India has one of the world's oldest and richest perfume traditions, dating back thousands of years. The country has been a pioneer in natural perfumery, using essential oils, herbs, and floral extracts for religious, medicinal, and personal use.

1. Ancient Origins (Indus Valley Civilization - 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE)

• The use of aromatic substances like sandalwood, frankincense, myrrh, and flowers has been found in excavations of Indus Valley sites.
• Early Indians used distillation techniques to extract scents from plants and flowers.

2. Vedic & Ayurvedic Influences (1500 BCE - 500 BCE)

• The Rigveda and Atharvaveda mention perfumes and aromatic substances used in rituals.
• Ayurveda incorporated scented oils for therapeutic purposes, considering fragrances beneficial for mental and physical well-being.

3. Classical & Buddhist Era (500 BCE - 700 CE)

• Sandalwood and floral perfumes became part of daily grooming and temple rituals.
• Buddhist monks used fragrances like agarwood and saffron in spiritual ceremonies.

4. Mughal Era (1526 - 1857) – The Golden Age of Indian Perfumery

• The Mughals introduced ittars/ attars (natural oil-based perfumes), refining the distillation process.
• Emperor Akbar had a dedicated perfume chamber, and Empress Noor Jahan was known for her love of floral perfumes.
• Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, became India’s "Perfume Capital", producing high-quality attars like rose, jasmine, kewra, and oud.

5. Colonial Period (1600s - 1947)

• British and French influences brought in Western-style alcohol-based perfumes to India.
• Traditional attars remained popular, especially in royal courts and religious ceremonies.

6. Modern Era (1947 - Present)

• The Indian perfume industry evolved, blending traditional attars with international luxury fragrances.
• Rising demand for alcohol-free, organic, and niche Indian perfumes.

7. India’s Global Influence

• India remains a major exporter of sandalwood, oud, and floral essences.
• Kannauj continues to produce some of the world’s finest natural perfumes.