Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav, contesting the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls from Kannauj, has promised to bring back the lost glory to India’s perfume capital. The perfumers of Kannauj smell ‘attar politics’ in the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls. Of the many, some said that Kannauj is paying the price for being an SP bastion, some blamed the BJP government for step motherly treatment and for imposing heavy GST on the base oils while some praised the ruling Yogi Adityanath government in the state for restoring law and order situation in UP and for taming down the hooligans.
On Safdarganj road, Kannauj’s Bada Bazar, a hub of perfumers, was abuzz with activities on Thursday evening–the day when Akhilesh Yadav filed his nomination papers as SP Candidate from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat. Despite the sweet fruity smell of attar of different kinds that was in the air, it was the smell of ‘attar politics’, which ruled the roost here. “The sorry state of Kannauj, the perfume capital of India, is visible to all. Nothing has been done for the perfumers of Kannauj ever since the BJP government has come to power. I think Kannauj is paying the price for being tagged as SP’s bastion,” a perfumer, who owns a shop at the Bada Bazar, said.
While leveling charges against the ruling BJP Government for the step motherly treatment, another perfumer lamented the impact of various factors on their trade. “Unlike the previous SP government which made rose water and other base oils tax free, the BJP government imposed 18 percent GST on base oil, stringent regulations on sandalwood trade, which have left a severe dent on the income of the perfumers,” another perfumer pointed out.
Besides, they also pointed out inflation as another ‘spoiler’ for Kannauj’s attar industry, stating that the soaring diesel prices doubled the costs of raw materials like DOP, HLP, and DEP. Despite these challenges, they struggle to increase final product prices due to existing high rates. Extraction ratios reveal the luxury nature of their products; 5 grams of ‘rooh’ from 40 kg of roses fetches Rs 9 lakh per kg, while it takes 80 kg of vetiver for 50 grams of ‘rooh’ (the type of condensed vapour). The procurement of musk, derived from the musk deer’s navel, is further complicated by hunting bans, leading to reliance on government auctions where it commands a staggering Rs 42 lakh per kg. Such intricacies underline the complexities and costs inherent in their industry.
However, some of the perfumers from the SP’s bastion hailed BJP for the strict law and order situation and said that the Yogi Government has smoothened up the business operations. “Though it’s a fact that the SP Government did a lot for the perfumers of Kannauj, but Yogi government has tamed down the hooligans which was much needed in UP. In fact, the Yogi government, by introducing GST, has streamlined the business operations,” another perfumer pointed out.
Kannauj’s ‘itr’ industry, valued at over Rs 1,200 crore, engages around 80 percent of the district’s populace. Despite its significant contribution to the local economy, the industry confronts challenges, chiefly its reliance on natural ingredients. The perfumers here say that due to the fierce competition from cheaper synthetic perfumes, the industry has witnessed a shift towards aromatherapy products like essential oils, shampoos, and soaps. Moreover, the gutkha/paan masala industry, a major consumer, now, predominantly synthesizes scents but seeks natural products for flavour and texture. This transition reflects a broader trend towards synthetic alternatives, posing a dilemma for traditional ‘itr’ manufacturers.
While highlighting the history of Kannauj’s scent industry, Rishi Mehrotra, who claims to be one among the oldest perfumers of Kannauj and is the ninth generation in perfumery business, said the tradition of ‘itr’ manufacturing in the district dates back to the reign of Harshavardhana in the 7th century AD, with the Mughal era significantly enhancing its development. Legend credits Asmat Begum, mother of Mughal queen Noor Jahan, for discovering rose oil extraction after observing petals leaving an oily residue in bath water. Emperor Jehangir also noted her skills in extracting rose attar.
“The town employs eco-friendly methods, notably the ‘degh bhapka’ technique, eschewing electricity and heavy machinery. This process involves boiling flower petals in copper pots, sealed with clay to trap fragrant vapors. The vapors then pass through a funnel into another container containing water and base oil. This base oil, devoid of scent, absorbs the condensed liquid, preserving the fragrance. Additional ingredients like saffron, musk, oud, or camphor are added for diverse aromas, upholding the craft’s rich heritage and environmental consciousness,” said Mehrotra while explaining the attar extraction process. He said that Kannauj’s attar or itr is rich, without any dilution. Unlike alcohol-based perfumes, the fragrance is heavier but quieter, and lasts longer.
Though the UP Government has rolled out several schemes to boost the industry, the perfumers say that there is a lot more to be done. One such scheme is ODOP (one district, one product). This was started with the view to making small-scale industry workers ‘atma nirbhar’ (self-reliant). It was tasked with assisting medium, small and micro enterprises in selling their products online on a larger scale. But the scheme does not seem to be reaching the actual beneficiaries, they added.
In 2014, the then chief minister Akhilesh Yadav had announced a common facility fragrance park to boost the fragrance industry of Kannauj. In 2015, Yadav had led a delegation to Grasse (France), known for its perfumes, to explore the possibility of a tie-up and give a boost to the ‘attar’ industry of Kannauj. After Yadav’s visit to France, the state government had stated that the park would be developed on 400-acre land and 300-acre ‘gram sabha’ land was already available for the project there. On April 12, 2016, he also laid the foundation. Though the UP Government claimed that the first phase of the project has been completed, the perfumers here say it is yet to bring change to Kannauj’s fading scent industry.
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