Itr or Attar, is the Farsi word for perfume. These natural perfumes are something of a specialty of the sub-continent - they are obtained from flowers, plants, and even more famously, the earth. Legend has it, that empress Nur Jahan was the first patron of this itr.
Alcohol-free, these oil-based fragrances are the stuff of legends. Prepared and bottled in Kannauj, the perfume capital of India - this Daak special edition was done to give a whiff to those unfamiliar. We have, therefore, kept the fragrances light and gentle.
Experts say there is a perfume for every season - so we bring you a taste of all four. You can choose the one you like!
Ruh-e-Khus - a scent for the summer
Khus or vetiver is harvested from the roots of wild grass. A complex oil with more than a hundred different components, khus has a wispy, sweet, woody, and breezy scent. During the summers the wild grass was woven into mats and the oil was out onto chicks in order to provide an antidote to stifling hot summers.
Itr-e-Gil - the scent of monsoon
Itr-e Gil has its roots in the times of the Mughals who wanted to capture the smell the parched earth releases when the first drops of monsoon rain arrive. An earthen smell, made complex by a base of sandal, itr-e gil captures the moment when dust meets water. It uplifts the senses and provides a light airy reprieve to hot sticky monsoons.
Itr-e-Hina - an autumnal scent
Hina, with roots in Awadh, is made with a number of spices and has notes of nutmeg, patchouli, and leather apart from other flowers and herbs. This floral, sweet, and warm itr changes on your skin over the course of the day and provides warmth as the leaves begin to turn in anticipation of winter.
Shamamatul Ambar - a winter scent
Shamamtul Ambar is made with complex spices and nutmeg as a top note, musk, mace, and patchouli as mid notes and base notes of amber and leather are made in a base of sandalwood. This spicy, sweet, woody itr has warm hints of saffron and acts like a warm cozy blanket during the grey, cold winters.
Packaged in a cylindrical wooden box, these are easy-to-carry fragrances that pack a punch of memories and feelings.
We also have two more, non-seasonal ones.
Ruh-e-Gulab,The Scent of a Rose and Itr e Chameli, The Fragrance of Jasmine!
How to use: Roll on three circles on one of your wrists and gently rub them together. Dab some behind your ears, near your neck on the pulse points. Your elders will tell you another trick to keep itr long-lasting - dab it on a piece of cotton and carry it in your front pocket.
Only a few dabs of itr are required as they last for many hours. Unlike alcohol and chemical-based perfumes, itr slowly mixes with the natural oils produced by skin and is much more concentrated. Our 5 ml bottle will easily last you several months despite daily use.
Ships within 7 days of order.