PETRICHOR IN A BOTTLE

KANNAUJ'S EXQUISITE MITTI ATTAR CAPTURES THE ELUSIVE SCENT OF THE RAIN

- ANTARA CHATTERJEE

FRAGRANCES HAVE MEMORIES. Every scent you are ever hit with brings to the surface some of the most potent scenes from your life. We associate fragrances with people, places, and even specific objects. And how do we forget the scent of changing seasons?

Each season comes with its own scent. In springtime, the blossoms of blooming flowers spread their sweet bouquet. Come summer, the fresh grass and the heated earth give off a heady musk.

Petrichor is the quintessential fragrance of the monsoon. When the heat reaches its peak, most of us long for the rain, and the instant hit of wet earth to our noses lets us escape into our happy memories.

BOTTLING RAIN

When the first drops of rain hit the earth, petrichor rises and brings memories bubbling to the surface. Kannauj, the Indian perfume capital, is the place you go for a bottle of this indescribable, heady perfume. Yes, that's right. A bottle of petrichor is exactly what this town in Uttar Pradesh, nearly two hours from the capital Lucknow, offers you.

The mitti attar of Kannauj is reaching out to the world, thanks to the efforts of the centuries-old perfumery, Indian Naturals. "We have been in the business for 200 years, and I'm an 8th-generation perfumer," said Pranav Kapoor of Indian Naturals. Walking through the dusty lanes of this Uttar Pradesh town on the banks of the Ganga River, you see many elements that make it the perfume capital of the country. From dilapidated old perfume houses to vendors selling tiny, beautiful bottles of attars in the market, and flowers, so many flowers, Kannauj is a scent connoisseur's mecca.