nose piercing from the Middle east is hard to digest for anyone who has eyes to see. If it is in Ayurveda then it has to older than 4000 years then how come it originated in Middle east and is part of the Hindu tradition.If it was brought by the Mughals then how come it is depicted in the pictures of the Hindu Godesses.Then how come the tribals in South India also have unique nose ring of thier own ,they were never affected by the Moghuls.Thats totally strange.I have read this history in other sites too.
Historians say that the Dravidians are a Meditteranean race who migrated to India before the arrival of Aryans .Then there is a possibility of it being brought it in by them.I live in the Middle East I havent seen a single Arab who has nose stud.But there are Indians and Pakistanis who has nose piercing.It is Desi ,very desi
Cool story you had. I want some Industrial Piercing to my left ear maybe someday when my tragus is healed.