In the fragrant bylanes of Kannauj, India’s historic perfume capital, centuries-old copper degs (distillation still) still distil flowers, herbs and roots into delicate attars—natural perfume oils. But far from the poetry of roses and sandalwood, the attar industry today finds itself bound to a far more controversial companion: Tobacco.
For centuries, attars were treasured by nawabs and maharajas. Regarded as symbols of luxury, their use in courtly rituals, religious practices, medicine and gifting sustained artisan families in cities like Kannauj, Hyderabad and Lucknow.
But in 1971, this steady domestic clientele vanished almost overnight with the abolition of Privy Purses—a policy move that cut off state funding to former royals. With the loss of elite patrons, attar makers suffered not just an economic blow but also a loss of cultural validation. Many were forced to look for alternative mass markets.
The 1970s brought additional challenges. A global oil crisis, soaring inflation, poor monsoons, food shortages and a devalued rupee all pushed the cost of raw materials, especially sandalwood, a key base for attar, beyond sustainable levels.
Meanwhile, consumer preferences began shifting towards cheaper, alcohol-based perfumes and deodorants, promoted aggressively and widely available. Rural attar producers couldn’t match the rising input costs and had no support to cushion the shocks.
The export potential of attars remained largely untapped due to a lack of branding, marketing and alignment with global fragrance standards like the International Fragrance Association. Government industrial policy favoured textiles, steel and agriculture, but not traditional crafts like perfumery.
It was around this time that the chewing tobacco industry boomed. Seeking long-lasting fragrances to mask the bitterness of nicotine and slaked lime, manufacturers turned to attars. This industrial use of natural scents in tobacco products like gutkha, zarda and pan masala created a new, bulk-buying market for floral oils like kewra, rose, mitti and saffron. While these stimulated production, they fundamentally altered the ethos of attar making.
The 1991 liberalisation further flooded Indian markets with cheap synthetic perfumes, weakening the domestic attar industry. From the 1990s to the early 2000s, the number of distilleries dropped sharply, unable to compete on price with international brands.
Caught between economic necessity and cultural erosion, the attar industry found itself clinging to chewing tobacco; the one sector still buying in bulk.
The link between attar and tobacco has been economically sustaining, but ethically troubling. On the one hand, it ensured steady income for thousands of small-scale distillery workers. On the other, it tethered an eco-friendly, artisanal tradition to the public health disaster of tobacco addiction.
As demand from the tobacco sector rose, the industry shifted from artisanal perfumery to mass production of scenting agents. This transition brought with it exploitative labour conditions too. Women and children faced long hours, low wages and unsafe exposure to chemicals without protective gear.
Traditional craftsmen lost control of their work, reduced to underpaid labourers. Marginalised women were especially targeted for cheap labour, reinforcing caste and gender inequalities. The artistry and integrity of the craft were eroded, driven by the demands of the tobacco market, with scant regard for labour rights, health hazards, or sustainable livelihoods.
India today has approximately 164 million users of smokeless tobacco. Curbing tobacco use is central to the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Target 3.4. Yet, even as the government runs awareness campaigns and commits to reducing tobacco use, it simultaneously undermines these efforts by enabling the attar industry’s continued involvement in flavouring tobacco.
Ironically, attars used to mask the smell of carcinogenic tobacco products remain unregulated. Tobacco itself is covered under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, which includes growing restrictions on flavourings and packaging. But attars fall into regulatory grey zones.
There’s no dedicated regulation under the Union Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) or the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), even when used as flavouring agents. Nor are they comprehensively governed by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
This legal vacuum has enabled unchecked adulteration. Increasing use of volatile organic compounds not only poses serious health risks to workers and users but also tarnishes the perception of attars as pure, natural products.
Today, an estimated 75-80 per cent of attars produced in parts of North India are used in tobacco or tobacco-adjacent products. This over-reliance on a single, controversial sector leaves the industry dangerously vulnerable.
In May 2025, the World Health Organization called on governments to urgently ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products. Over 50 countries have already done so. As Indian states consider similar measures and global markets tighten regulations, the attar industry faces an existential threat, unless it diversifies.
India’s fragrance and flavour industry is valued at around Rs 10,000 crore annually and holds a 10 per cent share in the global fragrance market. Recognising its potential, the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has advocated for more Fragrance and Flavour Development Centres (FFDC) across states, following the success of the one in Kannauj. FFDC promote research and development, sustainable cultivation and industry upskilling.
But more needs to be done. Policy support should aim at helping attar artisans diversify into natural wellness, aromatherapy and export markets. The same artisans scenting zarda could be trained to create premium, plant-based perfumes, essential oils and organic skincare products. Skill development programmes, financial incentives and access to ethical markets could empower them to move away from tobacco dependency.
Promotion of drought-resistant aromatic crops like lemongrass, vetiver and rosemary in regions such as Bundelkhand and Vidarbha, currently dominated by tobacco cultivation, could also support this transition.
There’s also an urgent need for regulatory oversight. A dedicated body under FSSAI, AYUSH, or a new Fragrance and Aromatics Board should ensure safety standards, prevent adulteration and promote quality assurance.
Global demand for clean, plant-based fragrances is on the rise. But India remains poorly represented in these markets due to limited branding, weak market access and lack of state support.
Attar, when made traditionally, is one of the most environmentally sustainable fragrances available. It’s crafted from flowers and herbs, often without synthetic chemicals. Produced by local artisans, it avoids pollution from large factories and long supply chains, reducing its carbon footprint. Waste is minimal, ingredients are often grown using eco-friendly methods and animal testing is generally avoided.
As “conscious consumerism” grows, attar offers a cruelty-free, green alternative to commercial perfumes. With the right push, India could reclaim its heritage—not just as a maker of scented memories, but as a global leader in ethical perfumery.
Mrinalini Naik is advocate practicing in Supreme Court of India and a graduate from NLSIU, Bangalore.
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth