Eventful City: In Old Delhi, a 210-yr-old perfumery continues to make signature scents

In the heart of Old Delhi, a 210-year-old perfumery, Gulab Singh Johri Mal, continues to create signature scents using traditional methods. Founded by Lala Gulab Singh and his son Lala Johri Mal in 1816, the shop has remained at the same address for seven generations, with the seventh and eighth generations still practicing the art.

Mukul Gundhi, a 56-year-old shop owner, emphasizes that the shop is his identity and has been since childhood. The family uses the Deg-Bhapka method of hydro-distillation to create attars, with flowers and water heated in a copper cauldron and the fragrant steam condensed into sandalwood oil. The shop also sells incense sticks, dhoop, oils, mists, bakhoors, and room fresheners, catering to changing customer preferences and offering a variety of fragrances, including oudh, which has gained popularity recently.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.