Terms & Conditions

Welcome to The Gilded Story™ – the calligraphy and gilding studio founded by India’s foremost Ms. Arathi Ayyangar! Please note that any interaction with The Gilded Story™ and/or with Ms. Arathi Ayyangar (together referred to ‘TGS’ hereinafter), either on this website, across all their social media platforms, brochures or other creatives providing information on TGS/ its activities, workshops or courses conducted by them – whether virtual or otherwise, and/or any in-person interaction (together referred to as “Platform” hereinafter) shall be governed by these terms and conditions. By interacting in any form with the Platform – whether as a viewer, visitor, participant, client, collaborator, interested party, guest, vendor, student, partner or in any form whatsoever, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions (“T&C”). Please be advised that TGS reserves the right to modify, supplement, suspend, discontinue or otherwise revise the T&C, as well as the content available across the Platform, including the prices for their products and services, at any time, without any prior notice.

  • Payment, Refund and Shipping:
    • Payment:
      • An order is taken as confirmed only if payment is made against the order.
      • In case any payment is to be made in instalments, 50% of the full amount is payable as advance, to confirm the order. Please note that work shall begin on the product only on receipt of the advance. The remaining 50% is payable before shipping the order to the client. Please note that in the event the remaining amount is not paid, the product shall not be shipped to the customer.
      • Rush fees: In the event the client requires expedited service on any order (meaning that the turn-around time on the order is 48 hours or less from the time of placing the order), a non-refundable rush fee shall be applicable to the order. The amount of rush fees shall be communicated to the client in advance, and it is only on receipt of the advance amount (including the rush fees) that work would start on the order.
      • Cash on delivery is not accepted. Accepted modes of payment are only Bank transfer, PayPal, GPay/UPI and credit/debit cards. TGS shall provide appropriate payment details at the time of confirmation of your order;
      • All payments made to TGS shall be subject to applicable taxes;
    • Refund, Cancellation & Exchange:
      • Please check our Refund and cancellation policy in this regard;
  • General Terms of Use:
    • Informational purposes:
      • The purpose of the Platform is to provide information about TGS, its products & services, courses, events, and other related services.
      • You agree to use and engage with the Platform only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not violate any applicable laws or regulations (including but not limited to applicable intellectual property laws).
      • You must not transmit any worms or viruses or any code of a destructive nature.
      • A breach or violation of any of the T&Cs will result in an immediate termination of any TGS products and/or services availed by you.
      • Promotional use: TGS retains the right to use images, videos, audio and/or a combination thereof, solely at their discretion, for promotion or information of their products and services, commissioned work, artwork, TGS’s courses, work done by TGS’s students – whether during the courses or at any time thereafter. In such cases, TGS shall only share such details of the client/student/vendor/collaborator etc as will be reasonably required to showcase authenticity and shall make every effort to preserve the required privacy of such individuals/entities;
    • Intellectual property:
      • All content, materials, and intellectual property displayed on the Platform including but not limited to text, images, logos, graphics, audio, materials, teaching methodology and video (“Content”), are the property of TGS and/or its licensors, if any, and are protected by applicable intellectual property laws.
      • You may not use, record, copy, reproduce, distribute, modify, resell, make any derivative works of and/or display any of the aforementioned Content from the Platform (including products listed on the TGS website/online store) or any of its courses/classes, without express written permission from TGS.
    • External links:
      • The Platform may contain links to third-party websites or resources. TGS is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or availability of these external sites.
      • The inclusion of any external links on the Platform does not imply endorsement or affiliation with the linked site.
    • Privacy:
      • At TGS, we take your privacy seriously. We are committed to safeguarding any personal information you provide to us. Please see our privacy policy in this regard.
    • Disclaimer of Warranties:
      • TGS makes reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information provided on the Platform. However, we do not warrant or guarantee the completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the content.
      • Your use/engagement with the Platform is at your own risk. TGS disclaims any liability for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies on the Platform.
