Introducing Jewelry Brand "Mahasara" (Featured Brand)

At TECD, we believe in promoting and shining the spotlight on small business entrepreneurs engaged in producing handmade products. The passion with which these individuals steer their business is contagious. Every product created has a part of the creator’s heart and soul embedded in the product! Supporting them in any way means empowering them to dream bigger and rallying the cause for ethically sourced products. Today, our new debutant in the field of handmade jewelry is Jayanthi Kanderi with her creative venture, “Mahasara”! 

Founder of Jewelry label "Studio Mahasara", Jayanthi Kanderi, flaunting one of her own creations!

Currently based out of Atlanta, USA, Jayanthi was born and raised in Chennai. Having parents who constantly fed her curious and creative brain with art shows, trade fairs, street fairs, book fairs, classical concerts and all things cultural, the love to “create" was inculcated at a very young age. Further, armed professionally with an MBA and Diplomas in Textile Design, Fashion Technology and Visual Design, Jayanthi shares, “these have helped shape and prepare me for what I am doing now”. I’ve known Jayanthi (virtually) for a while now and have always admired her personal sense of style when it came to dressing. There was always a “je ne sais quoi” charm to her. This also extends to her very first collection at Mahasara, titled "Hema Malini". This capsule collection has simple yet refined pieces that gravitate towards an ethnic Indian style. Her astute and imaginative eye, deftly combine traditional ethnic pendants with colorful beads and semi precious stones to create one-of-a-kind pieces that exude understated elegance. I got chatting with the lovely lady and wanted to delve more into her creative process of jewelry making and know more about her new journey.

Lapis lazuli beads with sterling silver dolki beads and a grand sterling silver pendant. 

TECD: Hello and welcome to TECD, Jayanthi! Mahasara is a very unique name. Tell us more about its significance? 

Jayanthi: "So excited to be here on TECD! The name Mahasara is one of the 1008 names Goddess Lakshmi Devi is known by. Mahasara in Sanskrit literally translates to great knowledge. I’d also like to make a mention of the logo design - the beautiful lotus flowers were done by artist Aarti Karwayun." 

Orange coral beads accented with green onyx and black and white bone beads from Africa with an antique tribal pendant.

TECD: How did the idea for Mahasara germinate? 

Jayanthi: "Its been a long and joyful journey for me. Growing up I've been fortunate enough to travel and I would always end up bringing back some jewelry (I still do). I would pick up odd trinkets at local markets and string them on a cord. I immensely enjoyed having one of a kind unique pieces. Then I moved to the US and discovered Gem and Bead shows. Lo and behold, I started collecting beads. I've religiously attended every show I possibly could for the last 17 odd years. I have a collection of old and new beads from all over the world. I did a basic beading class back in 2010 in one of the local stores and have been making my own since then. My last 9 to 5 job came to an end a couple of years ago and there was nothing else I could think of doing other than make jewelry. That's how Mahasara was born." 

Pink Sapphire with garnets and Sterling silver pendants.

TECD: When it comes to the topic of having a competitive edge, what would you say is your USP?

Jayanthi: "Apart from doing silver and beaded jewelry I am also a Metal smith and Mixed media artist. I enrolled in Mixed media design a couple of years ago and I am still learning new techniques every day. My work will include plenty of handcrafted pieces made from copper, glass, brass and bronze in different techniques. I truly believe they are bound to stand out. "

Deep yellow Recycled glass krobo beads from Africa accented with Corals and rudraksh. The pendant is sterling silver with gold plating

TECD: Do give us an insight into your design process? 

Jayanthi: "With beads and ethnic silver, the material itself is enough to create. I never really start with a plan and the necklace takes its own course and always surprises me. But with metal work or mixed media designing I need a plan. I had to learn how to draw the design on paper with the exact measurements. Then decide on the material, gauge of the metal, the technique, the patina and tools. Its a very fascinating process with endless possibilities. I am lucky enough to have fellow jewelry artists and my instructor Rochelle Nation was always ready to help with ideas and advise. I am very lucky in that aspect."

Turquoise rondelle beads with a sterling silver amulet.

TECD: How strong would you say is the Indian influence on your design process? 

Jayanthi: "You can take a girl out of India but you cant take India out of a girl. Having travelled from Kashmir to Kanyakumari I have an immense love and fascination for India and all that it is. India and its mythology will always be my muse. 

Having said that, inspiration also comes to me from every thing I see, feel and take in. A few years ago Divya Thomas of Karmasuthra Jewelry talked to me in length about how her work is inspired. I don’t think I understood back then. My inspiration at that point was only the material in front of me. So I took time to satisfy the subconscious and I slowly started doing the kind of work that made me happy. And the designs came easily. No second guessing. After finishing a piece I would look at it and I can see how it was inspired by a painting I loved or the ever changing scene outside my window."

Amethyst Druzy beads with an old sterling silver amulet.

TECD: Any insider scoop on what’s on your cards next when it comes to Mahasara?

Jayanthi: "Future plans include plenty of metal and conceptual art jewelry. And maybe a line of Men's jewelry! 

I am only getting started and there has been so much support and love. I have to say a special thanks to my social media friends who are always so uplifting. And to the many many wonderful jewelry artists who are doing amazing work and are so very kind and encouraging. These artists have stretched the dreams of so many women like me. It truly is about community over competition and I am loving it :)" 

Lapis lazuli beads accented with swaroski crystal beads and a chunky sterling silver amulet.

Pieces from the Hema Malini collection are versatile enough to be styled either with traditional Indian attire or western outfits. To order from the lovely collection seen here, connect with Jayanthi on Instagram and Facebook. Mahasara will be coming up with their spanking new virtual boutique soon, so make sure you stay connected for regular updates. 

Thank you Jayanthi for sharing your special moment with us. Truly feel honored that you chose TECD as your debut platform. We are so excited for you and Mahasara! We wish only the very best for you in your creative endeavor!

(Image Credit: Mahasara. Please do not use the images without the prior written permission of Jayanthi Kanderi)