THE JOURNEY - BUILDING GINGER SPARROW

April 14, 2019

THE JOURNEY - BUILDING GINGER SPARROW

It feels like yesterday that I quit my corporate job to follow a dream and a passion I had tacitly, and maybe even unknowingly pursued for many years. Growing up in India, I was surrounded by “Karigars”, local artisans and makers who, for many generations, had been making a living, crafting wonderful curios by hand. We’d see them in the narrow streets and by-lanes behind our own homes, we’d find them in the villages when we traveled, and we’d meet them at local fairs and flea markets – they are the very heart of India’s rich craft culture. Going to the “Mela” (Hindi for fair) with my mom was an outing I always looked forward to – a special day that we’d eagerly wait for and cherish.

Two years ago, I married my husband, Varun (no it wasn’t an arranged marriage 😊) and moved to the US from India. With moving so far away, we wondered if handcrafted home décor, something we both loved so much, could be a way for me to carry a part of our lives in India over to the US, It was a way for mom to stay meaningfully connected with the artisan families she and I had grown to know over the years. That’s how we set out to start Ginger Sparrow.

Despite several unknowns and unanswered questions, Varun and I decided that this was it and we were just going to figure it out somehow. A little over a year in the making, pursuing the best makers in many remote villages across India and listening to heartwarming life stories of the artisan families we’ve reinforced our strong appreciation for the patience and passion that goes into crafting by hand. After many long flights back and forth from India and several sleepless nights in between brainstorming, we’re left humbled by our journey so far, and driven to wander more.

I’ve learned more about myself and the world around us. While sometimes it feels like an adventure on a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, there is just something so satisfying in slowing down to enjoy the beauty in hand craftsmanship that we still see around us. We strive to preserve it and can’t wait to share more of our journey with you!

The journey - Building Ginger Sparrow, a handcrafted home decor brand with a soul and a story. Where it all started.