Sometimes, a small burning candle can bring warmth, peace, and happiness in a still moment. But what if it could also carry a purpose other than lighting up a room? A purpose that reflects a way of living—mindful, grounded, and gentle to the earth. That’s the quiet revolution behind a Shimla-based homegrown small-batch candle and wellness brand, Pahaad.

Founded by Akshita Austa, an artist-at-heart with a background in engineering and marketing, Pahaad is more of a passion project than a business for her. Growing up in Shimla, surrounded by forests and fog-kissed mornings, Akshita always had a creative streak. But she found time to nurture it during the stillness of the COVID-19 lockdown.

What started as a creative escape during the lockdown slowly blossomed into a soulful eco-conscious venture. The brand truly echoes her love for the mountains she calls home.

Recently, Edgyminds had the pleasure of interacting with Akshita, who shared valuable insights about Pahaad.

Lighting Path to Sustainability with Her Essential Home Collection

As a candle maker passionate about sustainable living, Akshita wanted her work to embody her eco-friendly lifestyle. That’s exactly when she transitioned from her experimental resin-based projects to crafting Eco-conscious products. Her collection of sustainable home products includes soy wax candles, bath salts, and natural clay soaps. Some recent additions feature natural ingredient-based lip balms, solid perfumes, and other wellness items.

Why Pahaad? Her Inspiration Explained

As she became more mindful of her lifestyle, Akshita noticed how many everyday products—like paraffin candles—were harmful to both health and the environment. This realisation inspired her to create clean, conscious alternatives. So, she began crafting biodegradable soy wax candles that blend beautifully with natural fragrances.

Pahaad means “mountains” in Hindi, embodying both the origin and spirit of the brand. Inspired by the slow, mindful lifestyle of the hills, Pahaad is deeply rooted in sustainability and simplicity. The name pays tribute to the purity, calm, and connection to nature that the mountains represent.

All products are handcrafted in small batches using natural, and often locally sourced ingredients—like herbs, flowers, clays, and oils. Most of these natural ingredients are harvested directly from the mountains, and her farm at MeenaBagh Homes, a chain of eco-conscious boutique stays in Himachal founded by her husband, Mr. Sanjay Austa.

Natural Choices: From Soy Wax to Skin-Loving Ingredients

For candles, she uses 100% soy wax, which is biodegradable, clean-burning, and free from toxins. This makes each candle a safer and more sustainable choice compared to paraffin. The wicks are cotton braided, ensuring a steady, soot-free burn. For fragrances, she prefers earthy, comforting scents like cedarwood, pine, geeli mitti (petrichor), and coffee. Besides these natural aromas, she plays around with other fresh, trendy blends to keep things interesting.

Beyond candles, Akshita also creates natural soaps using nourishing bases, such as goat’s milk, shea butter, and natural glycerin. These bases are enriched with clays, like Multani mitti and French green clay. Her recent products – natural lip balms are made with shea butter, beeswax, jojoba oil, and other skin-loving ingredients. Each product is thoughtfully formulated to be gentle on your skin, as well as the planet.

Even when it comes to packaging, she picks only biodegradable materials, like cardboard boxes, paper bags, and even old newspapers wherever possible. For shipping delicate items like candles, she uses repurposed bubble wraps that come with her own supply orders. She’s mindful of reusing existing materials to minimise waste. Plus, she saves and recycles packaging from personal parcels to give them a second life through her brand.

A Peek Inside Her Candle-Making Process

She makes candles in both reusable glass jars and unique moulds to offer a mix of functionality and design. After prepping the vessels—cleaning jars and setting wicks or prepping the moulds—she further melts the soy wax slowly and precisely.

Next, she blends melted soy wax with carefully measured colour and fragrances, and finally pours it into pre-configured glass jars or moulds. Each piece is then cured for a few days to ensure a smooth finish and optimal scent. The final touch is simple, thoughtful packaging that reflects Pahaad’s earthy, handmade essence.

Challenges in Her Sustainable Journey

Sharing the hurdles she faced in her sustainable journey so far, Akshita mentioned that one of the major challenges for her was sourcing premium, sustainable ingredients and materials in small batches. It’s a constant balancing act between staying true to eco-conscious values and keeping the products affordable. Many customers don’t always see—or are hesitant to pay for—the hidden effort behind eco-conscious choices like biodegradable packaging or ethically sourced elements.

Despite this, she remains deeply dedicated to her purpose. She tests each product herself and further refines it with feedback from a close circle of trusted users. This ensures consistency, safety, and alignment with Pahaad’s promise of being gentle, honest, and earth-friendly.

More Ways She Supports Sustainability and Community

Since 2018, Akshita has volunteered with the Healing Himalayas Foundation and now serves as a team member for its Shimla chapter. The foundation focuses on raising awareness about waste management. Their volunteers also come together to clean up trekking routes and other places in the Himalayas. Meanwhile, they educate travellers and communities about sustainable practices in the Himalayan regions. She deeply believes in these causes and actively supports them to give back to the mountains.

She is also closely associated with MeenaBagh Homes, an eco-conscious hospitality venture run by her husband. From rainwater harvesting and composting to solar power and upcycled interiors, MeenaBagh is built around sustainability. Akshita supports these values through day-to-day operations, guest experiences, and farm-led practices.

In the past, she was also involved with other humanitarian efforts through Rotaract, The Red Cross, and similar initiatives that align with her values of conscious living and community care. Giving back to the planet and people remains at the heart of her work and partnerships. These associations allow her to live out the same mindful, responsible, and grounded ethos that defines Pahaad.

Future Vision: Growing into Holistic Wellness

Takling about her future plans, she said, “I’ve never chased trends or profits—just followed what felt right and aligned with my values. Over the last four years, I’ve gradually expanded into skincare with natural soaps, lip balms, salves, and more, and I plan to continue exploring products that are both effective and earth-friendly.”

She further mentioned, “I’m currently pursuing a yoga teacher’s training and intend to study healing and herbal medicine more deeply. The idea is to slowly shape Pahaad into a holistic wellness brand—one that brings together the wisdom of nature, mindful living, and handmade care in its truest form.”

Her words to guide aspiring sustainable entrepreneurs:

“Start small, stay authentic, and be patient. Sustainability isn’t about overnight success—it’s a long game of learning, adjusting, and staying true to your values. Do your research, choose quality over quantity, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way. Most importantly, remember that every small step counts—not just for your business, but for the planet too.”

Edgyminds’ Take:

In a world that’s constantly rushing, Pahaad invites you to pause – to breathe in the soothing scents of nature. Every Pahaad product tells a unique story woven with nature, love, and conscious living. The brand also reminds us to live simply, kindly, and close to the earth.

After all, sustainability isn’t a mere product choice—it’s a way of being.