D’source 1

Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://dsource.in/resource/attars

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details
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Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource Introduction

Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi Attars are like flowers - as old as the ages but as fresh as tomorrow’s dew drops. The subtle blending of the vari-
by ous aromas is very likely the creation of melody. This is called an accord and constitutes of the base note, middle
Sakshi Gambhir note and top note (top note being the most volatile one and the base note being the most long lasting one). And
like Indian music’s various ragas, the use of attars matches the seasons of the year. Indian perfumes have never
IDC, IIT Bombay
been classified separately for men and women. They have an inherent oriental charm. That is why they stand out
in the world of perfumes. As Praful Gundhi, the perfumer puts it: “Perfume making is art, science, creativity, hard
work and research all rolled into one.”

Gulab Singh Johri Mal, one of the most well known shops of Old Delhi, was established in 1816 mainly as an attar
manufacturing business by Gulab Singh Ji and his son Johri Mal Ji. It is said that during the reign of Akbar Shah II,
Source: the nobility including the Nawabs, Rajas, landlords and subedars sat for hours with Gulab Singh Ji delicately sniff-
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/introduction ing and selecting the attars (Indian perfumes).

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details
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Design Resource Place

Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi For 196 years, this company has been spreading fragrance from its head office in Dariba Kalan; one of the oldest
by retail markets of Old Delhi. This ‘lane of silversmiths’, as it is popularly called, has more of the old world atmos-
Sakshi Gambhir phere. The shops here are heavily carved sturdy wooden columns framing the glass showcases, housing the attar
cut-glass decanters. The retail outlet in Chandni Chowk was started later on but has as much footfall of custom-
IDC, IIT Bombay
ers now as the older shop. The quickest way to reach here is to take the Delhi Metro. The company also has a
factory at Rama road (Delhi) and several local distillation units in various parts of the country.

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/place

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details
Chandni Chowk metro station Inside the Delhi Metro
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Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/place

Streets of Old Delhi. Dariba Kalan (‘the lane of silversmiths’)

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Dilapidated buildings of Chandni Chowk. Gulab Singh Johri Mal (retail shop) in Chandni Chowk.
D’source 5
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/place

Gulab Singh Johri Mal (retail shop) in Dariba Kalan Kishan Mohan ji, the sixth generation of the perfume
making tradition
1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Kushal Gundhi, the eight generation Inside the retail shop in Chandhi Chowk
D’source 6
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/place

Inside the retail shop in Dariba Kalan. Praful Gundhi, the seventh generation of the perfume
making tradition
1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Testers of the various attars (perfumes)Testers of the various attars (perfumes)

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Design Resource People

Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi Gulab Singh Ji and Johri Mal Ji, the founders of the company, constitute the first and second generation of this
by family business. Three more generations carried the perfume-making tradition forward, after which Ram Singh
Sakshi Gambhir Ji and Kishan Mohan Singh Ji took over. Both of them are the oldest living members (of the sixth generation) who
know the secret formulae of the attars.
IDC, IIT Bombay
The seventh generation of the family - Naveen Gundhi, Atul Gundhi, Praful Gundhi and Mukul Gundhi have
chosen to write their surname as ‘Gundhi’, which comes from the word ‘Sugundh’, meaning perfume. Kushal and
Vishad Gundhi, the eighth generation, are the youngest perfumers in the family. Most of them have studied ad-
vanced chemistry (and related courses). In all, about forty people work for the company.

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/people

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Kishan Mohan ji Praful Gundhi Kushal Gundhi

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Design Resource Process

Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi Even now the process of making attar is as complicated and delicate as it was in the olden days. The flowers used
by for making these are found in different parts of India. For Ruh Gulab, flowers are grown in Sikatra and Ghazipur
Sakshi Gambhir (U.P.), for Chameli and Motia, flowers are procured from Sikandarpur and some villages in Varanasi. Kewra, Frangi-
pani, Molsari and Harshingar are distilled in Orissa. The firm has distillation units in all these places.
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process Distillation Bottling

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details
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Design Resource
Attars Distillation
Perfumes of Old Delhi Distillation is carried out in the flowering season only and produces enough stock to last the entire year. For this,
by fresh flowers have to be plucked at dawn and used before sunrise as fragrances begin to diminish after sunrise.
Sakshi Gambhir They are put into a metal container along with water. A lid is sealed onto this vessel, which is then heated from
IDC, IIT Bombay the bottom. The vapors pass though a condensing tube, and get collected in another vessel submerged in water.
This oil is called ‘attar’. Oils obtained like this are generally distilled into a wood base such as sandalwood and
then aged. Ageing period varies from one to ten years, depending on the result desired. Attars can be left pure
(natural attars) or blended with other aromatic chemical compounds (synthetic attars). Natural ones are obvious-
ly more expensive.

