KL Rahul’s 24 Tattoos & Their Meanings

Kannur Lokesh Rahul, commonly known as KL Rahul, has earned a massive fan following in a short span of time with his brilliant cricketing skills. Rahul is the vice-captain of the Indian Cricket Team. In 2019, Rahul, along with Hardik Pandya, was suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) due to their controversial comments on the famous Indian talk show Koffee with Karan.

But, the suspension was lifted within 15 days, on 24 January 2019. Just like many athletes, Rahul is also a huge fan of getting body inks, and his body is a big masterpiece of the same. He said that he has, in turn, drawn inspiration from Kholi’s style statements. Let us explore his tattoos and their meanings.

KJ Rahul

1. ‘1’ Tattoo

Rahul 1 tattoo
Tattoo: On his left hand’s index finer, Rahul has got the tattoo of the letter ‘1’ inked in bold.
Meaning: The number tattoo is Rahul’s dedication of love and respect to his jersey number currently as he plays for the Indian Cricket team.

2. All-seeing Eye Tattoo

Rahul all seeign eye tattoo
Tattoo: On Rahul’s left bicep, we can see an elaborate design of ‘all-seeing eye’ inked.
Meaning: In an interview, Rahul claimed that he shared a very close bond with his grandparents, and this tattoo is dedicated to them. The tattoo reminds him that his grandparents are watching and continuously keeping an eye on him.
The All-seeing eye is also known by another name, ‘eye of God’, and thus, represents the fact that God is one and is above us all. Not to forget that he is watching us and our actions keenly, and hereby, we should be cautious of our deeds.

3. ‘Anchor’ Tattoo

Rahul anchor tattoo

Tattoo: On the lower right inner side of his right leg, KJ Rahul has an anchor tattoo.

Meaning: Anchor has been used for a long time to maintain constant stability for a ship during times of storm. But, with lives becoming complex and full of hard times and troubles, people have started linking anchors with daily turbulent lives. And guess what? Anchor is often adopted as a tattoo choice to remind themselves to be firm, peaceful, patient, quiet, and composed during turbulence. It is also used to determine strength, coincidence, peace, and passion.

4. Roman Numbers Tattoo

Rahul roman numbers tattoo
Tattoo: Towards the right side of his body, there are some roman numerals tattooed, which can be read as ‘CCLXXXIV.’ The numbers, when converted, represent 284.
It is said to stand for his Test cap number for India. Rahul turned out to be the lucky cricketer and became the 284th cricketer to play for the Indian national cricket team. Rahul has multiple times revealed how close this tattoo is to him as it was very challenging and hard to achieve this position and how his hard work paid off, and he was felicitated with this honor.

5. Design on Arm

Rahul arm tattoo

6. Compass Tattoo

Rahul compass tattoo
Tattoo: On the outer side of his right leg, we can see a compass’s beautifully designed and very clean tattoo.
It is said that he got this tattoo to commemorate his trip to Australia. Now, why was that trip so special? This is merely a secret that has never been revealed by Rahul yet!
Compass is symbolic of infinite possibilities in life. It is also believed to keep you secure and sound and acts as the source of natural guidance for making you reach home safely.

7. ‘Deshi Basara’ Tattoo

Rahul writing on arm, tattoo

Rahul deshi basara tattoo
Tattoo: On Rahul’s right forearm, he has a writing tattoo which is actually the Hindi word transcript in English. It says, ‘Deshi basara.’
Meaning: The tattoo means ‘RISE UP’ as inspired by the movie: The Dark Knight Rises. It is a popular chant from the movie that means.

8. Portrait of Pet Dog

Rahul dog portrait tattoo
Rahul with his dog
KL Rahul Lion King Tattoo
Tattoo: On the right side of his back, there is a tattoo of a portrait of his pet dog, Simba.
KL Rahul shares a close relationship with his pet dog Simba, so he got himself a tattoo of his personal “Lion King” on his back. Simba also has an Instagram handle of his own and has pics with captain Virat Kohli, his sister, and many others.
My body is my journal, and My tattoos are my story,”

9. Aries Sign Tattoo- A Key with Ram Horns

Rahul forearm tattoo
Tattoo: On Rahul’s left forearm, the tattoo is speculated to be a pair of keys with Ram Horns. The customized tattoo is said to represent his birth sign, i.e., Aries. Also, a few more meanings are attached to it, like opening up your mind and soul to accept new challenges and new experiences in life!

10. Hand Tattoo-Two Parrarel Arrows

Rahul hand tattoo
Tattoo: There are two parallel arrows tattooed on Rahul’s left hand.
Two arrows are used to represent and mark new friendships or new relationships in life. Many people also regard this tattoo as a token of protection.

11. Leg Tattoos

Rahul leg tattoos
Tattoo: On the inner side of his right leg, we can see a beautiful butterfly along with the map of Maimi with a dagger piercing through it.
Meaning: Butterfly is symbolic of fresh beginnings, faith,  feminity, transformation, and freedom. It is another way to represent LOVING BOND/ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP.

