Why I returned to my roots?

When I was a little girl, Sunday afternoons were sacred.

Not because of temple visits or special occasions, but because of a ritual passed down through generations of women in my family — the weekly hair oiling ceremony.

I would sit cross-legged on a woven mat in my grandmother’s courtyard, my back to her, as

she warmed a small bowl of coconut oil infused with herbs she picked from her garden — hibiscus flowers, curry leaves, amla berries, and a touch of brahmi. With gentle fingers, she massaged the oil into my scalp, telling me stories about the plants, their healing properties, and why caring for our hair was more than just vanity — it was a way to care for our body, our mind, and our lineage.

Back then, I didn’t realize how sacred that time was. It was just “what we did.” I didn’t understand the wisdom in it — or how deeply rooted it was in Ayurveda and ancestral care.

But as life moved on and I moved away — first to a new city, then a new country — those rituals faded into memory. Like many of us, I got caught up in the rush of modern life. I tried every trending hair product, jumped from one quick fix to another, and slowly watched my once-healthy hair lose its strength and shine. But it wasn’t just about the hair — I began to feel disconnected from myself.

One day, after yet another stressful week and another bottle of something that promised to “repair,” I stopped. I asked myself: what am I running from? Why did I stop doing what once worked so beautifully?

That’s when I returned to my roots — quite literally.

I began experimenting with my grandmother’s recipes, researching Ayurvedic herbs, and making my own oils in my kitchen. The transformation was slow, but profound. Not just in my hair, but in how I felt — grounded, calm, more in tune with my body and heritage. Friends noticed and began asking for bottles. Then strangers. Before I knew it, what started as a personal return became a shared journey.

That journey became RootSutra.

RootSutra was born from a longing — a longing to reconnect with the old ways, to bring our ancient rituals into the present without diluting their soul. It’s my way of honoring the women who came before me, and offering their wisdom to a new generation that’s often asked to choose between tradition and modernity.

But the truth is: we don’t have to choose. We can have both. We deserve both.

Through RootSutra, I hope to create not just products, but experiences — quiet moments of care that remind you that beauty begins with balance. That the answers aren’t always out there in the newest thing. Sometimes, they’ve been with us all along — tucked into old kitchens, backyard gardens, and the loving hands of our elders.

So this is my “why.

”Not to start a brand.But to come home to myself.

To remember who I am.

And to invite you to do the same.

With love and roots,

Kavita