Attar, a perfume commonly derived from flowers, musk, camphor, saffron and sandalwood, is extremely popular in the city of Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh. People here are largely associated with the art of making attar, making Kannauj one of the oldest places in India to produce perfume.
It is important to note, however, that making attar is not a modern form of extracting scents and that the art is in fact about thousands of years old, according to local lore.
As an art form, making attar requires precision. It is achieved after years and years of practice. While technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in the perfume industry, the best Kannauj attars and oils are kept in camel skin bags. Camel skin is touted to wick away moisture and keep the product safe for a longer period of time.
What sets Kannauj’s attar apart is the fact that the perfume contains no chemicals, alcohol or artificial preservatives. However, it does not affect the shelf life at all. Although the perfume is extracted from natural substances, there is hardly any chance that the attar would spoil or start to smell funky if stored. These attars also feature a GI tag – a tag given to a product to protect its region of origin, which plays a big part in the product’s history.
Perhaps one of the most famous attars of Kannauj is the rose attar. True to its name, the rose attar has a pleasant scent with sweet notes on it. It is known to be more powerful than the others. However, eclectic choices are available, such as attar-mitti or the scent of the ground. It is the scent of petrichor, apparently bottled by the skilled perfumers of Kannauj.
The perfume city is not far from Kanpur, a major city in Uttar Pradesh.
Some say you will get this unmistakable hint of floral scents in the air as soon as you enter Kannauj.
It is because while most households are engaged in the art of perfume making, many fragrant by-products such as essential oils, extracts and others are also made in the city. The attars are a hit in many international countries such as UK, USA, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France, Iran and more, which import these perfumes.
Read all Latest lifestyle news and Important news here
