Home advantage

Less than a month old, online shopping portal ‘Zaarga’ is already proving to possess that infinitesimal zing that separates the special from the prosaic. Launched on November 14, 2011 by 30-something entrepreneurs, Ashni Lukose and Indu Ananth, the portal offers a carefully chosen palette of Indian design in home, lifestyle and fashion accessories. About the teamWith front-runners such as furniture specialist Asad Firdosy (Nagpur), Anuja Mukhim of Mumbai-based kitsch brand ‘Tuesday Afternoon,’ Garima Banka of Artografi (Kolkata), Rashi Bajaj’s Carpet Couture (New Delhi) and home lifestyle aficionada Mukul Goyal and Tejas Soni (Rajastan), Team Zaarga say modestly that their portal seeks primarily to provide a platform for talent across the country. “We toyed with the idea of opening a boutique,” shares Ananth who calls Hyderabad her home. “But we thought of how limiting the reach of one location may be for shoppers from other cities,” contributes Lukose, who lives in Chennai. Look out for stylish bar bric-a-brac from Artografi, quirky shoe covers, magazine holders and eye masks from Tuesday Afternoon and wine-holders and platters from Tejas Soni. All original and useful additions to the home, without being commonplace.Know thy shopperTeam Zaarga conducts operations from both Hyderabad and Chennai. “Even if shoppers don’t have access to A-list designers based in the metros, the awareness is definitely there. We have friends and customers from two and three–tier cities such as Coimbatore, Salem, Cochin and up north from Lucknow, Allahabad and Pune,” says Ananth. The website has an interactive and easy-to-use interface, features like the ‘Q & A’ section and the Zaarga blog, which affords customers a holistic per-spective of the product. Customer firstThe former IT colleagues, who left their corporate jobs to pursue their passions — contemporary Indian designs and indigenous craftsmanship, are very clear that Zaarga will put the customer first.“We also provide features such as full refund(s) in the case of product defect and damage sustained in transit,” affirms Lukose. Lukose’s training at NIFT, post career shift and Ananth’s five–year experience as an art consultant, are evident in the array of products. Priced from `250 up to `80,000 Delivery is charged extra. www.zaarga.com