Haji Khuda Buksh Nabi Buksh is a quaint attar (perfume) shop in Kolkata. Situated at Tiretti Bazar, Kolkata, the shop has been a safe haven for all attar lovers, historic and common. Established in 1824, this attar shop turned 200. Neyazuddin Allah Buksh, the 8th generation running this family shop, dived into the history of the shop saying, “We came to Calcutta in 1800 with my great grandfather Sheikh Jaan Mohammad Sahab. Haji Khuda Buksh and Haji Nabi Buksh were the sons of Sheikh Sahab.
We were originally from Lucknow; business was really bad there because there was constant war with the Britishers, revolts, and independence movements. Hence, we shifted to the then capital of India. Calcutta was also one of the main ports for international trade; coming to this city was an obvious choice.” Calcutta was famous for its zamindars, rajas, and the elite Babus who were the collective connoisseurs of attar. Thus started the family trade and lineage of smell-sellers. The shop has had patrons from all walks of life. From the great poet Rabindranath Tagore to Nazrul Islam, Netaji Bose, Motilal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, General Shah Nawaz, almost every icon of Bengal has been to this shop, which sells liquid gold in a bottle. The shop was originally on Baithakkhana road, Lebutala, but then shifted to Burra bazar where they have stayed for the last 200 years. They export all over India, because it is a trusted brand and they have their own workshop, their own factories, both in Kolkata and Kanauj, Uttar Pradesh.
says, “In the last 10-15 years, the newer generation has started showing a lot of interest in buying and using attar. Now there is the advantage of the internet. They do their research, they find out new smells, and are very invested in using attar. So the market for old things has not gone out of sale at all. Thanks to social media, we get new visitors. The main advantage of attar is affordability. We sell attar starting from 100 rs for a 12 ml bottle. So everyone has something or the other they like and can use. The speciality of attar is that this smell remains on your clothes for 12 hours.” On being asked his three favourite smells, Buksh cheerfully says , “ Shamama , Gulab, and Khhas if I’m talking about Indian traditional smells. I really do like them a lot.
These are very traditional Indian smells. Now, if we talk about modern smells, there’s Musk, Shaba, Haiyati. We are always experimenting for the youth. We try to make a lot of smells that deodorants have, and they are very popular.” The family that had started in Lucknow 250 years ago, captures the passerby with its colonial touch and the forgotten history of making natural fragrance. Attar has no side effects, essentially is good for the body, and is deeply rooted in the Indian tradition of natural ecosystems. Then there’s the expensive side of attar for serious buyers, collectors, and users. Rooh Gulab, Chandan, Rooh Khhas, and Oudh are all very expensive and are equally fragrant and fine. The making of attar and the propagation of the ancient techniques still exist in the city that is intrinsically a part of Calcutta. Walking through the busy streets filled with chaos and clamour, the smell-sellers are sure to guide you to nostalgia, warmth, and forgotten memories.