Natural power: Gypsies on Marina use solar panels to charge phone batteries, tattoo machines

Beneath the trees, in the little shade available on the promenade of Marina beach, dwell a strew of 20 gypsy families, each armed with a sleek, shiny solar panel of their own. While the adults ink tattoos on solar-powered machines on interested visitors for a living, their children play games on second-hand smartphones connected to solar-powered batteries.

Ramki A, a tattoo artist who claims to ink at least two people every day, said, “Earlier, I used to run up and down the beach to charge the battery that powers my tattoo machine. Now, I can just connect it to the solar panel and it lasts until I finish inking five tattoos. I can even charge my phone easily.”

A full charge for his battery would cost him Rs 50 earlier and that would last only for two days. A solar panel however, costs Rs 1,200 and lasts for many years - which is much more profitable for the gypsies. “There is no maintenance involved as well. Even when it rains, it works. Only the wire has to be changed once in three months and that costs only Rs 100,” said V Venkatesh, another gypsy on the beach.

At least 30 small solar panels are sold every month and the number is steadily increasing, said Suresh, who works at Madras Electronics, Mount Road. He said, “We have small solar panels starting from the price range of Rs 100 and going up to Rs 4,000. Mostly street vendors and small businessmen buy these panels from me. Even school and college students purchase it for projects.”