Herbal and Spicy Attars
Attar manufactured from combination of floral,
herbal & spicy materials are coming under this category. Hina and its various
forms viz., Shamama, Shamam –tul –Amber, Musk Amber and Musk Hina.
The some attars which are neither floral nor herbal and are coming under this category.
Attar Mitti falls under this category and is produced by distillation of baked earth
over base material.
Type of Attars
The attars may be broadly categorized into following types on the basis of raw materials
used. Floral Attars – Attars manufactured from single species of flower are coming
under this category. These are :
-
Gulab ex Rosa damascena or Rosa Edword
- Kewra ex Pandanus odoratissimus
- Motia ex Jasminum sambac
- Gulhina ex lawsonia inermis
- Chameli ex Jasminum grandiflorum
- Kadam ex Anthoephalus cadamba
Manufacturer Process
The attars are manufactured traditionally ‘Degs & Bhapka system’, which
is a hydro distillation process. The still is heated form below by lighting a fire
with the help of wood or cow dung. The temperature and speed of the distillations
controlled by regulating the fire.
The distillation is managed by highly skilled/experience, workers called ‘Dighaa’.
He knows when the correct quantity of vapours have condensed inside the receiver
by feeling the round part of the receiver under water. The water in the tank is
change continuously to prevent the temperature rising too high. Managing the still
is highly skilled job, as the operator must keep the boiling in the still at a level
that matches the condensation in the receiver, in order to keep the pressure under
control. When the desire quantity of vapours have condensed, the Dighaa rubs a wet
cloth around the body of the still for a temporary pause in distillation and the
filled receiver is replaced by another receiver.
If necessary, the second may be replaced by a third receiver. The receiver is then
allowed to cool and may remain idle for one or two days depending on the pressure
of work. The mixture of oil and water is then separated either directly form the
receiver through a hole at the bottom or pouring the whole mixture in an open trough,
After the oil and water have separated into two layers, the water is removed from
an opening in the bottom, and the same is cohobated.
The base material remains in the receiver. After desired concentration of the attar
has been reached, then same is poured into leather bottles for sedimentation and
removal of moisture. Sometimes liquid paraffin is used for the manufacture of cheaper
attars. The mouth of the receiver is sealed by wrapping coarse cloth around the
bamboo pipe and pushing it inside the condenser. The receiver may contain up to
5-10 kilos of base materials and is kept in a small water tank.
Uses of Attars
The Indian attars in the past has been utilized
by elite class of the society particularly kinds & queens on their body. With
the span of time kingdoms got abolished and hence the kings & queens. But, attars
industry got a new dimension form the field of fragrance to flavour and now a days
it is used in the following areas:
- Pan Masala and Gutka is the largest consumer of Indian attars. The reason for using
it is it’s extraordinary tenacity along with characteristic to withstand with
tobacco note. The attars used are rose, Kewra, Mehndi, Hina, Shamama, Mitti, Marigold
etc.
- Tobacco is relatively smaller segment for attar consumption as compared to above
industry. The attars used are mainly kewra & Rose. Alongwith Pan masala &
Gutkha it contributes to more the 75% of attar consumption.
- Betlenet is relatively smaller segment for attar consumption as compared to above
two industry. The attars used are mainly Kewra & Rose.
- It is used by people as a personal perfume, particularly by Muslims due to absence
of alcohol.
- Attars does have the application in pharmaceutical industry too.
- Attars of Rose & Kewra are used in traditional Indian sweets, for imparting
flavour.