Dabur Ratnaprash’s ad pays tribute to Pampore’s saffron heroes

The digital film shows how families of Kashmir’s Pampore district cultivate saffron with love and passion each year.

In ancient times, Greeks and Romans used saffron, or kesar, as perfume. The expensive spice is also mentioned in the Chinese pharmacy from the 1550s. In India, the herb is used as a cooking spice, fabric dye, and in cosmetics, health supplements, etc.

It is believed that Kashmiri saffron is the sweetest and most precious spice in the world. Its strands are thicker and more fragrant than its counterpart from Iran.

Saffron’s harvest season in the Pampore district of Kashmir is celebrated as a festival. It is believed that the land is even more precious than gold due to its ability to harvest saffron. Through the eyes of a little girl, Dabur Ratnaprash’s latest ad is a story of how this precious spice is harvested.

Pampore is located 17 km away from Srinagar. It is known to cultivate the world's most expensive kesar. Most of the district’s livelihood comes from harvesting the crop. During harvest season, men, women and children pluck the saffron flowers. They hand-pick and place the crop on a white cloth.

The ad, created by ICE Media Lab, captures the backstory of cultivating saffron in Pampore. What makes the crop even more special is the love and passion with which Kashmiri families cultivate it.

Kapil Ohri, deputy general manager/head, digital marketing, Dabur India, posted the digital film on his LinkedIn profile.