Where the name comes from

My name is Manisha.

I grew up in India, where beauty was not something you went looking for. It was simply woven into the rhythm of daily life. The scent of sandalwood drifting through the house in the morning. The glow of a diya at dusk. Small, ordinary moments that quietly held everything together.

Forty years ago, I made America my home. I built a family I am proud of and a full, busy life I am deeply grateful for. But somewhere in all of that motion, I found myself missing the stillness I had grown up with. Not the place exactly, but the feeling of it. The pause.

For me, it came back in the simplest way. I would light a candle in the evening, and for a moment the day would soften. No phone, no list, nothing that needed fixing. Just a small flame and a quiet thought: right now, I am here.

Then came Jiya, our granddaughter. She arrived and filled our home with a kind of love we had not known was still waiting for us. We named this brand after her, because that is what she gave us. A reminder that the things that matter most are the ones you get to keep.

Why we make candles you keep

Most candles disappear. You light something beautiful, and a few weeks later it is gone. We wanted to make something that stays.

So every Jiya + Home candle is built around a hand-finished porcelain figure resting inside the wax. You burn the candle, and as it melts down, the figure is slowly revealed. When the last flame is gone, the keepsake remains, ready to live on a shelf, a desk, or a windowsill for years to come.

Each figure is drawn from a symbol that has lived in homes for thousands of years. Ganesha, for new beginnings. Buddha, for calm and presence. Krishna, for joy and connection. These are not temple pieces or religious objects. They are quiet reminders, reimagined for the way we live now, for anyone who finds meaning in a fresh start, a calm evening, or time spent with people they love.

What we care about

Made with care. 100% soy wax, natural fragrance with no synthetics or phthalates, and materials we are happy to name.

Made to last. The keepsake is the whole point. Each one is finished by hand and built to stay with you.

Made with meaning. A candle should be able to mark a moment, not only fill a room.

Thank you for being here, and for letting a little of our home into yours.

With love,

Manisha

Founder, Jiya + Home