The Enduring Aroma Of Attar

The “People's Poet”, Nazeer, wrote in the 18th century:

“Badan gul cehra gul rukhsar gul lab gul dahan hai gul

Sarapa ab to voh rashk-i caman hai dher phulon ka”

“His body a rose, his face a rose, his cheek a rose, a rose his lip, and the mouth, too, is a rose,

From head to toe, he is now the envy of the parterre, a heap of flowers”

From the heady scent of gajras ornamented on hair to the earthy smell of henna on the bride-to-be, Indians have a long list of traditions where scent plays an important role, adding to the charm and allure of the person. Thus, it is no surprise that the nation has long been acquainted with the art of natural perfumery. Attar, an essential oil derived from natural sources and incorporated in scents, has been used for more than 60,000 years in the subcontinent. The history of Indian perfumery is thus as old as the civilization itself. Attar was used to enhance the mood, keep stress away, and even ward off darkness and evil spirits as saints would embellish themselves with the fine scents to assist them in their meditative state to attain enlightenment. 

The history of attar in India is deeply intertwined with the history of Kannauj, a small town in Uttar Pradesh, that has been producing oil-based perfumes for more than 400 years. Like any other small town in India, Kannauj rests somewhere between the past and the present, a large number of families have been drawing out fragrances from flowers, herbs, and spices for generations, still following the tried-and-tested ‘deg bhapka’ method of distillation.  

Damask roses used to make Attar in Kannauj
Source: Tuul & Bruno Marandi, via National Geographic

In the 16th century, the Mughals fired up the demand for fragrance, and Kannauj, situated atop fertile Gangetic planes, delivered. During that time, it was common to put attar on doors, furniture, and of course, various points of the body. In the Ain-e-Akbari, a document outlining the administration of Akbar’s reign, it is documented that he regularly used attar and incense sticks and had a separate ministry of fragrance so that his successors could remain well-scented. 

Tipu Sultan's Attar casket
Source: British Museum, via Michael Backman Ltd

Despite its rich history, the artisans making attar faced many problems. In the colonial era, they faced debilitating competition from the imported scents of large-scale firms, which controlled the networks of production and distribution and were able to keep low prices to compete in the market. Further, status-conscious and eager to look modern, many Indians shifted their loyalty to Western perfumes. 

However, the allure of French perfumes and Western deodorants cannot replicate the quaint appeal of attar, known for centuries as a way of fighting off evil spirits and keeping the mind and body fresh. When we dab it on our wrist, we engage not only with the history and culture of our nation but also a craft that has survived and continues to thrive, against all odds.

By Ira Sharma