Anashree Govender merges art and spirituality through murthi restoration

IN A WORLD where art and spirituality often intertwine, Anashree Govender, a 32-year-old entrepreneur from Phoenix, has found her calling as a murthi restoration specialist. 

The 32-year-old from Phoenix, who runs a small business, DKY’S Arts and Paintings, restores murthis and creates various pieces of artwork. 

Govender said her journey into the business stemmed from a deep love for art and spirituality. 

“From a young age, I always felt connected to colours, creativity, and divine energy. Over time, I enjoyed sketching, and I was asked by my very first client to paint a Lord Hanuman murthi. Lord Hanuman has been my strength in this journey; he gave me strength not to give up and fostered my devotion to restoring our precious murthis.

“After doing thorough research on the correct materials to use and how to respectfully paint our beautiful murthis, I discovered my passion for restoring murthis and creating spiritual artwork,” she said. 

Govender said what started as a personal passion slowly evolved into a business where she helped restore and preserve sacred murthis while creating unique spiritual art pieces. 

“I officially started growing my business in 2021, and since then more people have been appreciating and supporting my work.”

She said the restoration was a detailed and respectful process. 

“I carefully clean the murthis, remove loose paint, sand the surfaces, repair damaged areas, and repaint them; bringing the murthi back to its original beauty while maintaining its sacred value. I work with different types of paints, mainly Dulux gloss enamel oil paints, and use different techniques depending on the murthi's material and condition.

“Some restorations include temple murthis as well as personal home prayer murthis that were faded, chipped, or damaged over time. The process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending on the size, the number of murthis, and the condition of each piece,” she said.

Govender said in addition to restorations, she created semi-3D mural boards, rangoli boards, nelungu boards, raam bhajan boards, mandala art, and Lippan-style art. 

“These artworks are spiritual and decorative pieces designed to bring positivity and beauty into homes, temples, and sacred spaces. My semi-3D murals are textured and layered to give depth, while rangoli and mandala designs are inspired by culture, symmetry, and spiritual symbolism. Lippan-style art is a traditional textured art form that adds elegance and uniqueness to each board.”

She said she enjoyed combining art with spirituality. 

“It is very fulfilling to restore something sacred and see how happy people are when their murthis are brought back to life. I also feel a deep connection while working, as if I am guided to bring out the beauty and details of each murthi. 

“My inspiration comes from faith, culture, and the joy of creating something meaningful for others. It has become my mission to restore and repaint murthis, so they can remain with families for many more years while preserving the devotion and spiritual energy connected to them.”

The response from the community, she said, had been positive. 

“Many people appreciate the effort put into preserving cultural and religious art, and I have received encouraging feedback and wonderful reviews from clients who are grateful for the restorations and custom pieces.”

The pricing varied depending on the size and detail of the work. 

“Restoration and artwork prices generally range from around R500 to thousands of rand, depending on the project's complexity and size.”

Her future plans include converting a glass room at her home into a small gallery space where she can display her artwork and creations. 

“The gallery will allow people to see my work in person, appreciate spiritual art, and place custom orders.

“My goal is to grow my business, preserve culture through art, and inspire others through creativity and reach many more people nationally and internationally,” she said.

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