Perfumes have always been there in there in the existence since the vedic period, ,sandalwood, frankincense, and myrrh were burned in yajnas (sacred fire rituals).Ayurvedic texts like the Charaka Samhita describe medicinal and spiritual uses of aromatic herbs and oils.Perfume was less about fashion, more about purification ,used in rituals, ayurveda and as an offerings to the dieties. Kautilya’s Arthashastra mentions trade in aromatics like musk and sandalwood.Gupta-era texts also talk of fragrant powders, incense, and body perfumes as symbols of refinement.
Perso-Arabic influence introduced ittar/attar—distilled perfumes made from rose, oud (agarwood), saffron, and jasmine. Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh became India’s perfume capital, famous for rose water and sandalwood oil. Perfume became an art: distillation techniques, ornate bottles, and attar layering traditions developed.
European trade introduced alcohol-based perfumes, lighter colognes, and new floral/citrus notes.Indian perfumery adapted—Kannauj perfumers started blending Indian essences with imported fixatives.Perfume also became tied to royal gifting, weddings, and spirituality.Post-independence: rise of mass-market deodorants overshadowed traditional attars.Kannauj attar industry struggled but survived, still handcrafting in copper stills.
2000s onwards: revival through niche Indian perfume brands (Forest Essentials, Naso Profumi, Boond, Auli, etc.) focusing on sandalwood, jasmine, rose, and oud.Global luxury brands entered India (Chanel, Dior, Gucci) while local attars found a new audience online.Today: balance between heritage attar culture and modern EDP/EDT lifestyle perfumes.