“This, for me, is a spiritual journey,” says artist Dr. Beena S Unnikrishnan. “I actually wanted to paint Maha Tripura Sundari, as she represents universal feminine power — to understand her better. That thought led me to the 64 Yoginis. It was never a planned project. I never imagined I would enter a subject like this.”
The 64 paintings, created between 2015 and 2020, are now on view at Delhi’s India Habitat Centre as part of her travelling exhibition ‘Ekaa: The One’. The show began in Kochi on January 15 and is travelling across 16 states over 81 days, covering more than 10,000 kilometres.
The four-day exhibition in Delhi presents all 64 paintings along with guided walkthroughs, background material, audience sessions, and a documentary screening. Y64: Whispers of the Unseen, directed by Dr Jain Joseph, Head of NEO Film School, and produced by Beena, documents her travels to Yogini temple sites across India, including Hirapur, Ranipur-Jharial, Bhedaghat, Vidisha, Dudhai, Badoh, and Morena.
When she began the series, her research started with identifying the names of the 64 Yoginis — sacred feminine forces believed to be manifestations of the Mahadevi, the Great Goddess. Faced with different lists in texts such as the Skanda Purana and the Agnipurana, she chose to follow the Yoginis from the Hirapur Yogini Temple as her reference point.
After completing the paintings in 2020, Beena met the late economist and scholar Bibek Debroy, who encouraged her to write about the experience. Her book, Whispers of the Unseen, became a reflection on the journey and connects the paintings with the documentary.
A self-taught artist, Beena sketched regularly during her college years. After marrying an army officer in the 1990s, she continued painting while moving between postings, often creating portraits inspired by artists such as Raja Ravi Varma. Over time, she searched for her own style. Geometry began to interest her, and meeting scholar Dr M.M. Alex opened new spiritual directions. This mix of geometry and spirituality later shaped Ekaa.
Today, her work extends beyond painting. She is part of the global women’s collective G100 Global Chair for Arts Leadership and Films and runs Kankali, an organisation that supports artists with branding and sustainability. She is also developing a new initiative called “Mere,” focused on residencies around Indian cultural traditions. The first theme she plans to explore is Theyyam from Kerala.
When asked what she wants viewers to feel, Beena keeps it open. She does not want to define how people should respond. “I don’t know my destination,” she says. “I am just a traveller now.”
On view at Visual Art Gallery, India Habitat Centre, till February 24