TattvabyPreethi

Four days.

A blank wall in a house my parents had just moved into. A city they’d never lived in. A home that didn’t yet feel like home.

My father spent more than forty years as a priest in a Shiva temple..The sound of bells wasn’t background to his life — it was his life. And mine, growing up inside it…
The gene of painting was also passed on to me from Him ..

When I thought of those empty walls of that home ,all i could think of was painting large Shiva on the walls . As a reminder for my parents of a life lived under his gaze & gratitude for my life with His hands protecting me alwaysss ..
I just picked up the brush.

Pradosha Nritham. The cosmic dance Shiva performs at twilight — on Pradosha nights — while the entire pantheon watches. Sixteen arms. Tribhanga posture. Apasmara crushed beneath His foot. Every arm had to arc in exact proportion. Every line carries iconometric weight.

I had four days before I had to be back in Mumbai. No prep. No measured sketches.. Just the wall, the pigments, and the grammar I’ve spent nine years learning.

96 hours. Golden ochre, vermilion, deep blue. The Nandi above, the snake coiled, the fire held steady in one of sixteen hands.

The last black line closed on day four.

Appa stood in front of it and said nothing for a long time… ( okay he did point out something that i missed ) 😆

Mahadev stays on that wall in Mangalore now — dancing through the twilight, holding the threshold of their new beginning…

For Appa. 🕉️ Preethi Rao | Indian Art
Preethi Rao

You don’t glance at Lakshmi Devi ..
You look. And then you look again.

In the Mysore tradition, every element of her form is deliberate..

The chathra above her — not decoration, a declaration of sovereignty.
The padma she holds — not offered to you, held for herself..
The gaja flanking her — witnesses, not servants.
I spent more time on her jewellery than I did on her face.

And then I painted her face —
and understood why the jewellery had to come first.

She is Lakshmi.
She needed to be bejewelled before she could arrive.

I painted on sarees for years.

Every stroke was real.
Every piece carried something I put into it without fully understanding what it was.

The people who wore them felt it.
I know because they told me.

But at some point the devotion started feeling larger than the surface it was living on.
Not because the sarees weren’t enough, but because something in me was ready for permanence.

As I shared in the slides, change was scary in the age of instagram & niches .
My mind questioned the shift of surface , but my heart knew the answer before the question could be completed .

A wall doesn’t move.
A canvas stays.
It becomes part of a room, a home — a corner that holds something sacred.
Also sketches on paper was were i started when young ..

That pull was quiet at first. Then it wasn’t. I didn’t leave the fabric behind with regret; I followed something with intention.

The sarees found their people. I found my surface.

And everything I learned painting on silk and cotton and khadi — every line, every layer, every hour — came with me.

The surface changed. The devotion only deepened. That’s the Tattva of it.

—

If you’ve been watching this work quietly, now you know where it began.

To ones who had been with me since the beginning ; as clients & encouragers ,cheering with likes , comments & appreciations , Heartfelt GRATITUDE .. 🙏❤️❤️

Even the cobra bowed..!

— श्री शारदाम्बा —

Adi Shankaracharya was walking the banks of the Tunga when he stopped.
Not for a vision. Not for a voice from the sky.
A cobra had spread its hood over a frog giving birth — shielding her from the afternoon sun. A predator, choosing shelter…
He needed no other sign.
Where even enemies become protectors, the goddess is not arriving. She is already dwelling.
He built Sringeri there. He consecrated her as Sharadambe — VaK Devi…!
Not the goddess of wealth, not the goddess of war.
The goddess of knowing…!

Of vidya that doesn’t just fill the mind — it changes how you see.
That quality of grace is what I have tried to hold inside this painting ..
She wears the crescent moon — she is beyond time.
The parrot at her shoulder — VaK Devi speaks through what is living.

The abhaya mudra — that open palm — is not a gesture. It is a promise.

The akshamala — prayer that continues even when we forget to.

Today, on the first day of Chaitra Navratri, I begin the new year the way Shankaracharya began Sringeri.

Not with grandeur. With attention. With a lamp. With her face.

