Jagatjoti Khalsa has made a long journey since his youth on the East Coast, both physically and spiritually. With the launch of his book, Altar Your Space, in November 2006, this journey will have come full circle. Recognized by his clients for his endless knowledge of sacred furnishings, and widely respected by his web of friends around the world, Jagatjoti has made his presence known since a young age through both professional and personal relationships. A circuitous route brought Jagatjoti to Venice, California, but spirituality has long been the common thread connecting his years of contributions. Jagatjoti, who was raised in Woodstock, Vermont, spent his teenage years attending prep school in Connecticut, and reading everything he could get his hands on- from business books, to Architectural Digest, to the classics, nothing was off limits in Jagatjoti’s search for knowledge and personal empowerment. Upon his prep school graduation, Jagatjoti briefly attended The University of Vermont and prestigious Brown University, but left before graduation, feeling that the classroom was not the best learning environment for him. Jagatjoti craved spirituality and personal growth, and sought new methods of inspiration as both a person and artist.
	At the age of 23, a chance encounter with a man in a natural foods restaurant proved to be life-changing when Jagatjoti caught his first glimpse into the Sikh religion. Their conversation led Jagatjoti to explore the world of Sikhism, which preaches a message of devotion and remembrance of God at all times, truthful living, equality of mankind and social justice. Sikhism brought Jagatjoti the spiritual growth he so desired, and within four years of his religious conversion, he made his first trip to India and China. What started out as a pilgrimage of sorts led to an intense love of faraway places. Says Jagatjoti, “India was the first place I ever felt at home in the world. The chaos, the noise, the energy of the country was equal to the chaos that I felt inside, but … I also felt an intense inner peace”. Jagatjoti spent six weeks in India and China, and returned home feeling as if he had found some of what was missing in his life. As the years passed, Jagatjoti developed his career working in the natural foods industry at KIIT, the parent company of Yogi Tea, Golden Temple, and Akal Security. From 1992-2002, Jagatjoti worked his way up from an internship at Yogi Tea, eventually landing on their five-person corporate management team, and helping to shape the brand into the success that it is today. Jagatjoti also helped KIIT to build their organic spice trading business by sourcing ingredients for brands such as Oregon Chai and Smuckers. Throughout his time at KIIT, Jagatjoti helped shape the launch of countless natural foods, but all the while was not focused on finances. Instead, Jagatjoti concerned himself with relating to those he worked alongside on a personal level. Jagatjoti refers to this phenomenon as “...the pursuit of finding the most perfect ways in which the other person is me”. Jagatjoti’s personal relationships never took a back seat to profits; in fact, they actually paved the way towards much of his success. It is this philosophy of deeply connecting with everyone he meets that drives Jagatjoti’s day-to-day customer relations at Tara Home, the business he founded in 2004. The conception of his daughter Pritam Kaur moved Jagatjoti to open Tara Home, a business that he felt was his destiny after years of travel to the worlds most sacred and spiritual locations. Situated on Main Street in Venice, Southern California’s creative hub, Tara Home not only focuses on the design needs of the client, but also the underlying personal and spiritual needs that clients may or may not recognize within themselves. When a customer enters Tara Home, it is Jagatjoti’s goal that they first feel the positive energy( can we do better than this?) radiating from every piece within the store, and then discover Tara’s sensory pleasures, from its ever-changing soundtrack to their medicinal Bhutanese incense. The vibrant colors, intricate carvings, and stunning antiquities throughout Tara Home are astounding, but it is the inspiration that they bring to those who walk through the doors of Tara Home that brings Jagatjoti Khalsa the most joy. Tara Home has four locations, with three in Los Angeles and one in Scottsdale Arizona. Founded in 2004, Tara Home is Southern California’s premier destination for sacred home furnishings and antiquities from the world’s most spiritually blessed locations.