Zaffar Mohiuddin, better known as Jaffar Bhai Attarwala, never planned to become a perfumer. His journey into the world of attar began 51 years ago by chance. One day, Jaffar hurt his hand and had to visit a doctor in Mumbai. While talking to the doctor, Jaffar mentioned he wasn’t happy with his current job. The kind doctor suggested two options: selling bangles or making perfumes. Jaffar chose perfumes, even though he knew nothing about them. The doctor gave him a list of five perfume bottles to start with. This small beginning led Jaffar into a world of scents he never imagined. He didn’t know the ABC of perfume-making then, but he was eager to learn. With those five bottles, Jaffar started his journey in the perfume business, not knowing it would become his life’s passion.
Learning the Art of Attar-Making
Jaffar Bhai Attarwala didn’t have a teacher to guide him in the art of attar-making. He learned everything on his own, through practice and patience. He believes that Allah gifted him with this knowledge. As he worked with different scents, he discovered that there are two main types of perfumes: natural and synthetic. Natural perfumes, like pure rose oil, are very expensive. Jaffar learned that just 10 ml of pure rose oil can cost 5,000 rupees or more. On the other hand, synthetic perfumes are much cheaper. For example, a mix of synthetic rose and oud might cost only 500 rupees. Over time, Jaffar gained so much knowledge that he could not only make perfumes but also teach others. He sees this skill as a blessing from Allah and is grateful for the journey that brought him here.
From Five Bottles to 100+ Varieties
What started with just five bottles has now grown into a shop with over 100+ varieties of attar. Jaffar Bhai Attarwala’s small perfume shop has become a popular spot in Srinagar. Every passerby is drawn to the beautiful glass bottles filled with fragrant perfumes. Jaffar doesn’t just sell ready-made perfumes; he also creates his own blends. He proudly says that he can make between 100 to 300 different varieties of perfumes. Some of these are 100% natural, while others use a mix of natural and synthetic oils. Jaffar prefers using gentle oils from factories rather than fully synthetic ones. He’s always experimenting and trying to create new scents. Even after decades in the business, he still finds joy in mixing different oils to make unique fragrances.
Challenge of Creating New Scents
Making new perfumes isn’t easy, and Jaffar Bhai Attarwala faces many challenges. He often tries to recreate popular scents or make new ones. For example, he’s been trying to make a white musk perfume. Despite being skilled at mixing scents, he finds it difficult. He’s tried three or four times but hasn’t got it right yet. But Jaffar doesn’t give up easily. He keeps trying and believes he’s getting closer to the right fragrance. He explains that making perfumes isn’t as simple as just mixing some oils together. It requires a lot of practice, patience, and skill. Sometimes, he struggles for a long time to get a scent just right. But for Jaffar, this struggle is part of the joy of being an attar maker.
Keeping Up with Perfume Trends
Jaffar Bhai Attarwala always tries to keep up with the latest perfume trends. He knows what his customers like and what’s popular in different seasons. Right now, he says, the trend is for white wood perfume. This scent is a mix of three things: rose, lily flower, and lemon. It’s very popular in summer because of its fresh, light smell. Jaffar explains that lemon and lemon flowers give a lovely scent that people enjoy in hot weather. He’s always listening to his customers and watching what sells well. This helps him decide which new perfumes to make. By staying up-to-date with trends, Jaffar ensures that his shop always has something new and exciting for his customers.
Difference Between Natural and Synthetic Perfumes
In his years of making attar Jaffar Bhai, Attarwala has learned a lot about the difference between natural and synthetic perfumes. Natural perfumes, he explains, are made from real flowers and plants. They are very expensive because it takes a lot of flowers to make a small amount of oil. For example, rose attar made from real roses can cost thousands of rupees for just a few drops. Synthetic perfumes, on the other hand, are made in labs. They smell similar to natural scents but are much cheaper. Jaffar uses both types in his shop. He prefers natural oils when he can, but he also uses good quality synthetic oils to make perfumes that everyone can afford. This way, he can offer a wide range of scents to suit different tastes and budgets.
More Than Just a Job
For Jaffar Bhai Attarwala, making attar is not just a job – it’s his life’s passion. Every day, he wakes up excited to work with different scents and create new perfumes. He loves talking to his customers about perfumes and helping them find the perfect scent. Jaffar sees his work as a way to bring joy to people’s lives through beautiful fragrances. He’s always thinking about new combinations of scents and how to make his perfumes even better. Even after 51 years in the business, he still finds it exciting and challenging. Jaffar believes that Allah gave him this talent, and he wants to use it to its fullest. For him, each bottle of perfume is not just a product, but a piece of art that he has created with love and care.
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