Perfume & Politics: All Bottled Up in UP's Kannauj

In the scent capital of India, Kannauj, the journey of a bottle of ittar begins at dawn when a farmer plucks flowers, then transports the bundles to distilleries in the city before it lines the shelves of stores. The pandemic-induced lockdown and the two tax raids, however, have taken away the joy from the market. Politics and perfume make for a heady mix this election season in Uttar Pradesh.