There is a significant section in Lakshmi Vishwanathan’s book, Women of Pride––The Devadasi Heritage, about how ancient Indians made natural perfumes and used them on a day-to-day basis. This art of handcrafting fragrances is not new in our country, and has been considered both a language of love and of devotion in the Indian culture.
It is pure artisanal luxury savoured by generations of men and women, and that’s a procedure now being followed by Hrisikesh, a new natural fragrance label in India. The label’s journey of following and finding the perfect scent began a few years ago, when the makers were exploring various sources in India to find the most sustainable and natural scents and potions. It took a couple of years of research to finally be able to bottle these stories that begin in herbs and flowers, but become personal to the one who wears them.
Since natural ittars are a part of Indian history and culture, Hrishikesh fragrances, in their organic and artisanal form, make the user own a part of that history. Through their different moods––Bahaar, Chamak and Nirvaana—they help find a thoroughly Indian core and essence.
Distilled from natural botanical sources, Hrisikesh seeks to reignite the essence for the Indian way of life. The fragrances are essential oil- based, organic, alcohol-free and safe for children and pregnant women.
However, the label encourages an allergy test. They are not only in sync with nature as some are better suited to some seasons, but can also complement Ayurvedic body makeup.