Fashionista Samantha Kochharr arrives at the literary scene with her debut book Arribada: The Arrival

Debutant author Samantha, Managing Director of India’s leading cosmetic brand – Blossom Kochhar Aroma Magic, delves into and draws in flashes of insights from the ancient shamanistic traditions of deep intuitive thoughts. Samantha has been a practising shaman since 2013 and has extensively studied energy healing. Over the years, she has worked with people from all walks of life as a grief whisperer.

“Something that just pops up in your mind and you find yourself writing it out. That is Arribada took shape,” says Samantha Kochharr who is also the Chief Expert for hairdressing for India Skills, and the Deputy Chief Expert-Hairdressing for World Skills International.

Arribada: The Arrival follows the story of a man named Joy and Ollie, a turtle, as they navigate through life and embark on an unusual journey of discovery and healing. The inspiration of the book is drawn from an esoteric realm that opens up only to the ardent seeker and pure souls. The result, a trance-induced narrative that flows in from the inner world to teach the earthly people life lessons in the form of a story which has its own rhythm, sound and healing qualities.

Reading Arribada one may sense a `Castanedian’ streak and reminisce about the writings of Carlos Castaneda. In a subtle way it makes us aware of the grand universal scheme of things and the interconnectedness of everything in nature.

Commenting on the name of the book Arribada, Samantha says, “The Olive Ridley turtles are born on one beach and while they will feed on a different beach, every year they will come back to the beach where they were born – either to mate or just be around the waters. This behaviour of the Ridley turtles is called arribada which literally means `arrival by the sea’ in Spanish.”

“I have been a shamanic healer for a while now. Being a managing director of a company, it is not easy to drop everything and just be on your spiritual journey. So when I sit down and do my prayers I often get messages from the universe and strong intuitions. It was around 3-4 years back when Covid hit us. While I was doing my prayers, I got the message that I needed to write a book. So this happened when I started asking my guides what I am going to achieve by writing the book. The answer was that I will be able to convey the message that the universe actually wants many people to hear in a more comprehensive way,” says Samantha Kochharr.

Samantha, who started her journey in the hair and beauty industry at the age of 11, has mentored young talent for many years now. She has worked in the movie and fashion industry internationally and nationally for many years. She is also an avid painter and potter. Born into a business family, she is the daughter of the legendary aromatherapist, Dr Blossom Kochhar.

Samantha lives in Delhi and is passionate about food. She runs a popular delicatessen in Delhi, The Tea Room, where the menu is based on her old family recipes and her extensive travels.