Privacy Policy

Who we are

Mahabharata Daily (and our Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita programs as they launch) are run by The Hindu Story ("we", "us"). Our address is {{COMPANY_ADDRESS}}. Our mailing address, which is also printed at the bottom of every email we send, is Preview only: no real messages are sent. You can reach us at help@example.com.

This policy explains exactly what we store about you, why, and how to have it deleted. It is written in plain language on purpose. If anything is unclear, ask us.

What we store

When you subscribe by email, we store: your email address; your name, if you choose to give one (it is optional); your time zone and whether you want your daily message in the morning or the evening; which program you subscribed to; the date and time you clicked the confirmation link; your billing status (free week, paid, paused, cancelled, expired) and the plan you chose; and a log of the emails we sent you, with the time each was sent and whether our email provider reported it as delivered, bounced or marked as spam.

If you choose to get your daily message by text once texting launches, we also store your mobile phone number and a log of every text we send you and every text you send us, with the time it was sent. We only store a phone number for people who choose texts.

The message logs exist so a person can answer your replies, see what you were sent if something goes wrong, and prove that you opted in and out when email providers or carriers ask.

When you unsubscribe, we keep your email address on a do-not-email list so that we never email you again by mistake. If you later sign up again and click a new confirmation link, we lift it.

Family members

A paying subscriber can add family members by giving us each person's email address (or, once texting launches, a US mobile number) and, if they like, a first name. We use those details only to send that person one invite that names who added them. Nothing else is sent unless they say yes.

If the person says yes, we store the same things about them as about any subscriber, except billing, which stays with the person who pays. If they do not say yes within 7 days, the invite expires and we keep only the minimum record: the address or number, who invited it, and when it expired. If they click the link in the invite to decline, we also keep their address on our do-not-contact list so we honour that. Anyone can ask us to delete what we hold about them.

Gifts

If someone buys you a gift year, we store the gift code, the recipient's email address (or, once texting launches, mobile number), the giver's name if they gave one, and the giver's email address so we can send them a receipt.

What we do not store

We do not store card numbers. Payments are handled by Stripe, which stores your payment details under its own privacy policy. We keep only a Stripe customer reference, the plan, the amount and the dates of payment and any refund.

We do not collect your contacts, your location, or anything from your device beyond what you type into our forms and the messages you send us.

Analytics on public pages

Our public web pages (the home page, the program pages, episode and verse pages, and the week-in-review page) use Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity to understand how the pages are used, for example which pages are read and whether the sign-up form works on phones. These tools set cookies and may record page interactions. They are not used inside our emails or texts and we do not send them your email address or phone number.

Links in your daily emails and texts are personal to you. We use them to show you the right page and to see whether the day's page was opened. We do not share that with anyone.

How we use your information

To send you the daily email (or text) you asked for, at the time you chose, and to answer when you write to us.

To bill you for the plan you chose, to issue refunds, and to send short service messages about your subscription: the confirmation link, a welcome, the end-of-free-week reminder, family invites and their results, and payment problems.

To keep the records of consent and unsubscribes that the law, email providers and carriers require.

That is all. We do not use your email address or number for any other program or purpose, and we do not send advertising for anyone else.

Who we share it with

We never sell your personal information and we never share it with advertisers or data brokers.

We use a small number of service providers to run the service, and they see only what they need: our email provider, Amazon SES or Resend (sends the emails and tells us about bounces and spam complaints); Stripe (payments); Supabase (our database); Vercel (hosts the web pages); Anthropic (the AI model that helps draft and check episodes, reflections and facts and sort replies; it receives the text of replies but not your email address or phone number); and, once texting launches, Telnyx (sends and receives the texts). Each is bound by its own privacy and security terms.

We will disclose information if the law requires it, for example a valid court order, and will tell you if we are allowed to.

How to delete your data

Click Unsubscribe at the bottom of any email (or reply STOP to any text). That stops the messages immediately. Then email help@example.com and ask us to delete your data, giving the email address (or phone number) you signed up with. We delete your subscriber record and message log within 30 days, keeping only the minimum consent and billing record that the law, email providers and carriers require us to hold (your address or number, the dates you opted in and out, and payment records).

The owner can also delete a subscriber from the admin screen on request; the result is the same.

You can ask us for a copy of everything we hold about you at the same address.

How long we keep it

While you are subscribed, and for as long as needed afterwards to answer billing, email-provider and carrier questions. If you unsubscribe and do not ask for deletion, we keep the record so we can honour your unsubscribe (we must not email an address, or text a number, that opted out) and so you can come back later.

Security

Data is stored with Supabase in the United States, encrypted at rest and in transit. Access is limited to the owner and the automated systems that send the messages. No system is perfectly secure; if we learn of a breach that affects you, we will tell you.

Children

The service is not directed at children under 13 to sign up themselves, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child has signed up, email help@example.com and we will remove the address or number.

Your rights

Wherever you live, you can ask to see, correct or delete your data, and you can withdraw consent at any time with the unsubscribe link in any email (or by replying STOP to any text). If you are in California or another state with a privacy law, those rights apply in full and we honour them without charge. We do not discriminate against anyone for exercising them.

Changes

If we change this policy in a way that matters, we will update the date at the top and, where the change affects how we use your email address or number, tell you by email (or text) before it takes effect.

Contact

The Hindu Story, {{COMPANY_ADDRESS}}. Mailing address: Preview only: no real messages are sent. Email: help@example.com.