Luxury In A Vial: Old Delhi’s Hidden Gem Bottles India’s Natural Fragrance Heritage

The narrow alleys of Old Delhi exude an earthy elegance, distilling centuries of Indian heritage—from the twilight of the Mughal Sultanate to the pulse of modern India. Amid the arrhythmic dance of crowds and cycle rickshaws, a heady cloud of fragrance gently unfurls—an unmistakable signature of Dariba Kalan. Here, in one of India’s oldest marketplaces, scent becomes memory, and every step feels like a passage through time.

It’s a lone, unassuming perfumery tucked into a historic lane—revered by connoisseurs and fragrance critics across the globe as one of South Asia’s oldest living heritage houses. Modest in appearance but rich in legacy, Gulabsingh Johrimal—an iconic atelier—offers rarefied olfactory experiences rooted in the world’s earliest traditions of perfumery.

"There was a time when these very scents perfumed the royal court of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor. Today, the global crème of scent aficionados, revel in their sillages," says Gulabsingh Johrimal's seventh generation torchbearer and master perfumer, Mukul Gundhi. The sturdy wooden shelves behind him hold the fragrances in vintage Belgian-cut decanters.

Established in 1816 by Lala Gulabsingh ‘Gundhi’—Sanskrit for perfumer—and his son Lala Johrimal, this family of traditional noses has upheld India’s pioneering legacy of exquisite natural fragrance oils, hydro-distilled by the traditional ‘Deg-Bhapka’ method dating back to the Indus Valley Civilisation.

With a recent renaissance in natural scents, the Gundhis are formulating exclusively Indian artisanal blends of traditional natural ingredients, setting them apart from conventional French and Arabian houses that primarily use synthetics.

Along with their high-end signature oils—like India’s most expensive scent, ‘Ruh Gulab’, an extract of Indian Rosa Damascena or damask rose—their hallmark natural blends reflect impeccable craftsmanship, honed through generations of dedication and passion. Each creation rises to meet the expectations of discerning connoisseurs and collectors of natural fragrance.

Their recent releases include two one-of-a-kind natural blends — Kashi, an ode to the sacred city, embodying ethereal notes of Ruh Rajnigandha (tuberose), jasmine, patchouli and a deep, evocative labdanum; and Chiranjeevi, a delicate mélange of Ruh Motia (jasmine sambac), Ruh Khus (vetiver), Ruh Chameli and cedarwood.

Legend has it that Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib would smear Gulabsingh Johrimal’s Attar Hina on his flowing beard during freezing, candle-lit winter nights. Poetic inspiration would flow with the unfolding of its warming, spicy aromas. The Gundhis still famously store Attar Hina —a marriage of indigenous Indian spices over Mysore sandalwood oil— in the very same decanter jar from which their ancestors once filled Ghalib’s quota. Its formulation remains a well-preserved family secret.

However, the Gundhis are sceptical about scent customisations. “It is a meticulous process and an alchemy of minds. We would craft a bespoke scent, provided the clients are knowledgeable enough to articulate their olfactive vision, synchronising it with our formulation,” Mukul Gundhi explains.

Celebrated music composer AR Rahman, the Hinduja business family, members of the European diplomatic corps, affluent Gulf Arab expatriates and fragrance collectors are among their passionate patrons.

The 1816 house’s aromatic repertoire has drawn European perfumers from Givaudan and celebrated French nose Honorine Blanc, among others, seeking authentic experiences of India’s timeless fragrance heritage.

SCENT INDEX
Ruh Gulab: Rs 36,000 –- 10 ml
Attar Hina: Rs 4,400 -- 10 ml
Attar Mitti (scent of the earth after the first monsoon showers): Rs 4,400 -- 10 ml
Ruh Rajnigandha: Rs 10,000 -- 10 ml
Ruh Motia: Rs 6,400 -- 10 ml