Archive · 21 Nov 2025
200-Year-Old Attar Shop in Kolkata Celebrates Bicentenary
A 200-year-old attar (perfume) shop in Kolkata, Haji Khuda Buksh Nabi Buksh, celebrates its bicentenary.
The shop, which sells natural perfumes, has had many famous patrons and continues to be popular despite the rise of modern fragrances.
The shop's owner attributes this to the affordability and lack of side effects of attar.
Haji Khuda Buksh Nabi Buksh, established in 1824, is Kolkata's oldest attar shop
The shop has had iconic patrons like Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Bose, and Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad
Attar, a natural perfume, is affordable and has no side effects, appealing to both traditional and modern users
The shop exports all over India and has its own workshops in Kolkata and Kanauj, Uttar Pradesh
Despite the internet and social media, the market for traditional attar remains strong
- Who
- Haji Khuda Buksh Nabi Buksh, an attar shop in Kolkata
- What
- Celebrated its 200th anniversary
- When
- Established in 1824
- Where
- Kolkata, India
- Why
- To celebrate the shop's bicentenary
Traditionalists
Modernists
Affordability
Traditionalists
Attar is affordable for everyone
Modernists
Modern fragrances can be expensive
- Founding Year
- 1824
- Location
- Tiretti Bazar, Kolkata
- Patrons
- Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Bose, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, among others
- Export
- All over India
- Workshops
- Kolkata and Kanauj, Uttar Pradesh