A morning in Chowk, from Akbari Gate to Phool Wali Gali
Our lane sits in one of the oldest markets in Lucknow. A walking route for visitors, with what to see, eat and buy along the way.
Oud, shamama or hina: telling the heavy attars apart
Three dark, rich attars that are easy to confuse at first sniff. What each one is made from and who usually wears it.
Customers who like warm scents often ask us to explain the difference between our three darkest attars. They all smell rich and deep at first, but they are made in quite different ways.
Oud is a single material: oil distilled from agarwood, the resin-filled heartwood of the aquilaria tree. Ours comes from cultivated trees in Assam and is aged for three years. It opens smoky and a little sharp, almost like a farmyard, then turns woody and sweet after an hour. It is the most concentrated of the three; a drop the size of a grain of rice is enough. Our 3 ml vial costs ₹3,800.
Shamama is a blend, not a single oil. More than 40 herbs, spices and resins, including saffron, oakmoss and cinnamon, are distilled together into sandalwood oil and aged for at least two years. It smells spiced and warming, and it is the winter attar of Lucknow.
Hina is made from henna flowers, with spices and woods distilled alongside. It is earthy, slightly sweet and reminds many people of their grandparents’ almirahs. It is gentler than oud and less spicy than shamama. If you are new to heavy attars, start with hina. Move to shamama if you like warmth, and try oud last, on the sample card first, because it divides people more than any scent we sell.
