Sep 2026: Diwali ki safai
In most Indian homes there is a ritual in the weeks before Diwali: the safai, the great clean-up. Every cupboard is emptied, every shelf wiped down, every object held up to the light and asked the same question. Does this stay?
I have spent the autumn asking it of Vaarsa. We move to New York at the end of the year, and with that, we will pause UK operations for a minute. Not close. Pause, while I set up there and work out how to come back here properly.
So I held every piece up to the light. Here is what I decided.
Yes, most of this stays. The masala dabba, the brass jars and their new spoons, the tea strainer, the pressed flower candles and greeting cards, the marble diyas. I will keep making them, wherever Vaarsa is.
Some are only resting. The brass filter coffee cups, the cashmere throws, the marble soap dishes have all sold out. They will be back for sure, in 2027.
A few are retiring for good. The teak round vase, the Kansa tumbler, the hand-painted cutting chai stand. I always meant for some of our pieces to become collectibles, and these are the first to earn that honour. If one is already in your home, congratulations.
And some, my favourite part, I am handing over to you. Pieces I personally love, in the last of their UK stock. Each one has earned a permanent place in my own home, and I would much rather these final pieces land in yours than in a shipping crate with me to New York.
- The Kansa Gua Sha that began my own morning ritual.
- Hammered brass coasters that catch the light under a cup of chai.
- Charpayi trays, inspired by the rope cots on village verandas.
- Teak boards carved from a single piece of wood.
- Kusuma cushions, every flower embroidered freehand.
- Hand-painted chapati boxes that keep the rotis warm at the table.
I am putting my money where my mouth is. Every final piece is now 25% off or more, my Diwali thank you for these last couple of years. Once these are gone, they are gone. So go shop now.
Our festive edit arrives next week. It is the last Diwali I will pack with my own hands from London, and I want it to be a good one.
With love,
Urvi