The craft of attar making, exclusive to Kannauj, resulted in the production and the selling of perfumes here. Located in the central part of Kannauj, Bara Bazar is one such market with a variety of perfume makers. The market sits over a gentle slope with a distinct staggering seen in the elevations of the half a century old buildings. The clustered shops paired with the narrow street create a complex yet intimate neighborhood. The configuration of the street is such that the shops face each other, allowing interactions and conversations to happen throughout the day. The dense builtform prevents harsh sunlight, resulting in the street having soft diffused light. The scent of the perfume drifts along and intricate bottles on display lure customers. The street starts getting busy in the evening with multiple two wheelers, tirris, people and animals trying to occupy the stretch.  The street is a rich ecosystem of people, animals, techniques and traditions. While offering an overwhelming sensorial experience, it also offers possibilities of interactions and spatial affordances.

Along the inner gallis of the Bara bazar one can see wooden boxes for ittars being made. The skilled wood artisans work on the plinths extending out of the shops. One such owner of the shop is Mr. Vishwanath Sharma, who has been running his shop since three generations. He uses a unique method of making boxes called ‘Tashkashi’ which involves working primarily with sheesham wood, carving the wood and inlaying brass wires in the wood. All the artisans work as a community, sometimes helping each other to complete orders when one may run out of stock.

The house types along the street are formed by narrow shops in the front and houses at the back. Some of these houses also had perfumeries attached to them initially. The old traditional perfume shops and their ancillary workshops such as wooden box making and kuppi making, a flask made with camel skin, are dwindling due to shifts in the economy.