States » NorthPosted at: Sep 17 2026 7:29PM


UP takes centuries old Attar legacy from local workshops to global travel shows

Kannauj, Sep17 (UNI) As Kannauj celebrates its 29th district foundation day on Friday, Uttar Pradesh is building a tourism experience around the city’s most distinctive inheritance: the centuries old art of natural attar making.
The fragrance of wet earth, rose and kewra is no longer confined to perfumers’ workshops. Through live demonstrations of the traditional deg bhapka technique, international promotion and curated visits, UP Tourism is taking Kannauj’s perfume tradition to wider audiences while helping sustain the craft behind it.
Kannauj’s perfume heritage was a major attraction at IFTM Top Resa in Paris, where live deg bhapka demonstrations introduced international visitors to the slow and skilled process of natural fragrance making. The district’s attar tradition was also showcased at World Travel Market London, the India International Trade Fair and other tourism and trade platforms.
Kannauj perfume received a Geographical Indication tag in 2014. Efforts are also under way to seek UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage recognition for its traditional perfume making knowledge, passed from one generation of artisans to another.
The district’s growing tourism appeal is reflected in visitor numbers. Tourist arrivals increased from around 13.04 lakh in 2024 to more than 21.73 lakh in 2025, a rise of nearly 67 per cent. The growth provides a stronger base for linking perfume experiences with Kannauj’s religious, historical and natural attractions.
As part of this wider effort, UP Tourism facilitated the opening of Uttar Pradesh’s first luxury heritage homestay at Anand Bhawan Palace in Tirwa in 2025, adding a heritage stay option to the district’s tourism experience.
UP Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh said, “Under the leadership of CM Yogi, the government is working to ensure that Kannauj’s perfume legacy remains a living tradition and also becomes a source of tourism, livelihoods and global recognition. When visitors watch the deg bhapka process, interact with artisans and explore the places connected with Kannauj’s history, they experience the story behind its fragrance.”
“Perfume tourism is carrying Kannauj’s identity to the world while giving travellers more reasons to discover its faith, heritage, nature and craftsmanship,” he added.
Tourism infrastructure is being strengthened alongside this cultural promotion. Four projects worth more than ₹10.76 crore were taken up during 2025 to 26. These cover the Shiv Temple at Harbhanpur, Baba Vishwanath Temple at Chaudhariyapur Bangar, Chyavan Rishi Ashram at Gugrapur and tourism development at Mehndi Ghat.
A further ₹3.90 crore is being taken forward during 2026 to 27 for the historical Shankar Ji Temple on GT Road at Ismailpur, the ancient Siddhpeeth Dauleshwar Nath Shiv Temple at Khas Nagar and Maa Sheetla Devi Temple in Jalalabad. Each project carries an outlay of ₹1.30 crore.
Perfume serves as the gateway to a wider Kannauj journey. The district’s visitor circuit includes Mehndi Ghat, Raja Jaichand’s Fort, Mata Annapurna Temple, Gauri Shankar Temple, Ram Janaki Temple, the Archaeological Museum and Lakh Bahosi Bird Sanctuary.
Known in ancient texts as Kanyakubja and associated with the reign of Emperor Harshavardhana, Kannauj brings together fragrance, history, faith and nature within one destination. Carved out of Farrukhabad on September 18, 1997, the district enters its 30th year with its attar tradition at the centre of a growing experiential tourism story.
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