Remember the scene in Jodhaa Akhbar where Jodhaa (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) sits in her palace and her attendants are drying her hair with smoke? Or remember in the pages of your history books how Mughal architecture and its intricacies formed a major part in not only keeping the forts safe from the enemies but also keeping it cool from the harsh weather? Fast forward to today when one talks of organic wellness trends or even home and spa décor aesthetics, does it sometimes give you déjà vu? Then here’s looking at modern wellness rituals which may have evolved from Mughal era aesthetics.
Everything that once existed comes back in a new avatar. Thus, what we call as modern aesthetics and wellness trends is no less. Most of these are a revamping of principles which already existed and here’s exploring how Mughal era aesthetics are influencing today’s lifestyle.
Hammam-inspired spa: Enter a modern spa and you would see steam rooms, massage cubicles, water chambers, organic ingredients for wellness rituals and more. Most of these descend from the Persian – Turkish hammam culture from which the Mughals borrowed quite a lot. In fact, not just the rituals but the architecture and the principles of the rituals also remain similar.
Biophilic architecture: Go back to Mughal architecture and you would notice lush green gardens, shaded courtyards, water fountains, ventilation spaces etc. all these are the basis of modern luxury home décor. People are keeping indoor plants and using organic materials to build the interiors of their homes so that even on hot days, there is shade and cooling.
Sleep management in the heat: When it is too hot, one thing that goes for a toss is the sleep. Having inadequate sleep has other adverse effects on the body. Thus people choose to have light bed linens, sleep aromatherapy with fragrance or candles, digital detox rituals with less screen time. There have been similar accounts of perfumed bedding or moonlight walks before bedtime in history.
Cooling fragrance: What was once sandalwood paste or jasmine perfumes and vetiver screens have now taken the forms of potpourri, essential oils, bamboo mats, of water screens. These help in keeping the interiors cool and aromatic on hot days.
Skincare trends: Rose water was one of the prized luxuries during the time. It was used in not only sharbats but also perfumes and bathing water. Today, rose water is available in abundance and is used as a primary form of face cleaning agent apart from being used to cool the house, in cooking, making attars, facial skincare products like toners and mists.
Ayurvedic and unani medicine: Today, people are conscious of what they consume – not just as food but also as medicines. And that is why the focus is slowly shifting towards use of natural ingredients for making medicines or ayurvedic principles of wellness. These can be seen by the shift in consumer habits where they prefer herbal tonics, organic herbs, customised treatments that suit their body and more. All of these formed a very important part of Mughal era where medicinal advancement revolved around ayurveda and unani forms of treatment.
Consumption of fresh food: In the absence of ‘junk food’ people spent their lives eating seasonal produce like cucumber, melon, mint, sherbats, curd etc. These were both healthy and body cooling food which helped them survive the harsh summers. Today again the focus has shifted to seasonal fresh ingredients, foraged ingredients, herbal infusions, yogurt based food and beverages, plant based cuisines and more.
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