Inshaallah Mashaallah, Mumbai

What to buy here: Incense and Perfume Oils.

Flavor and fragrance have been vital features of the Indian lifestyle throughout centuries. Ancient Indian literature as the Vedas or Ayurvedic texts such as Charaka Samhita or “Gandhshastra”-(also known as the science of odor) talk about many uses and applications of essential oils, perfumes and incenses. Using flowers and herbs native to the Indian subcontinent, Indian perfume oil makers create unique fragrances combining jasmine, patchouli, rose, saffron, camphor, nutmeg or sandalwood. The oldest distillation method is commonly referred to as the “Bhbhaka method” where plants are boiled in water and the vapor generated is condensed to create the intriguing mixture of water and essential oil. Because of its lower density, the oil floats on the surface of the water and can be easily isolated. An interesting story says that queen Noorjahan the wife of emperor Shahjahn was fond of taking baths filled with rose petals. One day she noticed as the sunlight fell on her skin an oily portion on the surface of the water and when she touched and smelled like roses. She asked the scientists of the period to think of a way to collect the oily liquid so it could be worn as a perfume.

Indians use perfumes and essential oils for scenting rooms, perfuming the body, for rituals such as worshiping of gods or marriages. Inshaallah Mashaallah is the right place for your acquisition of local oils and perfumes in antediluvian bottles. Price: A bottle of rose oil (12 milliliters) is sold for Rs250 (~$5).