In 2015, artist Poornima Sukumar, derived inspiration from the Aravani Festival of Koovagam Temple in naming and creating the project that would eventually become the Aravani Art Project. The project was set up in Bangalore, in 2016. The director of the project, Sukumar, had experience and knowledge of the lives of trans people in India, who identify as hijra, through her documentary research. The project was created as a space where members of the community could engage in conversations and transform their narratives through street art.
