Yukta Taneja

“Mukhi” (face) is a Sanskrit term that stems from an ancient seed known as Rudraksha. Mythology has revealed that this seed is born from the compassionate tears of a Hindu deity called Shiva. These seeds are said to carry spiritual energy, protection, and healing, and these photographs become symbols of feminine resilience, emotional depth, and quiet transformation.

As a woman growing up in a spiritual home, I witnessed the subtle, patient ways my family generationally carried faith. Their prayers, rituals, and emotional labor were not loud, but they were deeply rooted. They were my first teachers of strength in softness, discipline in surrender, and clarity through chaos. These are values that still make me feel grounded amidst the ever changing tides of my twenties.

Though the blue hued god Shiva is often seen as the divine masculine force, his mythology is deeply entwined with feminine energy. In many forms, Shiva is incomplete without Shakti; The feminine principle of power, creativity, and intuition. This dynamic balance forms the core of the series.

Water flows through the images as a metaphor for Shiva’s tears and the fluid nature of womanhood. Each portrait responds to a specific face of the Rudraksha seed, revealing aspects of the uncertain human journey.

“Mukhi” reimagines connection as a living, breathing relationship, nurtured through the hands, hearts, and memories of women.