The timeless heritage of fragrances in Indian royalty

For ages, the Indian royals have been linked to riches, magnificence, and an unmatched aesthetic sense of style. Apart from all this, the fragrances used by them had a unique place, which was liked by the ton being an essential part of their everyday life, because who doesn't want to smell good?


In addition to wearing extravagant accessories, fragrances served as icons of supremacy, religiosity, and opulence in everything from personal grooming to majestic clothing rituals. Exotic fragrances were used by emperors, nawabs, and maharajas to represent their rank, character, and heritage, all made with naturally available elements.


Fragrances were used not only for personal use but to create an exquisite atmosphere too. Indian palaces had special fragrance chambers where rooms were scented with wood-based fragrances as well as floral fragrances. The air in the royal palaces was always fragrant thanks to the subtle fragrances; attars were delicately applied to royal apparel, and the perfumed fountains accentuated the palace gardens.

Some of the fragrances that were used by the royals are easily available in the natural elements around us, as follows:

1. Sandalwood

This is still one of the most cherished scents among Indians and is quite revered with Indian royalty as it was used on various occasions like rituals, royal baths and even skincare. It was a necessary component in religious ceremonies and was even utilised in meditation because of its comforting, woody, velvety scent. Primarily, it has been sourced from Mysore, Sandalwood oil was highly regarded and stored in vessels made of gold and silver, having intricate designs to symbolise the value of the item stored in it.



2. Agarwood

Agarwood is also called oud and is, in a way, a symbol of luxury.
Mughal emperors loved agarwood or oud, which is powerful, woody, and compelling. This rare and luxurious component extracted from Aquilaria trees was one of the most expensive natural fragrances. In ancient India, royal males valued oud-based attars, which they believed represented their wealth and status.



3. Jasmine

Jasmine has long been an evident element in the royal household. From bedchambers to being a beneficial element in hair oils to garlands. It has significant erotic and mood-enhancing properties. Fresh jasmine flowers were even embellished in pillows to ensure having a fragrant pillow, hence providing quality sleep.



4. Attar

Attars are alcohol-free or halal perfumes created by the process of flower distillation. It was highly regarded among the Indian royals. Owing to their rich depth and longevity, rose, saffron, and musk were the most sought-after attars. To add to their appeal, these beautiful fragrances were frequently kept in ornate vessels made of gold, silver, or glassware with intricate designs. 



5. Camphor

Because of its cooling and detoxifying qualities, camphor was and is a common household item in royal and present-day homes. It was also utilised in temples for rituals. In addition to being used in Ayurvedic beauty procedures, it was burned in royal chambers to cleanse the air and combat negativity. In turn, it provided a calming and refreshing feeling. 



6. Vetiver

Vetiver or khus is an aromatic grass and is widely known for its grounding fragrance and stress-relieving factors. It was often combined with rose powder and sandalwood to enhance the overall luxurious, fragrant experience. Khus oil is extracted from its roots via steam distillation and used in making not only earthy perfumes but also khus sharbat. 



7. Loban 

Used in royal palaces, frankincense is a popular fragrant agent to create a calm ambiance for meditation and spirituality. The scent when combined with myrrh and sandalwood, was essential to spiritual activities since it enhanced the meaning of meditation and prayer.



8. Champaka

Champaka was a favourite among South Indian nobility because of its warm, seductive floral aromas. This beautiful scent, which was used in hair treatments, perfumed oils, and palace interiors, was intricately linked to romance and appeal, improving queens' and princesses' beauty routines. 



9. Hyacinth

Hyacinth, a beloved flower in Mughal perfumery, was widely utilised in fountains and gardens to create a magical atmosphere. Its rich scent, which was extracted by steam distillation, was thought to infuse the royal courts with happiness and serenity. 



THE ART OF PERFUME-MAKING IN ANCIENT INDIA 

The Indian royals actively participated in the craft of perfumery in addition to enjoying perfumes. Especially in Kannauj, India's perfume capital, the traditional Deg-Bhapka method, a hydro-distillation procedure, was frequently used. Some of the most beautiful attars in history were created by expert perfumers, who were frequently hired by the royal courts. They painstakingly combined flowers, woods, and resins to create sandalwood oil. A tradition of workmanship that endures to this day was preserved by the generations-long transmission of information about these exquisite blends. 

WHERE TO EXPERIENCE THE ROYAL FRAGRANCES IN INDIA 

1. Kannauj

For generations, Kannauj has served as the center of traditional attar production. Here, renowned perfumeries like ML Ramnarain Perfumers still use the ancient Deg-Bhapka distillation method to create genuine sandalwood-based attars. Indulge in the same fragrances that Indian aristocracy once preferred while watching the elaborate perfume-making process. 

2. Delhi

Gulab Singh Johrimal was founded in 1816 and is one of the oldest perfumeries, which has been practicing the craft of creating natural fragrances since the 18th century. This shop can be found in Dariba Kalan, Chandni Chowk, offering a vast variety of attars, the most popular ones being ruh gulab, ruh champaka, among others, which were popular before and during the Mughal period. 
 

The fascination with fragrances among Indian royalty was not merely about indulgence—it was an expression of identity, tradition, and spiritual connection. Today, these age-old scents continue to enchant perfume connoisseurs, offering a bridge to the bygone era of regal splendor. Whether through a bottle of attar from Kannauj or a visit to a historic perfumery in Delhi, the legacy of royal fragrances lives on, waiting to be rediscovered by modern admirers of luxury and tradition.

Text by Aliza Noor

Edited by Sabrina Mathews