Ittar or Attar or itr is a naturalperfumes extracted from the juices of flowers like the jasmine, rose orsandal, herbs, spices, barks in to base oil such as Sandalwood oil.Sandalwood oil is used as base in making Attar while western perfumes, are prepared in alcohol as solvent or base. Attars are natural perfumesfor daily use, but its not injurious to health as alcohol and suitablefor both man and women.
If you require natural perfumes, attar is a as true natural perfumes.Owing to natural origin it is suitable for all types skin. It is alsouseful in curing various skin diseases, various cosmetics, as it helpsin improving skin tone and texture.
Uttar Pradesh in the north and Hyderabad in the south are the few regions in the country where it is still made.
PREPARATION
he Ittars are made traditionally by Degs & Bhapka system, which isa hydro distillation process. The still is heated by lighting a firewith the help of wood or cow dung. The temperature and speed of thedistillation is controlled by regulating the fire.
The distillation is managed by highly skilled workers called Dighaa, who knows when the correct quantity of vapours have condensed insidethe receiver by feeling the round part of the receiver under water. Thewater in the tank is changed continuously to prevent the temperaturerising too high. Managing the still is highly skilled job, as theoperator must keep the boiling at a level that matches the condensationin the receiver, so as to keep the pressure under control. When thedesired quantity of vapour is condensed, the Dighaa rubs a wet clotharound the body of the still for a temporary pause in distillation andthe filled receiver is replaced by another receiver. If necessary, thesecond may be replaced by a third receiver. The receiver is thenallowed to cool and may remain idle for one or two days depending onthe pressure of work.
The mixture of oil and water is then separated either directly form thereceiver through a whole at the bottom or pouring the whole mixture inan open trough, after the separation, the water is removed from anopening at the bottom, and the same is cohobated. The base materialremains in the receiver.
After desired concentration of the ittar is reached, then it is pouredinto leather bottles for sedimentation and removal of moisture.Sometimes liquid paraffin is used for making cheaper attars. The mouthof the receiver is sealed by wrapping coarse cloth around the bamboopipe and pushing it inside the condenser. The receiver may contain upto 5-10 kilos of base materials and is kept in a small water tank.
The attars may be broadly categorized into following types on flvaour or ingredients 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
Herbal and Spicy Attar is manufactured from combination of floral, herbal & spices come under this category. Hina and its variousforms viz., Shamama, Shamam –tul – Amber, Musk Amber and Musk Hina.
The some attars which are neither floral nor herbal also come under this category.
Attar Mitti falls under this category and is produced by distillation of baked earth over base material.
My personal experience, I bought HUGO BOSS ATTAR for Rs.30 for 3 ML andthe perfume is so much formulated just like original HUGO BOSS. SAMESCENT AS ORIGINAL HUGO BOSS;-)