Inside Kannauj: How Traditional Indian Attars Are Made
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🌸 Welcome to the Perfume Capital of India
In the heart of Uttar Pradesh lies a town where the air smells of roses, sandalwood, and soil after rain. This place is Kannauj — the historic perfume capital of India, where natural attars have been handcrafted for centuries using ancient techniques passed down through generations.
At Ottochem Perfumes, we proudly carry forward this legacy.
🌿 What Exactly Is an Attar?
Attar (or Ittar) is a natural, alcohol-free perfume made by distilling flowers, herbs, or resins into a base oil—usually sandalwood or other natural carriers.
Unlike synthetic perfumes, attars contain:
- No alcohol
- No artificial chemicals
- Just pure plant-based essence + time-honored care
🔥 Step-by-Step: How Traditional Attars Are Made
Let’s take you behind the scenes of the Deg-Bhapka distillation method used in Kannauj:
1. Raw Material Collection
Depending on the attar type, artisans gather:
- Fresh rose petals 🌹
- Vetiver (khus) roots 🌿
- Kewra flowers
- Sandalwood oil (for base)
- Even baked clay (for Mitti Attar)
2. Loading the Deg (Copper Vessel)
A traditional deg (large copper pot) is filled with water and the aromatic ingredient (e.g. roses or vetiver roots).
This vessel is sealed with clay and cloth for insulation.
3. Heating the Vessel Slowly
The deg is placed over a wood-fired oven, heating slowly throughout the day. As the mixture boils, aromatic steam rises through a hollow bamboo pipe.
4. Condensing the Scent in the Bhapka
The steam travels into a second copper vessel called the bhapka, which contains sandalwood oil. As the steam cools, the essence bonds with the oil, creating a concentrated perfume.
This process can take 8–10 hours a day, repeated over several days.
5. Filtration & Aging
Once the attar is ready, it is filtered and stored in leather bottles or glass jars to age naturally—sometimes for months.
This deepens the complexity and longevity of the scent.
🧘 Why Traditional Attars Are Special
- 100% natural
- No alcohol or synthetic additives
- Slow, artisanal process
- Made by skilled hands—not machines
- Richer, more complex scent profiles
This is why attars like Rooh Khus, Attar Mitti, and Gulab Attar are still cherished by natural fragrance lovers worldwide.
🏺 Ottochem Perfumes: Continuing the Legacy
At Ottochem, our family has been part of this tradition since 1912. Each bottle you receive is:
- Sourced from real Kannauj artisans
- Made using the deg-bhapka method
- Bottled with care for modern use and global appeal
We also innovate while staying rooted—like creating Wet Soil Perfume, a modern sprayable version inspired by Mitti Attar.
🛒 Explore Our Traditional Attars
👉 Shop Natural Indian Attars →
👉 Try Mitti Attar →
👉 Discover Rooh Khus →
👉 Experience Our Sample Set →