By Sunil Sonker
Mussoorie, 6 Nov: A month-long internship training programme on ‘Understanding and harnessing the potential of essential oils for Skin and Hair Care’ at Mussoorie Fragrance and Flavours Institute, Duggal Villa, was inaugurated, today, by Rajat Aggarwal, President, Mussoorie Traders’ Welfare Association. The course has been designed by Dr Jyoti Marwah to augment the online training given in 2020 in collaboration with ESTC, Ramnagar, during the Corona lockdown.
This internship has been specially designed for hands-on training of some of these participants who had attended this online training from America. The inaugural programme gave an insight into the importance and value of Medicinal and Aromatic plants in cosmetic applications and for ingestion in their pure and least processed form.
The ’Dr Om Prakash Duggal Charitable Society’ has been doing this research and cottage level manufacturing of such end products for the last seven years with their in-house farm produce of flowers, tubers, leaves and fruits from their own forest area like Buransh, Wild Marigold, Walnut, Timru, Sweet and Horse Chestnut and from cultivation of some exotic flowers like Lavender, Roman/ German Chamomile and Elderberry.
Anne Sylvia Mahendroo of Sikander Hall spoke on the Mussoorie that she knew since her childhood days of schooling in Woodstock, and Architect Stuti spoke on her mission to create awareness on mud houses as an answer to climate change challenges and disastrous interference with ‘Nature’s handiwork’ by building huge cement structures atop the fragile mountain ranges of the Himalayas.
Himsurabhi Aroma Museum showcased the attributes of Medicinal and Aromatic plants. This Living Museum of Aromatic plants tells the history of Sugandchikitsa and Aromatherapy with an understanding of human anatomy. The museum has been conceived and curated by Dr Jyoti Marwah with her 40 years’ experience and PhD on the history of essential oils since Indus Valley Times from University of Mumbai and major research projects for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation and University Grants Commission (SAARC & UGC).
