Privacy Policy

---

Ramayana Decoded respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and applicable Privacy and Electronic Communications rules.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information when you visit this website, sign up to receive guides or updates, access lessons or Kriya materials, make enquiries, or purchase products or services.

Who We Are

Ramayana Decoded is an educational and interpretative platform created by Dr (Hon.) Ravi Nahar.

Data Controller: Dr (Hon.) Ravi Nahar / Ramayana Decoded
Email: ramayanadecoded@gmail.com
Website: www.ramayanadecoded@gmail.com
Business address: [Insert business correspondence address, if used]

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or about how your personal data is handled, please contact us using the details above.

2. The Personal Data We Collect

We may collect, use, store, and process the following categories of personal data:

Identity data

• name
• title, if provided

Contact data

• email address
• phone number, if voluntarily provided
• postal address, if required for purchases or correspondence

Account / enquiry data

• messages you send through forms, email, or other contact methods
• records of requests for access to guides, lessons, or other resources

Marketing data

• your preferences relating to receiving emails, updates, newsletters, guides, offers, or event information
• records of consent and opt-out requests

Transaction data

• details relating to purchases, orders, refunds, or subscriptions
• limited payment-related information made available to us through payment providers

Technical and usage data

• IP address
• browser type and version
• device type
• time zone and location data at a general level
• pages visited
• referral source
• time spent on the website
• other website analytics and diagnostic information

Course / lesson participation data

• information you voluntarily provide when accessing Kriya lessons, downloadable guides, forms, or educational materials
• progress or engagement information where relevant to the service provided

We do not intentionally collect special category personal data unless you voluntarily provide it to us. Please do not send sensitive medical or health information through general website forms unless specifically requested and appropriate safeguards are in place.

3. How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data in the following ways:

• when you complete a contact form
• when you sign up for newsletters, emails, downloadable guides, or lessons
• when you request access to Kriya materials or educational resources
• when you email us directly
• when you make a purchase or payment
• automatically through cookies, analytics tools, server logs, and similar website technologies
• through third-party service providers we use to operate the website, email delivery, analytics, and payments

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• to provide access to guides, lessons, Kriya materials, and educational content
• to respond to enquiries and communicate with you
• to send newsletters, updates, and direct marketing where permitted and where you have consented where required
• to manage subscriptions, downloads, and customer relationships
• to process payments and maintain transaction records
• to operate, maintain, secure, and improve the website
• to understand website usage and improve content, user experience, and performance
• to comply with legal and regulatory obligations
• to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary

5. Our Lawful Bases for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we rely on one or more of the following lawful bases, depending on the activity:

Consent
Where you sign up to receive marketing emails, newsletters, or similar electronic communications, or where consent is otherwise required.

Contract
Where processing is necessary to provide a guide, course, lesson, purchase, subscription, or other service you have requested.

Legitimate interests
Where it is necessary for the operation, security, administration, and improvement of our website, content, and services, provided your rights do not override those interests.

Legal obligation
Where we need to comply with legal, tax, accounting, or regulatory obligations.

The ICO says you need to identify a lawful basis before processing and to be able to explain it. For electronic marketing, where PECR requires consent, consent is generally the appropriate UK GDPR basis too. 

6. Email Marketing

If you subscribe to our mailing list, download free resources, or otherwise opt in, we may send you emails about:

• new guides
• Kriya lessons
• educational content
• website updates
• offers, launches, and related Ramayana Decoded content

We will only send marketing emails where permitted by law. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly.

The ICO states that marketing emails to individuals generally require specific consent unless a limited exception applies. 

7. Payments and Stripe

If we offer paid products, subscriptions, lessons, events, or other services, payments may be processed through Stripe or another secure payment provider.

We do not store full card details on our website servers. Payment information is processed by the payment provider in accordance with their own privacy and security practices. We may receive limited transaction information such as your name, email address, billing details, payment status, and order details for administration, fulfilment, accounting, and customer support purposes.

8. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share your personal data with trusted third-party service providers where necessary to operate the website and services, including:

• website hosting or website platform providers
• email marketing providers such as MailerLite
• payment processors such as Stripe
• analytics providers such as Google Analytics
• professional advisers such as accountants, legal advisers, or IT support where needed
• regulators, authorities, or law enforcement where legally required

We only share data where there is a lawful basis and where it is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

9. International Transfers

Some service providers may process personal data outside the UK. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with applicable data protection law.

10. Data Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, including to satisfy legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, reporting, and legitimate business requirements.

As a general guide:

• contact form enquiries: up to [12/24] months unless longer retention is necessary
• email marketing records and consent logs: until you unsubscribe and for a reasonable period afterwards to maintain suppression records
• customer transaction records: up to [6] years where required for accounting or legal purposes
• analytics data: according to the retention settings of the analytics tool in use

We may retain data for longer where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

11. Cookies and Similar Technologies

This website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• make the website function properly
• improve security
• remember preferences
• understand website traffic and usage
• improve content and functionality
• measure performance and effectiveness

Where required, we will provide clear information and obtain consent before using non-essential cookies or similar technologies. Essential cookies may be used without consent where legally permitted.

The ICO says you must tell users about cookies and what they do, and you must obtain prior consent unless an exception applies. ICO guidance also notes that the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 changed some cookie rules, including allowing certain statistical or functionality uses without consent in some circumstances, but this area is still being updated and reviewed. 

12. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you may have the right to:

• access the personal data we hold about you
• request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• request erasure of your data in certain circumstances
• restrict processing in certain circumstances
• object to processing in certain circumstances
• withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• request transfer of your data where applicable
• complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact details above.

13. Children

This website and its materials are not intended to knowingly collect personal data from children without appropriate consent where required. If you believe a child has provided personal data to us inappropriately, please contact us so that we can review and remove it where appropriate.

14. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

15. Third-Party Links

This website may contain links to third-party websites, tools, videos, social media platforms, or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or policies of third-party services. You should read their privacy policies separately.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law, our services, or our data practices. The latest version will always be posted on this website with the updated effective date.

17. Contact and Complaints

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal data, please contact:

Dr (Hon.) Ravi Nahar / Ramayana Decoded
Email: ramayanadecoded@gmail.com
Website: www.ramayanadecoded@gmail.com

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office if you believe your data has been handled unlawfully or unfairly.