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.
