Sangeetha's understanding began long before her professional chaplaincy. Her father, was a Hindu priest and engineer who helped build three traditional Hindu temples in the United States, including the Hindu Temple Society of North America's Sri Maha Vallabha Ganapati Devasthanam in Flushing, Queens, the first Hindu temple in North America constructed according to the Agama Shastras, traditional texts governing temple architecture, sacred forms and ritual.

Sangeetha was raised within the Shiva-Vishnu Temple community in Livermore, California, where North and South Indian deities and traditions gave her firsthand experience of Hinduism's extraordinary spiritual and cultural diversity. That spirit of inclusion extended beyond Hindu traditions: renowned Muslim musician Ustad Ali Akbar Khan performed the temple's groundbreaking ceremony.

Growing up within this tradition taught Sangeetha that a Hindu temple is far more than a building. It is a living sacred environment where architecture, sculpture, deities, ritual, music, dance, food, festivals and community come together. Trained in both Carnatic and Hindustani classical music, as well as Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kathak, she brings an understanding of how visual and performing arts intersect with devotion and living faith. Her knowledge of traditional temple practice enables her to interpret sacred architecture, iconography, deities, symbolism and ritual, while providing deeper context for the music, movement, prayers, offerings and ceremonies visitors encounter.

Today, Sangeetha brings this knowledge to younger generations, students, interfaith groups and people encountering Hinduism for the first time through temple tours and educational programs, making the complexity and beauty of Hindu sacred spaces accessible and relevant without diluting their depth.