Attar, also spelled ittar or itra, is a natural perfume oil. The word is believed to come from Persian, from an Arabic word meaning perfume. Kannauj, in Uttar Pradesh, is its best-known home in India.
How it is made
Attars are distillates of flowers, herbs, spices and other natural materials, collected over sandalwood oil. In Kannauj the traditional method is called deg-bhapka. A copper still, the deg, is built over its own fire. It is joined by a hollow bamboo pipe to a receiver, the bhapka, which holds the sandalwood oil base and sits in a water trough. The process is slow and uses no industrial machinery.
Mitti attar, the scent of rain
Mitti attar is made by distilling baked clay with sandalwood oil. It is popularly described as capturing the smell of the first rain on dry earth.
A protected name
Kannauj perfume received a Geographical Indication tag in 2014, which identifies the traditional attar-making process with the town.
Attar and worship
Attars are alcohol-free, and in Hindu tradition fragrance such as sandalwood is offered in worship. Some astrologers and sellers link particular scents with planets or luck. That is a belief and a custom, and there is no evidence that a perfume changes a birth chart.
Buying in the US
Perfume sold in the US is regulated as a cosmetic by the FDA. Ask any seller for the full ingredient list, including the base oil, and for allergen information. Be careful with claims that an attar heals or cures anything.
Last checked: 12 November 2026. Rules, dates and prices change, so confirm on official websites before you book or pay. This page is for information only.
Disclosure: some links on this site may be affiliate links. We only mention services we have checked, and we will say so clearly if we earn a commission.