Before we go into the origin of Oudh and its importance in Arabic culture, let’s say what Oudh is. For the uninitiated, it is often referred to as Oud and is one of the most expensive raw ingredients globally, often used for its fragrance. A genuine and good kilogram of Oudh can be as expensive as a kilogram of gold or even more.
In English, it is known as the ‘Agarwood,’ and the ingredient has a distinctive woody scent to it, which can be instantly recognized. Oudh is a resinous property taken from the Agarwood tree. It is a resin that the tree bark produces after it gets diseased. However, not all trees that get diseased due to an attack by a fungus produce the resin (Oudh). Only rare ones create Oudh, and the older the tree is, the more expensive the Oudh oil is.
These trees are found in Southeast Asia and have played an integral part in the Arabic Culture.
Oudh and The Arabic Culture
Benefits of Oudh
Apart from that unique and rich smell of the ingredient, it offers quite a few benefits to the user. Some of them are:
- It boosts the feeling of content and harmony, thus calming the body
- It has psychoactive properties that help with improved cognition, reduce impulsive and obsessive behavior while relieving stress and anxiety.
- The fragrance emitted from the smoke and the essential oil is believed to reduce and eliminate negative energy around the house and the person.
- It is known to have aphrodisiac and antimicrobial properties.
- Oudh can also relieve lung-related diseases while easing the pains caused due to colic, diarrhea, breathing illness, and nervous system disorder.