Curry powder is a spice mix originating from the Indian subcontinent. Key ingredients of curry powder such as ginger, garlic, and turmeric have been in use for over 4000 years, at least since the Indus Valley civilization. As commercially available in Western markets, curry powder is comparable to the traditional Indian concoction of spices known as "garam masala". Conceived as a ready-made ingredient intended to replicate the flavor of an Indian sauce, it was first sold by Indian merchants to British traders

Source: Wikipedia