Navratri Shubhashayagalu…

Ugadi Subhakankshalu…

Gudi Padwa chya Hardik Shubhechha…

May this new year bring you vidya — the kind that changes what you see, not just what you know.

श्री शारदाम्बा — Śrī Śāradāmbā— Mysore inspired painting on canvas using Acrylics .
Commissioned & sold ..!

Commission enquiries for the new year are open. DMs or whatsapp enquiries are welcome.

“It took 15 years to paint this one moment.” 🪔
I was young when I first met her.

Standing in the sanctum of Kollur Mookambika with my cousin, the temple doors sealed shut behind us.
The aarti flames flickered, the bells sang, and something in my chest recognized something in hers. I didn’t have the words then, but I knew I had been seen by the ultimate Shakti.

For fifteen years, that moment remained a whisper. It became a dream, then an obsession, and finally—paint on canvas.

On this International Women’s Day, I realize this painting was never a commission or a study. It is a conversation I have been having since I was young , translated through every tradition I have practiced— the lambent curves of Kerala Murals, and the bold geometry of Veeralipattu.

All of it was practice for this moment. All of it was asking: How do I paint the exact frequency of the Divine Feminine? How do I capture the strength that exists in silence?

Today, I honor the source of all creation and the quiet power within every woman that carries a whisper until it becomes a masterpiece. She is patient. She always has been…!

What does the Divine Feminine mean to you? Let’s celebrate her in the comments. 👇✨
🪔

Dimension : 2.75 * 2.75 Ft
Base: Canvas
Medium: Acrylics

Wishing a wonderful Ganesh Chathurthi , to one & all ..!! 🙏

Artstyle : Deccani Scroll
Size: 45 * 35 Inches
Base : Canvas
Colours : Acrylics

Dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries, the Deccani scroll ( Nakashi) an older, more detailed version of the Cheriyal painting style, is a traditional Indian art form that’s largely disappeared due to urbanization. The scrolls, which can be up to 40 feet long, were originally used to educate and entertain people by telling the origin stories of different communities.
This particular scroll details the history of the Padmasali weaver community. It uses deep colors like ochre, indigo, and white on a bright red background. The first panel shows salutations to Lord Ganesha, and the rest of the scroll tells the story of the celestial weaver Bhavana Rishi and his defeat of the demon Kalavasenudu, whose body was used to create new dyes. The characters are depicted with lavish jewels and vibrant clothing, and scenes are separated by floral borders.

A Labor of Love: A Symphony of South Indian Art
Presenting one of my most heartfelt creation yet: a 5ft x 2ft acrylic on canvas depicting the powerful Ashtalakshmi and the serene Sringeri Sharadamba which was commissioned by a beautiful soul for her abode overseas ..

This wasn't just a painting; it was a magnificent journey of blending the intricate beauty of Mysore and Tanjore styles.
Bringing this grand vision to life was a true labor of love. The sheer scale was a beast, and those delicate details tested my patience, but seeing these divine figures come alive was pure magic. Every single brushstroke was worth it. This piece is a testament to the timeless beauty and rich tradition of South Indian art.

I hope this piece touches your heart as much as it did mine while creating it.
Share this post if you believe in the power of art to connect us to the divine!

TattvabyPreethi

Do follow on instagram

https://www.instagram.com/tattvabypreethi?igsh=cmI5cG45b241OTZy&utm_source=qr

My journey with art has always been grounded in a specific style, but a new, quiet curiosity recently led me to explore something different. With a deep sense of respect and a newfound appreciation, I'm thrilled to share my very first Thanjavur painting of Devi Saraswati.
Creating this piece has been more than just an artistic endeavor; it's been a spiritual journey, allowing me to connect with the goddess of knowledge in a profoundly personal way…

DM or reach at 7977228905 for commissioned artworks …!

The joy of bringing Baby Krishna to life through art! This Tanjore-inspired acrylic painting is a journey of blending traditional techniques with artistic expression. I hope this piece resonates with the beauty and devotion inherent in Indian art.

[ Indian artist, Baby Krishna, Tanjore painting, acrylic art, handmade ]

Honored to share this timeless Kerala Mural art with you all, which is a beautiful blend of devotion, culture, and fine craftsmanship, bringing tradition to life….!