Technological Interventions in Improving Kannauj Attar (Perfume) Craft

This booklet is a study on Ataar industry of Kannauj, a small but one of the historically oldest towns in Central Uttar Pradesh, which has been preserving the fragrance of nature for so many centuries. It highlights the nature of this industry majorly as a cottage industry with one-third of the town’s population engaged in Ataar distillation. With simple tools and native ingenuity, they are able to bring out of locally available materials/equipment delightful fragrant products. The study focuses on traditional Itaar making technology of water distillation. It highlights the technical and occupational problems being faced by Attar artisans and lists the technical needs of the artisans. The booklet presents an action plan which could help in enhancing the technology-driven productivity, product diversification, and market access of this industry to tap global market opportunities in the growing worldwide interest in natural fragrant materials among perfumers, aromatherapists, aromachologists and herbalists.