The Jade Lotus : bollywood

Ancient India: The Birthplace of Plastic Surgery

"The Indian Method of Rhinoplasty," which involved cutting skin from the forehead or cheek, was kept secret for centuries in India

Most historians agree that the first recorded account of reconstructive plastic surgery on the living is found in ancient Indian Sanskrit texts. These texts describe procedures to repair noses and ears that were lost either as punishment for crimes (such as adultery) or in battle. Hindu surgeon Sushruta, working near the modern-day city of Varanasi described the “attached flap” method of plastic surgery in his 600 B.C. text Sushruta Samhita. The procedure involves reconstructing the nose by cutting skin from either the cheek or forehead, twisting the skin skin-side-out over a leaf of the appropriate size, and sewing the skin into place. To keep the air passages open during healing, two polished wooden tubes would be inserted into the nostrils. This method became known as the “Indian Method of Rhinoplasty” and was kept secret for centuries in India.

Back in the day, when I was a young, impressionable sprout (even until relatively recently actually) I believed that all these Bollywood actresses looked the way they do because they just did. Perfect and glamourous. Yes, Shilpa Shetty admitted to a nose job back in the 90s already but I thought "oh well, it's just her!" but it's seems that everyone has had some rhinoplasty. That and Botox, fillers and cosmetic surgery! I find their transformations amazing!

The obsession with beauty is not only rooted in the Indian film industry, but in Indian culture, itself. India rivals Venezuela when it comes to grooming contestants for beauty pageants. It is a national obsession. In fact, beauty watching probably comes ahead of watching movies as a national pastime in the country.