From Kurukshetra to Kashi via Bangalore: How Saaiva Came to Life

A Life of Building Tech Startups and the Void Within

I’m Anil Chhikara, Serial Entrepreneur, 3 times TEDx Speaker, Anchor Judge and Host - India's First Startup Reality Show, Sculptor and an OTT Actor.

For over 25 years, I immersed myself in tech startups in Bangalore - from building and exiting my own ventures, to running deep tech accelerators in India and abroad, judging reality shows, and mentoring hundreds of founders. CAD/CAM, AI, IoT, EVs - I was neck-deep in the future.

But in all that building, something in me stayed ignored.

The Panic Attack and the Questions That Followed

COVID stopped me in my tracks. With the void came the panic attack - unannounced, but deeply revealing.
It cracked open all the inward questions I had long buried beneath pitches, roadshows, and investor meetings:
Who am I, really? What is this life for? Where do I go from here - and why?
The outer world paused. The inner churn began. In desperation - not faith - I turned to the Bhagavad Gita.
And there, I saw myself.

The Verse That Changed Everything

I finally understood a verse I had heard since childhood, but never truly grasped:

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
You have a right to perform your actions, but not to the fruits thereof.
Do not let the results of action be your motive, and do not be attached to inaction. - Bhagavad Gita 2.47

Ironically, the signs were always there. I studied engineering at Kurukshetra, where Krishna gave Arjuna the message of Gita. My edtech startup was called 24x7 Learning. And yet, it took nearly 40 working years for the message to reach me!

This wasn’t just spiritual advice. This was the core operating principle I had been missing - in startups, in life.

Returning to Sanatan Dharma - and to Kashi

Shortly after in Feb 2025, I found myself at the Maha Kumbh, and someone there suggested I visit Kashi. Despite decades of travel across India and the world, I had never set foot in this sacred city.

And yet - when I arrived - it felt like coming home.

I returned again, and this time, I gifted myself my first-ever Vedic ceremony - Shashtiabdhapoorthi at the Mritunjay Mahadev temple in Kashi. This ritual, performed traditionally when one completes 60 years, marks a spiritual rebirth - a chance to reset, reflect, and realign with Dharma. For me, it wasn’t just a ritual. It was a vow. A vow to no longer stay a beneficiary of Sanatan Dharma. But to serve it - with everything I’ve learned, built, and become.

Why I Created Saaiva?

Saaiva, a fusion of Shiva and Shakti’s energies, is not a business born out of strategy. It is a commitment born out of guilt, gratitude, and grace.

I have received so much from our civilization. But I had done nothing for it. And now, I finally had something to offer. Saaiva is my startup in service of Sanatan Dharma - not charity, not commerce, but a living offering. It’s how I apply all my experience - in product, design, community, and storytelling - to build something that helps others reconnect, just as I did.

What Services Does Saaiva Offer?

Saaiva offers personal, authentic Sanatan Dharma experiences - thoughtfully curated, deeply rooted and guided by wisdom and tradition.

1. Sacred Rituals

Personalised Vedic ceremonies performed by trusted, transparent, and highly trained Vedic pundits - including guidance, preparation, and full understanding of each ritual’s purpose. Our first offering began with the Shashtiabdhapoorthi - the very ceremony that transformed my life.

2. Meet a Living Acharya

One-on-one spiritual guidance sessions with scholars, practitioners, and lineage holders - helping you explore wisdom, ask real questions, and find your way through the timeless lens of Sanatan Dharma.

Each experience is tailored, transparent, and grounded in lineage - not commercialism.

Sanatan Collectible Cards

Saaiva’s heritage collectible cards offer distilled wisdom from India’s sacred traditions in a form you can hold, reflect on, and return to daily.

From the Bhagvad Gita timeless teachings on leadership to Chanakya's razor-sharp insights on managing self, family, and professional life, to the spiritual depth of Kashi - each card is a gateway into Sanatan Dharma’s living ethos. Vivid artwork and thoughtful design meet rich content and QR-linked reflections, blending beauty and depth in every deck.

Explore the Collections