{
  "id": 16420878,
  "title": "Eventful City: In Old Delhi, a 210-yr-old perfumery continues to make signature scents",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/eventful-city-in-old-delhi-a-210-yr-old-perfumery-continues-to-make",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-25T02:58:47.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/delhi/gulab-singh-johri-mal-old-delhi-210-year-old-perfumery-10935721/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "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.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}