Malini Yugendran
Auckland, November 10, 2022
With no geographical restrictions and no defined hours of operation, digital selling opportunities can generate sales 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are various advantages to doing business online: lower overhead expenses, reduced marketing costs, flexibility, and easier and faster financial transactions. Online businesses saw a boom during the pandemic and continue to cater to a new, extended clientele of online shoppers. Though the online business looks saturated, a specialised start-up that is strategically developed can attract a continuous flow of customers. Indian Newslink met with a couple who do niche market online business.
TAAMARASA
“Taamarasa” (Lotus in Sanskrit) is an online jewellery business run by husband-and-wife duo Subashini Padubidri Srinivasan and Venugopal Adyapadi. The duo’s eco-friendly jewellery is a hit with New Zealanders. Taamarasa’s collections consist of Terracotta, Oxidised German Silver, and Lac jewellery. Subashini takes pride in pointing out to Indian Newslink that “our exquisite jewellery also consists of pieces that don’t have duplicates or mass produced.”
“Taamarasa is Venu’s dream business” says Subashini. “Venu has been involved with Indian Handicrafts since 2001. He has led a team of 22 Arts and Craftsmen (some of them state/ national award winners) to the Festival of India in Ghana. In 2001 and 2002, he also assisted Andhra Pradesh Tourism in organising and running the Indian Pavilion at the Dubai Shopping Festival. Our USP is providing customers, with diverse yet excellent alternative jewellery at reasonable pricing” said Subashini. Their jewellery starts from $12.
Terracotta
Terracotta, which means “baked earth,” is produced from natural clay and has a reddish-brown colour. It can be glazed to increase durability or coloured. Terracotta pottery and crafts are one of the most important manifestations of imagination. According to Hindu religious beliefs, auspiciousness is inherent in the terracotta as it is a product of the integration of the five elements: earth, fire, ether, water, and air.
This natural element’s history dates back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, which existed from 3300 to 1700 BC. The exquisiteness of Terracotta may be shown in the fact that a plethora of prehistoric artefacts, mostly in the form of deities, have been unearthed in India. Furthermore, terracotta pots have been discovered during archaeological investigations at the Harappa civilisation, Mohenjo-Daro, and other sites. Terracotta has remained an important component of handcrafted art and earthenware. States like Gujarat and Rajasthan have earned a distinctive reputation in the area of handmade art and pottery. West Bengal’s temples of Bishnupur, Murshidabad, Birbhum, and Hooghly are outstanding examples of terracotta craftsmanship.
Oxidised Silver
Oxidized silver is a process that many jewellers use to give sterling silver a black patina. It gives the jewellery an antique or tarnished look.
Paintings and Artefacts
Taamarasa’s collections are not just limited to jewellery as they also offer paintings from Jaipur, marble artefacts from Rajasthan and other exquisite artefacts. Their jewellery and artefacts are sourced from Agra, Delhi, Jaipur and Bengaluru and their customers include Indians, Sri Lankans and Europeans. Subashini says “most of our stock has been personally selected by us with our visits to India and the rest sourced through video conferencing.”
Subashini and Venugopal say “the consumer is at the heart of our business. Understanding their pulse guides our product selection. It is important that our customer’s expectations are met as it creates a reputation which will facilitate acceptance of our brand.”
Taamarasa products can be viewed on Facebook and Instagram.
They can also be contacted via phone at: Subashini 022-6118221 Venu 021-2435891 for an in-person viewing appointment.
Malini Yugendran is an Indian Newslink correspondent based in Auckland.
