Ep 66 - Swasthik Iyengar - Sacred Tattoos

Episode of Seekers of the Eternal · June 30, 2025 · 1 h 13 min

Palehorse talks with tattoo artist Swasthik Iyengar (Ganga Ma) about her grandmother's healing kolam tattoos, devotional art, Hindu deities and the spiritual side of tattooing.

Summary

Host Palehorse welcomed Swasthik Iyengar, a tattoo artist known as Ganga Ma, whom he had met at the Cigar City Tattoo Fest in Tampa. Iyengar described her South Indian upbringing in a family devoted to Lakshmi Narasimha. She explained the kolam, a matrix of dots and lines drawn daily in rice flour to invite Lakshmi, and her grandmother's practice of stick-and-poke kolam tattoos used as folk medicine. She said such a tattoo was believed to trap negative spirits or illness within its exitless design so they could be expelled. She also said Indian street tattooing had been shaped by English sailors at the Bombay docks.

Iyengar recounted moving to the West at age ten, getting tattooed in London's punk scene, and choosing Lakshmi Narasimha for her first tattoos at the studio Into You. She said that drawing and painting Hindu deities, inspired by American tattooers such as Robert Ryan, brought her back to her faith. Palehorse described leaving dogmatic Christianity, then being drawn to Hinduism after seeing Ramayana murals in Thai temples, which he summed up as "Hanuman and psilocybin."

The two discussed art as a meditative, devotional practice, managing mind chatter and self-comparison on social media, and the value of nature, therapy and community. Palehorse argued that now is the time for artists to make art and that action should start from the heart rather than from fear. Iyengar praised charity art auctions in the tattoo community. She said that when she works for material gain rather than from an authentic place, her progress stalls.

Iyengar said she now works at Good Luck NYC in Greenpoint and was preparing her first solo exhibition. She plans to build a local clientele and returns to India every year for spiritual practice and inspiration. Palehorse closed by citing Paramahansa Yogananda's view that the coming age would unite India's spiritual genius with America's ingenuity.

Chapters

0:00
Introduction and Tampa meeting
Palehorse introduces Swasthik Iyengar and the two recall meeting at the Cigar City Tattoo Fest in Tampa.
4:52
Kolam and grandmother's medicinal tattoos
Iyengar explains the South Indian kolam tradition and her grandmother's stick-and-poke healing tattoos.
12:50
Tattooing as energy exchange
The two discuss healing, belief and the artist's state of mind in the tattooing relationship.
19:25
From rebellion in London to deity tattoos
Iyengar recounts getting tattooed in London, her first Lakshmi Narasimha tattoos and how painting deities restored her faith.
27:25
Palehorse's path to the Ramayana
Palehorse describes moving from atheism to devotion after seeing Ramayana temple art in Thailand.
30:25
The power of art and visionary dreams
They discuss how art immerses viewers and how painting scripture deepens understanding of its messages.
38:44
Art as meditation and connection to nature
Painting and tattooing are framed as meditative rituals, with nature as a source of grounding.
46:36
Mind chatter, social media and self-doubt
They discuss comparison, therapy and resistance as a mythic threshold guardian.
52:48
Art in divisive times and community giving
Palehorse urges artists to keep making art, and Iyengar describes charity auctions in the tattoo community.
58:15
Ego, intention and the universe
Both reflect on how work driven by material gain stalls while authentic work flows.
1:01:11
Current work, exhibition and India
Iyengar describes working in New York, her first solo exhibition, her yearly trips to India and her tattoo mentors.
1:08:10
East meets West and farewell
Palehorse cites Yogananda on East and West joining, and the two say their goodbyes.

Key points

What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.

Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar explained that kolam is drawn in rice flour so it can be worn away and eaten by insects and crows, which is taken as a sign of blessing.
“And it's made of rice flour because it's meant to be rubbed off, eaten by insects and crows”
Listen from 5:35 · Kolam
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar described the belief behind her grandmother's kolam tattoos that negative entities or illness become trapped in the exitless design and are expelled.
“any negative entity will go to that point where the tattoo is and trap itself inside the matrix because there's no exit in a column design”
Listen from 9:07 · Traditional tattooing in India
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said modern Indian street tattooing was heavily influenced by English sailors arriving at the Bombay docks.
“that was heavily, very heavily influenced by Western culture and the bringing about of the English sailors to the Bombay docks”
Listen from 10:15 · Traditional tattooing in India
Palehorse
Palehorse said he had read that nearly every major culture until about 500 years ago had a magical ritual tattoo practice.
“every culture up to maybe just like 500 years ago, every major culture that we know of had a magical ritual tattoo practice”
Listen from 12:55 · Traditional tattooing in India
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar argued that because tattooing is a permanent energy exchange, the artist's state of mind directly affects the quality of what she delivers.
“if I'm not in the right state of mind, then I'm not delivering something to the best of my ability”
Listen from 15:13 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Palehorse
Palehorse expected that people would increasingly seek tattoos for ancient, medicinal and rite-of-passage reasons.
“I think in the future, people will be getting tattoos for these ancient reasons, for coming in for a medicinal reason to receive that”
Listen from 17:55 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar recounted that her first tattoos, about 18 years earlier, were of Lakshmi Narasimha.
“because my first tattoos were Lakshmi Narasimha when I was this is 18 years ago I didn't want to get any old tattoo”
Listen from 20:00 · Lakshmi Narasimha
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said Robert Ryan was the first person she followed on social media and that American tattoo legends became her gurus.
“I came across, I think it was the first person I followed was Robert Ryan”
Listen from 23:35 · American traditional tattooing
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said that drawing deities and esoteric art reconnected her with God after losing her faith in adolescence.
“drawing deities and spiritual and esoteric art, the more I started connecting back with God, the more I would wake up”
Listen from 24:49 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Palehorse
Palehorse said that Hanuman and psilocybin broke down his self-imposed rules against religion after he saw Ramayana art in Thailand.
“It was like all of my rules. I would say I would say it's like it's Hanuman and psilocybin”
Listen from 29:14 · Ramayana
Palehorse
Palehorse compared painting to meditation, in which the artist gently returns a drifting mind to devotional focus on each brushstroke.
“So similar to meditation because if we're staying, you know, 100% focused on making a devotion out of the brushstroke”
Listen from 42:33 · Meditation
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said her connection to nature is as important to her as her connection to God.
“having that connection to nature is equally as important as connection to God too, for sure”
Listen from 44:15 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said social media gave her guest-spot opportunities and connections she would not otherwise have had, though it also encourages comparison.
“There's people I would have connected with. I would never have had the opportunity to guest in their shop if I didn't have social media”
Listen from 50:07 · Social media and self-presentation
Linked moment · 52:48Skip to 52:48 using a listen link in the info box.
Palehorse
Palehorse argued that in difficult times artists should keep making art rather than see it as trivial.
“now is the time for artists to make art and not to feel like that is a trivial thing to do”
Listen from 53:20 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Palehorse
Palehorse argued that responses to division and violence should start in one's own heart rather than in fear or anxiety.
“It shouldn't start with fear. Like when we're trying to figure out what we're supposed to do, it shouldn't come from a place of fear or anxiety”
Listen from 55:20
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said that her progress stalls when her motivation is material gain rather than authenticity.
“I think the universe knows when my intent, my reasoning for it isn't one coming from a really authentic place and potentially it's for material gain”
Listen from 59:14 · Tattoo art as spiritual practice
Swasthik Iyengar
Iyengar said she will mainly stay in New York and prioritize building a local clientele over frequent travel.
“I predominantly actually will be staying in New York because I have moved my life here. I think it's extremely important for me to build local clientele”
Listen from 1:04:26
Palehorse
Palehorse cited Paramahansa Yogananda's teaching that the present age is about India's spiritual genius combining with America's ingenuity.
“it's about the spiritual genius of India and, and the ingenuity of America and those things coming together”
Listen from 1:08:25

People

In the conversation

PalehorseArtist and host of the Seekers of the Eternal podcast, also referred to as Chris
Swasthik IyengarSouth Indian-born tattoo artist and painter known as Ganga Ma, based in New York

Discussed

Robert RyanMember of the kirtan group Soma, also called Sivanesh; painter and tattooer who practices Shaiva and Shakta worship
Paramahansa YoganandaIndian yogi and author whose writings the host quotes at the episode's close

Topics

From the publisher

In this episode of Seekers of the Eternal, host Palehorse welcomes Swasthik Iyengar, known as Ganga Ma , a visionary tattoo artist from South India. They explore her journey and the lineage of her grandmother's medicinal tattooing to her current practice in the West, discussing the healing power of tattoos, the cultural significance of her work, and the energy exchange that occurs during the tattooing process. The conversation delves into the importance of community, nature, and the role of art in personal and collective healing, emphasizing the connection between spirituality and creativity. Takeaways • Swastik Iyengar, known as Ganga Ma, is a visionary tattoo artist.• Her work embodies devotion and channels ancient wisdom.• Tattooing serves as a powerful energy exchange between artist and client.• Traditional tattooing practices in India have deep cultural significance.• Art can be a medium for healing and self-discovery.• The connection to nature enhances creativity and well-being.• Community plays a vital role in the artistic journey.• Art can inspire change and raise awareness for important causes.• The journey of tattooing is also a journey of personal growth.• Every artist has a unique story and perspective that shapes their work. Follow Gunga Ma on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/gunga_ma/ Email for Tattooing swasthikiyengartattoos@gmail.com Seekers of the Eternal Apparel & Prints https://palehorse.myshopify.com/

Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on October 31, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.

Categories: Visual Arts·Hinduism·Spirituality