We were lucky to catch up with Syamarani Dasi recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Syamarani, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

From 1969-1982, I was was one of the main artists of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publications. These are the translations and commentaries (by Srila Prabhupada Bhaktivedanta Svami Maharaja) of the ancient Vedic wisdom literatures.

From 1997-2010, I was the main artist and one of the main editors of the Gaudiya Vedanta Publications. These are the translations and commentaries (by Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami Maharaja) of the ancient Vedic wisdom literatures.

From 1967-1021, I have been traveling worldwide and sharing the teachings of these literatures, which contain timeless solutions to modern troubles times.

In 2021 I settled in Miami and established Gaudiya Vedanta Outreach (please see our instagram page) and Facebook page. We hold festivals, kirtans, classes and distribute free sanctified vegan / vegetarian meals.

In 2023 we are developing a project called Sacred Vedic Arts Cultural Center, for distributing these teachings in a larger way. As one division of SVA, we plan to have a museum called “The Museum of Bhakti Art”, to house all the paintings and line drawings done by me and my contemporaries with reference to these literatures.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

The story began fifty-seven years ago, when Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada set foot on American soil. The Swami had come from India by boat with a trunk full of Vedic wisdom books, on a mission to make these ancient teachings accessible to the disenfranchised youth, and to all Americans. A year later, I met the Swami, and soon, upon his request and under his guidance, I began painting for his new temples and for the Sanskrit and Bengali books he was translating and publishing at rapid speed. I realized that studying unpublished manuscripts to pick out pictures was the perfect way for her to be fully immersed in learning and practicing the philosophy that was so beautifully presented in those books. The Hare Krishna movement, as it became known, grew to millions of followers across nearly every country of the world, bringing profound relief and joy to spiritual seekers from all walks of life.
In 1992, I met Srila Prabhupada’s dear friend Srila Narayana Gosvami Maharaja. Under his guidance, I ended up traveling the world many times over, to share these teachings, and I began painting similar “windows to the spiritual world” for his own translations and commentaries. In 2018, I received the Bhakti-Fest spiritual humanitarian award for my contributions to devotional art and Bhakti yoga teachings. This award was presented to me by Deepak Chopra.
The non-stop traveling continued until 2021. That is when, at the request and with the help of many well-wishers and dedicated, devoted students and practitioners, I founded GVO (Gaudiya Vedanta Outreach) in Miami.
In the last two years, the GVO has distributed many thousands of spiritual literatures and copies of my art, as well as many thousands of plates of sanctified food. Thousands of people have learned the benefits of mantra meditation, vegetarianism, and devotion.
Upon entering the GVO center, one feels as if transported to ancient India. Original Vedic artwork lines the walls, the sounds of Vedic instruments, mantras and melodious voices, ecstatic at one moment and profoundly melancholic at another, ring in the ears, the aromas of pure vegetarian Indian cuisine and incense permeate the atmosphere. The heart begins to soar, and the mind to awaken. Then, the warm and friendly hospitality of the devotees who take time to speak though fully engaged in services within the center, makes one yearn for more of such experiences and association.
The growing appetite and need for spiritual knowledge and counseling is so much greater than what GVO is currently able to supply. The GVO, stuffed into a tiny space and bursting at the seams both physically and spiritually, is a micro-version of the proposed Sacred Vedic Arts Museum and Cultural Center. Its name will transform into this new name.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am the President/Founder of Sacred Vedic Arts Museum and Cultural Center (SVA). SVA is dedicated to offering immersive experiences through the arts and living culture of the bhakti tradition. Our mission is to awaken transcendent emotions in the hearts of modern audiences and inspire dialogue and introspection into the human condition in a way that is accessible and universal, yet deeply personal. We showcase diverse collections, exhibitions, programs, and performances that reflect our roots in ancient India, and draw from the works of contemporary artists inspired by the Bhaktivedanta School of Art which I was one of the main members of. Through this, we aim to create a vibrant cultural and spiritual hub.
The centerpiece of the project is the Sacred Vedic Arts museum, with an extensive collection of over 300 of my pieces by as well as rotating works by other expert Vaishnava artists. It offers a range of immersive experiences, such as daily guided tours, music and dance performances, oil paintings, dioramas, 3D mapping projections, Augmented Reality, and Virtual-Reality art.
In addition to the art galleries and educational spaces, the cultural center is the home of the Bhakti Yoga temple. When entered through the museum, this temple acts as a living history museum exhibit, where at certain times of the museum’s operating hours, the viewers may take a guided tour and experience an authentic ancient Indian temple environment.
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The cultural center branches out into departments in the form of five arts: visual, performing, ceremonial, literary, and culinary.
● The Visual Arts department is expressed in beautiful paintings and drawings, windows to the spiritual world, that adorn the walls, and dioramas that adorn the space, and the inspirational Vedic architecture of the buildings. The experience of the visual arts is heightened by Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and 3D Mapping. projections.
● The Performing Arts department showcases the rich beauty and depth of Vedic culture with song and instruments. It also showcases drama and dance performances that portray the world’s oldest narrations – the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavata Purana, instilling the present generations with the great lessons of these masterful works.
● The Ceremonial Arts department is centered around the Bhakti-yoga temple, which offers daily worship ceremonies, training in ethical standards, Vedic education discourses and personal counseling.
● The Literary Arts department focuses on book publishing, distribution, and outreach programs that share the Vedic literature locally and internationally.
● The Culinary Arts department offers Vedic cooking and prasadam (sanctified food) distribution. It provides vegan and vegetarian meals through the temple, the museum’s bistro, kiosk, restaurant, and the department’s mobile food distribution (food truck and catering). Our sustainable and regenerative organic Vedic farming project completes the
picture, integrating ancient and modern farming techniques for creating a source of fresh produce, grains, and ahimsa (non-violent) dairy products, enhancing our Culinary Arts offerings.
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The cultural center also includes the Ashram Residency and Guest Facilities project, which offers accommodation and support for spiritual aspirants and visitors, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming environment for personal growth. Please refer to Appendix 2: Preliminary Architectural 3D Floor Plans and Appendix 3: SVA Construction Area Schedule for
an in-depth floor plan and area schedule of the museum and center.
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We are doing this right now on a small scale and we are in the midst of fundraising in order to manifest the concept in its fullest.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

In 1966, I started painting for the temples and books of my Guru, Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. He had so many disciples due to his devotion to Krishna, that these disciples distributed over half a billion copies of his books all over the world in 70 languages to date. Photos of my paintings were printed in all of his 60 volumes of books. As a result, I quickly and immediately became well-known throughout that market. Then, in 1992, I started painting for my other Guru, Srila Bhativedanta Narayana Gowsvami Maharaja. His books, which like Prabhupada’s were translations and commentaries of the ancient Vedic wisdom texts. They were also translated into several languages and distributed around the world. This increased my being well-known in spiritually-minded communities around the world.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bhaktiart.net
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syamaranidasi/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/syamaraniart
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syamarani-dasi-11717554/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@syamaranidasi
• Other: https://theartofspirituallife.com https://www.bhaktiartilluminations.com