I knew this could happen so have been diligent about sending an e-sugam form to my vendors so there is no hassle when the goods enter Karnataka. I forgot to do this for my Uzbek ceramic consignment (yes the one I ordered in February finally arrived in December – at least it got here in the same year) being sent by the clearing agent in Delhi. My phone rang at 6:38am and I was told by a Sales Tax Officer that my goods had been ‘abandoned’ at the check post at the airport as the documents were incomplete. I needed to come with the invoice, e-sugam and pay a fine of 3 times the actual VAT. When I said that sounded absurd (I am not very articulate without my first cup of tea, but even in that state I thought 3 times was ‘extravagant’) he made it 1 times. I got the picture. So I woke my accountant up who told me how to do the e-sugam online and off I went to the airport to argue my case to pay nothing. I was very pleasantly surprised when the officer accepted the papers and said I could take my wares – the shift had changed! And the goods had not been abandoned, just left there while the courier got the documents he needed!

Moroccan Carpet

With crates arriving from Uzbekistan and Morocco in the last month, the urgency to find more space has become very apparent. And thankfully we have now found it – a 60 year old house on Nandidurg Road. It is currently being tidied up for us and we should be in this month. I am multi-tasking to an extreme at the moment and I dare say enjoying it! Getting photos and content done for all our products for the online store, doing the bookings invitations and other logistics for upcoming exhibitions, recruiting (if you know anyone with the passion and ability to get involved with the madness that starting a new business is all about, then do let us know!) and getting the Arastan Studio ready. Then I’m off to Uzbekistan after that. Insane to go in the cold (again) but it is the best time for getting time with the artisans so I’m trying hard to ignore that factor, and have stocked up on warm clothes!