Ganjam Kewda Rooh
| Ganjam Kewda Rooh | |
|---|---|
| Geographical indication | |
| Alternative names | Kia phula attar White lotus Rooh |
| Type | flower |
| Area | Ganjam, Odisha |
| Country | India |
| Material | Flower |
Ganjam Kewda Rooh (Screw pine, Odia:ଗଞ୍ଜାମ କିଆଫୁଲ ଅତର /Kia/, Pandanus fascicularis) is a plant native to the Indian state of Odisha primarily in the Ganjam district. Kewda has been identified as a Geographical Indications in India.
They are found between the rivers Rushikulya on the north and Bahuda on the south. It is an economically important species due to its male inflorescence which are used for the fragrant tender white spathes covering the flowers. The perfumery products including Kewda attar, Kewda water and Kewda oil (rooh Kewda) derived from this plant are. The Ganjam district of Odisha supplies about 85-90% of the India’s kewda essence. Kewda grows in the 45 km x 15 km coastal belt along the Bay of Bengal.
The kewda industry in Ganjam provides income of 4.5-6 million USD (300-400 million INR) to the local farmers. About 140 traditional distillation units operate in the small scale industries in nearly 200 villages and hamlets of the district producing an estimated 35 million flowers (3,500 tons) worth 10 million USD annually.
In Odisha about 200 kilos of Rooh Kewda are prepared each year at a cost of $7000 per kilo as compared to $1500-$1800 for a fine attar. The attar contains, on the average about 3-5% essence of Kewda with the rest being sandalwood oil. When Rooh Kewda is being prepared 5 different stills are charged with 600 flowers each. Three distillations are done on one batch of flowers. It means that three receivers are assigned to each deg. The first distillate(Agari) yields 10-12 kilos of aromatic water, the second distillate(Pichari) yields the same. In the third(Tigari) liquid parafin is sometimes kept to prepare a cheap quality "attar" or only the distillate is kept for making an inexpensive hydrosol. Only the first two distillates(Agari and Pichari) are kept for making the rooh. These are cooled down and in the evening the aromatic water is poured into one deg. It is immediately sealed and the bamboo pipe is connected to the receiver. Very gentle heat is given to the deg and about 5-6 kilos of distillate is collected in the receiver. During this time the receiver must be kept very cool and it is constantly rotated while fresh water is added four to five times.It takes about 1 hour to produce 5-6 kilos of distillate. The receiver is then hung horizontally on a wooden stand. The water is separated and the oil is collected by a special separating funnel. All of the remaining hydrosol is used in making the next batch of ruh which commences on the next day. About a thousand flowers(about 370 lbs) of flowers produces 1 ounce of Rooh Kewda. The Ruh is very very potent. It contains some of the most precious top notes of the oil which cannot even be captured effectively in an absolute.
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Wikipedia