      • Additionally, TGS also sources products directly linked to their services and activities for retail on their Platform. It is important to note that these products may occasionally experience unavailability due to various factors, including sourcing delays. Consequently, both the pricing and expected delivery timelines of such products may be subject to change. While TGS strives to ensure product availability, instances may arise where the listed products become temporarily unavailable. By agreeing to this, you explicitly recognize that these occurrences are reasonable aspects of a commercial enterprise, and you consent not to hold TGS liable for any such situations;
    • Limitation of Liability:
      • TGS shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or special damages arising from your use of the Platform or any linked external sites.
      • In jurisdictions where limitations on liability are not permitted, our liability shall be limited to the fullest extent permitted by law.
    • Indemnification: You agree to indemnify and hold harmless TGS, its affiliates, employees, and agents from any claims, losses, liabilities, or expenses arising from your use of the Platform or violation of these T&C.
    • Governing Law and Jurisdiction: These T&C shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of India and the courts of New Delhi shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute and/or claim arising out of these T&C or your use of the Platform.
    • These T&C shall supersede any prior agreements, communications, and proposals both written and oral including by not limited to any prior versions of the T&C. Also, any ambiguities in the interpretation of such terms shall not be construed against TGS.
  • Specific terms re: Calligraphy and Gilding products & services:
    • Two Drafts: Upon confirmation of an order as described above, TGS will provide the client with the opportunity to make two draft changes. The first draft will be shared after the initial discussions between TGS and the client, and any desired alterations to this draft must be communicated at that time. Subsequently, TGS will send the client the second draft, during which the client may also communicate any required changes. After this stage, no further changes will be accepted. Any subsequent modifications requested by the client will incur an additional charge, as communicated by TGS, and will be added to the final invoice. Please note that the product will only be shipped after the full payment has been received.
    • No guarantee: The final appearance of gilding or calligraphy work may vary, and TGS does not provide any guarantee or warranty regarding the exact resemblance to the indicative pictures provided. The images shown are for reference purposes only, and clients acknowledge and accept that there might be differences in colour, texture, and other aspects between the reference images and the actual outcome of the gilding or calligraphy services. TGS will make every effort to ensure high-quality results, but due to the handmade and artistic nature of the process, variations may occur, contributing to the uniqueness of each project.
    • In case the client is sourcing products on which calligraphy/gilding is to be done:
      • Kindly ensure that the products are calligraphy/gilding-friendly. Should you have any questions on sourcing the products (for e.g.: envelops/cards/paper etc), kindly reach out to TGS for appropriate guidance on this issue;
      • It is essential that these items reach TGS well in advance (the exact time which would be communicated by TGS to the client per the requirements of the case). This allows us to prepare and adhere to the agreed-upon completion timeline. TGS will not be responsible for any delays resulting from late product delivery. However, when TGS takes charge of sourcing the products, clients can expect timely delivery without any specific advance notice requirement.
      • TGS has the final say on whether the said products would be suitable for TGS’s services (including gilding/calligraphy/engraving/painting etc) – if not, TGS will procure the correct products, the cost of which must be borne by the client. By interacting with TGS, you expressly consent to this clause.
      • It is the sole responsibility of the client to arrange for the delivery of the products to TGS and subsequently pick them up upon completion of the services. The client is advised to ensure safe transportation and timely retrieval of their items from our premises. In the event the client specifically requests TGS to ensure transportation of the said products, they expressly agree that the same shall be made at extra cost, payable by the client. In such an event, TGS shall not be responsible for any loss/damage etc. that may be occasioned during transport.
  • Specific terms re: Courses/ Workshops/Seminars etc.
    • All workshop participants must make the full payment of the same, at the time of enrolment.
    • Cancellations are permitted within 12 hours of enrolment, as long as the workshop has not yet commenced.
    • If a cancellation is made within 12 hours, the entire workshop price will be refunded to the participant.
    • However, any cancellation made after the aforesaid 12-hour window shall result in the forfeiture of the entire workshop price.
    • Once a participant has attended even a single workshop session, their request for a refund of the paid price upon cancellation will not be accepted.
  • Contact: