Indian Spices

Indian spices have been a heart to Indian culture and its fame is much older than Indian history. Adding more to it, spices have played an important role in the country's civilization and commerce as it was accepted worldwide due to its aroma and its medical benefits. A notable use of spices and herbs in very early times were in medicine in the making of holy oils and unguents. Traditionally India was known as the legendary land of spices, and the West coast of India, and was maintaining very active trade relation with Western world, starting from the ancient Egypt, Greek and Roman times.

Indian spices were mentioned in the ancient Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, ancient Egyptian papyruses and the Old Testament. Although it was not until the Roman conquests that western counties discovered their culinary possibilities, spices have always been believed to have healing and magical qualities. They have been used to cast spells, as incense in religious rites, to embalm corpses, to add aroma to perfumes and as aphrodisiacs.