THERALI — A Garden of Flowers. A Story of Care.
In the Lotha language, Therali means “a garden of flowers.” For its founder, Mhabeni Ezung the name brings together the things she values: nature, beauty and simplicity.
From her home in Naga United Village, Chümoukedima, she began with a simple wish—to make thoughtfully crafted soaps that families in Nagaland could afford to use every day.
Her journey had taken her through studies at Jamia Millia Islamia and work in Delhi, including fundraising for WWF and working at the airport’s duty-free stores. Along the way, her love for nature, cooking and making things by hand remained close to her.
Soapmaking became something she wanted to keep doing for herself and her family. Eventually, it became something she wanted to share.
Therali took shape through experiments, imperfect batches and repeated refinements. Each batch brought her closer to the kind of soap she wanted to make: practical, carefully prepared and reasonably priced.
Today, Therali handcrafts dish soaps and bath soaps using the traditional cold-process method. The work begins with preparing ingredients and oils, followed by mixing, moulding and cutting. Then comes the wait: the bars are left to cure for more than a month before they are ready.
That patience is part of every bar.
There is also a distinctly local connection to the craft. Therali uses lard in its soapmaking—a locally available ingredient in a pork-loving state. It is a practical choice that connects traditional soapmaking with resources familiar to Nagaland.
At the heart of Therali is a belief: care in an everyday product should remain affordable.
The founder hopes people will look beyond a soap’s colour, fragrance or packaging and become curious about what goes into it, how it is made and who makes it.
Her ambition is to take Therali into more homes across Nagaland, especially through its dish soaps. But the purpose remains personal: to make something with care that another family can use every day.
Made by hand in Nagaland.
Crafted with patience.
Meet Mhabeni Ezung.