Attar’s floral group is primarily of Rose, Jasmine, Champa, Molsari, Harshingar and Tuberose. Among the woods
Source:
and barks used are Sandal, Cinnamon and Aloewood. Roots of Vetivar and Ginger along with heavy odors of vege-
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/dis-
table Musk, Patchouli, Amber, spices and herbs are of great value.
tillation

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Rose flower Rose flower plucked before sunrise

D’source 10
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/dis-
tillation
Rose flower plucked before sunrise. Rose flower petals being put into the metal vessel.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Water being poured in The vessel being sealed with a lid.

D’source 11
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/dis-
tillation
The vessel being sealed with a lid. Distillation begins.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

The vessels being heated from bottom. The vessel at the other end of the tube in which the
‘attar’ is collected.
D’source 12
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/dis-
tillation

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process The vessel at the other end of the tube in which the ‘attar’ is collected.
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details
D’source 13
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Design Resource
Attars Bottling
Perfumes of Old Delhi After the attars are blended well, they are poured into glass bottles to be sold. These decanters were earlier be-
by ing imported from Belgium and Czechoslovakia but now they are sourced from Firozabad, the glass city of India.
Sakshi Gambhir The basic ones are plain with a plastic stopper and metal cap. These are labeled with the name of the essence
IDC, IIT Bombay they contain. The fancy bottles have cut-glass work, hand-painting or luster on them. These ornate tiny crystal
bottles are called itardans. Packaging graphics for all the products are extremely basic and mostly depend on the
requirement of the buyer (or exporter).

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/
bottling

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products ‘Attar’ being sucked into the syringe, to be poured into ‘Attar’ being sucked into the syringe, to be poured into
6. Contact Details glass bottles. glass bottles.
D’source 14
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/
bottling
‘Attar’ being sucked into the syringe, to be poured into Attar being bottled.
glass bottles.
1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

The labeled metallic bottles containing the attars. The labeled metallic bottles containing the attars.
D’source 15
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/
bottling
Plastic stoppers. Glass bottles with attars and stoppers.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Labels of the essence that the bottles contain. Metal caps being wound onto the glass bottles.
D’source 16
Digital Learning Environment for Design - www.dsource.in

Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/
bottling
Bottled attars with labels. Bottled attars with labels.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Check-list! Beautifully hand-painted and cut-glass itardans.

D’source 17
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/process/
bottling
Beautifully hand-painted itardans. Beautifully hand-painted itardans.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
4.1. Distillation
4.2. Bottling
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Tiny crystal itardans A box containing different types of attars.

D’source 18
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Design Resource
Attars Products
Perfumes of Old Delhi With the changing times and needs of the customer, the company has diversified into several other products
by besides traditional Indian attars. These include incense cones, incense sticks, dhoop battis, essential oils, incense
Sakshi Gambhir oils, toilet soaps, perfumes, kewra water, rose water and jasmine body oil (also called the ‘king of oils’). Attars are
IDC, IIT Bombay usually sniffed (‘tested’) first, using paper strips and then bought.

Experts believe that there is a huge scope for India’s perfume market. They say that the Indian industry needs to
take pride in the art of attar making, reorienting and reorganizing itself with the age-old wisdom and knowledge
of the craft. As a Mughal poet once rightly wrote: “A drop of attar is worth a billion words.”

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

A packet containing agarbattis (incense sticks) Attar testers.

D’source 19
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

Attar testers and stock in the shop. Attar testers and stock in the shop.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

A box containing different types of attars. A box containing different types of attars.
D’source 20
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

A box containing different types of attars. Small incense sticks.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Incense stick boxes. Incense stick box.

D’source 21
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

Incense cones. Dhoop battis.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Incense sticks. Soaps.

D’source 22
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

Incense cones. A variety of products on display outside the shop in

Dariba Kalan.
1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Room fresheners. Cooler perfumes.

D’source 23
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Design Resource
Attars
Perfumes of Old Delhi
by
Sakshi Gambhir
IDC, IIT Bombay

Source:
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/products

Incense sticks. Incense cones and sticks.

1. Introduction
2. Place
3. People
4. Process
5. Products
6. Contact Details

Diffuser oil with reed sticks. Incense conesIncense cones.

D’source 24
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Design Resource
Attars Contact Details
Perfumes of Old Delhi This documentation was done by Sakshi Gambhir, M. Des., IDC, IIT Bombay
by
Sakshi Gambhir You can get in touch with her at sakshigambhir[at]gmail.com
IDC, IIT Bombay
For Further details you can contact:

Gulab Singh Johri Mal

Head Office: 320, Dariba Kalan, Delhi - 110006
Showroom : 467, Chandni Chowk, Delhi - 110006
Source: Phone : 011-23271345
http://www.dsource.in/resource/attars/contact-de- Email : [email protected]
tails
You could write to the following address regarding suggestions and
clarifications:

1. Introduction Helpdesk Details:

2. Place Co-ordinator
3. People Project e-kalpa
Industrial Design Centre
4. Process IIT Bombay
5. Products Powai
6. Contact Details Mumbai 4000 076
India

Phone: 091-22-25767820/ 7801/ 7802

Fax: 091-22-25767803
Email: dsource.in[at]gmail.com