INDIAN INFUSIONS: Karma Kabs at Paris' Arc de Triomphe

For Tobias Moss, it is a journey that refuses to culminate. While seeking nirvana in the Himalayas in the 1970s a young Moss was in the midst of his meditation when he was struck with a great idea. Perhaps influenced by his spiritual moorings, Moss decided to start a service that would focus more on the journey than the destination. The concept of Karma Kabs had taken root though it took almost two decades to execute it. And in May, for exactly one month, Karma Kabs will adopt a quintessentially Indian look with a yellow top and black body-all to coincide with Selfridges' Bollywood month.

Moss gave shape to his idea by presenting Notting Hill with Indian magic in the form of the old faithful brand, the Ambassador. His clients are the "F" people-denizens from the world of fashion, films and food who are funny and foxy.

WHAT'S IN: Indian fabrics, music enhance the interiors

Moss modified the Ambassador cars with ritzy interiors and colourful fabrics, also brought from India. The designing was left to his girlfriend Heather Allan. The result: dreamy pink sequinned seat covers, an array of silk flowers and a mosaic glass ceiling. Beginning with just one cab-bought for £3,000-Karma today boasts of a fleet of three: the Purple Haze, resplendent with mirrored mosaics and blooms; the Maharaj, regal splendour with intricate tapestries and ornate chandeliers; and the Karma Sutra, luxurious in faux leopard skins, soft silks and velvets. The experience is complete with classical ragas and world music accompanied by flashing Ganeshas, nag champa incense and aromatic oils.

Driving about the who's who of the glamour industry-John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Boy George and more-are Karma Kosmonauts. "Our Karma Kosmonauts," says Moss, 57, who is often behind the wheel himself, "can offer a choice of psychic insight, therapies, tarot readings, fabulous tales or the opportunity to simply relax, meditate and unwind." However, despite a charge of £100 an hour, Karma Kabs cannot be hired on mileage basis. Yet its popularity is fanning out with France and Milan also enamoured of the cars. Moss, however, is loth to expand his fleet. "I have bought two more-Karma Kids and Karma Kaleidoscope-but that's it. I am not going to import any more. I want to keep it exclusive," says Moss.

But if he is curbing his mobile business, Moss is moving on with Karma Kafe-an exclusive food café. "It will be a mix of a lot of things," he says. "The décor will be a fusion between East and West, a kind of hippy bohemian look. We will have a poetry reading corner. People who don't get to gig will get a chance to play at Karma Kafe."

Meanwhile, Karma Kabs are racing ahead with a rage status with photo shoots and write-ups in Mail on Sunday and Brazilian Vogue and a slot on BBC's Something April.