12. Parents’ Names Tattoo

Rahul's father name tattoo

Rahul’s father’s name tattoo

Rahul mother's name tattoo

Rahul’s mother’s name tattoo

Tattoo: On the inner side of his right wrist, Rahul has got the name of his father, Lokesh, and his mother’s name Rajeshwari on his left wrist.
“I got my parents’ names tattooed a long time ago. They were getting paranoid about how many tattoos I was getting, so I got their names and they never said anything after that,” he says,

13. Maori Tattoo

KL Rahul Arm Tattoo

Rahul maori tattoo
Tattoo: On his left arm, there is a Maori design that covers his shoulder, bicep, and arm.
Maori tattoo is used to pay respect to your rich culture, tribe, and background. But, they hold multiple meanings and pertain to aspects like your family, wealth, journey, stability, and sometimes, your professional path.
Rahul has got this ink done from the Kraayonz Tattoos in Bengaluru, and Deep Kundu, the famous tattoo artist, did his artwork.

14. Owl Tattoo

Rahul owl tattoo
Tattoo: On his left hand, we can see an owl tattoo.
An owl is linked with wisdom, mysteries, mysticism,  and illusions. In Native American cultures, owls are often associated with the afterlife and are considered spiritual guides.

15. Lighthouse Tattoo

Rahul lighthouse tattoo
Tattoo: On the inner left forearm, Rahul has got an impressive Lighthouse inked.
The lighthouse is very special to him because it reminds him of home. KL Rahul grew up by the beach in Mangaluru before he shifted to Bengaluru to follow his cricket career. Looking at the lighthouse tattoo on his arm keeps his childhood memories intact and fresh!

16. Rose on Hand

Rahul rose tattoo
Tattoo: Rose, the symbol of endless love, romance, romantic bonds, and friendships, is tattooed on his left hand.

17. Sacred Heart with Wings Tattoo

Rahul sacred heart with wings tattoo
Tattoo: This magnificent tattoo that covers the upper back of Rahul was his first body tattoo. He claims to have got it at the age of 17.
Sacred Heart with wings
For centuries, the Heart has been seen as a metaphor for the soul, the rivers of our emotions, and our inner selves. A heart tattoo simply can also mean sobriety, sincerity, and truthfulness. A heart attached with wings on either side is called the Sacred Heart. It is symbolized as one of the most revered symbols in Roman Catholicism, which represents Christ’s love for humanity and his sacrifice for them.
However, some people also get this for sake of protection, faith, determination, and gain all the strength from the guardians of God, i.e., angels.

18. Stars on Arm Tattoo

Rahul stars on arm tattoo
Tattoo: On Rahul’s left inner arm, there are some stars inked. They are considered to be the symbol of oversight, guidance, fearlessness, and adventure.

19. ‘XI’ Tattoo

Rahul XI Tattoo
Tattoo: ‘XI’ in Roman numbers is tattooed on his left inner arm. It is said to be his first jersey number that he got when he joined Indian Cricket Team.

20. Shoulder Tattoo

Rahul tattoo on right shoulder Rahul shoulder tattoo

Tattoo: The tattoo on his right shoulder represents a Spartan.

He didn’t say what the clock denotes but in the Spartan, he sees a reflection of himself — the pitch is his battlefield and the place where his killer instincts kick in,” he reveals. Rahul’s tattoo took seven sittings of eight hours each to complete.

When you do Spartan tattoo designs in all-black ink, they appear masculine. Spartan warriors are likely the most popular Spartans tattoo, and it represents honor and strength

21. Clock Tattoo with Latin Phrase

Rahul clock tattoo

Tattoo: On the inner side of his left bicep, there is a clock tattooed which is halted at 11 O’clock.
The clock is often used to represent the important times of your life. Thus, the tattoo on Rahul’s body marks the time when he was born; he came into this world at 11 O’clock on 18 April 1992. Exactly above it, he has got the Latin Phrase inked, which says, “Veni, Vidi, Vici,” meaning “I came I saw, I conquered.”
He chose this Latin phrase to make the world know that he has finally entered the ground, and they should be aware of his outstanding abilities and skills in the field.

22. Crescent Moon Tattoo

Rahul crescent moon tattoo

Tattoo: There is a tiny tattoo of a crescent moon on Rahul’s right hand.

Meaning: Crescent moon symbolizes manifestation, blossoming, imagination, and innovation.

23. Dagger on Leg

Rahul dagger tattoo

Tattoo: There is a dagger tattooed on the backside of his right leg.

Meaning: A piercing dagger is symbolic of two aspects one, that relates to negativity like death, disloyalty, and loss, whereas the other is stability, valor, fearlessness, and protection.

24. Finger Tattoos

Rahul finger tattoos
Tattoo: Across his right hand’s thumb, there are two symbols tattooed. One of them is the symbol of ‘OM’ i.e. 🕉️
Om is the religious chant however, it is believed to be sacred among various religions and is often spoken prior to and on the conclusion of prayers and pledges.
Om itself is cross-cultural and goes beyond cultures and religions. Getting AUM/OM/its symbol inked signifies that you are a religious person.

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  1. yash deshmukh

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