Thamara Perera is a Toronto-based mixed media illustrator and artist of Sri Lankan heritage. Pulled from her undergrad thesis series May the Yakshi Rise Again!, this piece uncovers the feminist roots of South Asian culture while shedding light on the gender issues that persist in the region today. The work juxtaposes the ancient South Asian composite God, the Ardhanarishvara – a half-male half-female deity symbolizing the cosmic alliance between male and female energies – with the prevailing reality of gender inequality and gender-based violence. Thamara’s work suggests a return to a more empowering South Asian culture for all genders.