Our Story

Our Origin Story

Gubbachhi was founded by three friends—Pallavi, Ekta, & Abhijith—who, as parents, recognised the growing disconnect between our children and Indian culture. They realised that while there were enough resources to help prepare kids as global citizens, somewhere along the way, the ‘connection’ to Indian culture and heritage was growing weaker - possibly because of busy lifestyles and digital distractions. They envisioned a brand that would reconnect children with India’s diverse languages, cultures, festivals, and more - while aiding in their developmental journey. And that's how Gubbachhi was born - with a singular mission to help inculcate a love and understanding of Indian-ness in children, through play! Which is why, you’ll see that each of our products seamlessly blends developmental goals with a rich India inspiration – all done through exquisite craftsmanship using only the finest materials, so young minds can experience a ‘slice of India, in every play!’

Gubbachhi: What’s in a name?

Gubbachhi means sparrow in Kannada. A bird that’s full of life, playful curiosity and chirrupy energy - just like children! A quintessential Indian bird that we all grew up with in our homes - nestled inside shafts & attics, and behind photo frames - gubbachhis were everywhere around us, while we were children. Sadly though, you don’t see too many of them anymore. Wouldn’t it be nice if they came back? We felt that the name ‘gubbachhi’ was a perfect metaphor for what we’re trying to achieve with our brand - rekindle a stronger connection to what once was, our roots, our stories, the idea of many Indias - all through play

Meet Gubbi, our mascot:

She’s fun, she’s fearless, she’s spontaneous, but mostly she’s curious - just like a child. Never one to stay still, she’s always asking questions, while also trying to figure things out on her own. While she likes to spread her wings and fly all over the world, she knows that at the end of the day, there’s nothing quite like home. And she’d like to be friends with you, and your little one!

OUR PILLARS

India-inspired:

A guiding light for us at Gubbachhi, is to ensure that children develop a keener understanding of our wonderfully rich country through our products. Which is why, you’ll notice that each of Gubbachhi’s products draws design inspiration from one of the many facets of this amazingly diverse country. So your child can appreciate our festivals, flora, fauna, art forms and culture a lot more.

Handmade with love:

We’re a little old school, and have a soft corner for things that are made by human hands, and not machines. No wonder, we strive to make sure that all of our products are handmade (for the most part). While we would be lying if we deny the involvement of machines completely, the heavy-lifting in the making of Gubbachhi products lies firmly on human shoulders (and hands, and minds!) We work with local artisans, who not only design, but hand-paint, hand-cut, hand-crochet and hand-sculpt our adorable products. Through our enterprise, we’d like to believe that in our own little way, we’re making a difference to real people’s lives.

Functional while fun:

Our products look nice for sure, but they’re not just decorative. They’re functional, with a specific purpose built into each one of them, carefully designed to address the varying developmental needs of children. Products for younger children are crafted for stimulation or soothing, while the ones for older kids make learning fun for them. Inspired by the Montessori and Waldorf methods of education, our toys are designed to ignite imagination and spur open-ended play (like no electronic gadget can!)

All-natural materials:

We absolutely hate plastic, batteries or any of the synthetic stuff that finds its way into children’s products. Which is why, all of Gubbachhi’s offerings are made from natural material - wood (ivory, mango, beech, pine, neem, No MDF or Plywood.), cotton or muslin. Even the paint we use is water-colour based and the polish is generally beeswax or olive oil.

Non toxic and kid safe:

Not only are Gubbachhi’s products made from all-natural materials, we also ensure that there are no harmful additives that get added during processing and manufacturing. Thus ensuring that each of our products are 100% non-toxic and kid-safe. We ensure that there are no sharp edges that can hurt little hands, or small parts that can be choking hazards. Our toys conform to European (CE) and American (ASTM) standards so you can be doubly sure about that.