“Art has never felt like a choice to me—it’s something I’ve grown up with, something that became part of me over time.

My father is both an artist and a purohith, and I spent my childhood watching him and his team work on alankarams, rangoli, and temple decorations. Over time, I didn’t just observe—I became part of it. I began assisting and eventually started doing alankarams myself, along with sketching and creating rangolis while I was still in school, not as practice, but because I genuinely enjoyed it.

As I grew older, I learned from my father and my gurus, Sridhar Guru and Nagender Guru. They taught me the Vedic path of pourahityam, but also helped me understand the meaning behind it. For me, art and devotion are not separate—whether I’m creating an alankaram, designing a rangoli, or performing a ritual, it feels like a form of seva.

Alongside this, I’m pursuing my B.Tech in Information Technology and Sciences. Managing both hasn’t always been easy, but I’ve learned to stay consistent. With the support of my family, friends, and teachers, I’ve continued on this path. Being able to speak English, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada has also helped me travel and connect with people across different places.

My work has taken me to cities like New Delhi, Guwahati, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Tirupati. Hyderabad, in particular, feels close to me. I visit often for pujas and events, and every time, it feels familiar.

Last year, I was part of the Koti Deepotsavam Event in Hyderabad during Karthika Masam, where one crore diyas are lit. Along with my team, I had created 13 alankarams and rangoli artworks over 13 days. It’s an experience that’s difficult to explain—being there, you don’t just see the devotion, you feel it.

There have been challenges along the way in my journey, but they’ve only strengthened my faith. I want to continue serving through art and pourahityam, and someday, create something that brings together creativity and service.”

— Lohith Srivaishnava