MEET OUR FOUNDER RINA
Even though I grew up in Toronto, Canada, I was still connected to my roots. On the weekends, I'd dress up in glittering chaniya cholis for folk dance lessons and events. For dinner, my family and I ate steaming bowls of fragrant moong daal and spice infused vegetables. Mom warmed coconut oil, rubbing it in my scalp, braiding my hair after. Dad shared stories from the Ramayan and told tales about our ancestor's bravery. Despite being a Canadian kid miles away from the motherland, India still flowed through my veins. Chand & Radha is a celebration of my culture, heritage, and holistic knowledge I've learned from my family that I want to share with all of you.
RADHA'S STORY
Chand & Radha pays homage to my roots. "Chand" an ode to my last name Chandarana meaning "King of the Moon." The moon connects us to Mother Nature's constant healing presence. Radha is my paternal Grandmother's name. Ba as we called her, left her tiny village in Gujarat, India in the early 1900s as a teenager, embarking on a difficult ship journey across the Indian Ocean, settling in Uganda with my Grandfather Madhavji Chandarana. After raising her eight children in Lugazi, Uganda, the Chandarana family had to resettle once more, this time making their way to England. My parents met and married in London and soon after moved to Toronto, Canada to start a new life yet again. Although my family's story spans four continents, we carried our traditions and plant and herbal remedies with us to share with future generations.
MY HEALTH STRUGGLES
Over the years because of my own health struggles ranging from acne to migraines I found myself gravitating more towards my ancestor’s healing way of life.
Each doctor visit was frustrating. "Maybe you're just anxious. You'll get over it."
And the doctor was right. I WILL heal, but not because of the countless medicines they threw my way, each bottle left unopened as I spent countless hours researching Ayurveda, talking to elders in the family about botanical knowledge passed down through the generations.
With patience and the right herbal remedies, our bodies do have the ability to heal just as our ancestors did with Mother Nature's natural wisdom.
In 2015 I broke out into painful acne. Luckily, my Mom stepped in with some natural beauty tricks passed down to her by my Nani (maternal Grandmother) and Great-Grandmother.
Mom advised me to make an all natural face mask and she suggested I drink karela (bitter melon) juice to calm my insides. To my relief these Ayurvedic treatments worked.
When we feel good on the inside, it shows on the outside.
HEALING IS POSSIBLE
I want all of us to enjoy the best health possible supported by Ayurvedic remedies that nurture us both on the inside and out. I know the pain of feeling like your body is failing you. The feeling like the pain will never end. But it can if we offer our body Indian plant medicines and lots of love and support on our healing journeys.
From India to England: My Nani's Story
