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Traditional Distillation · Kannauj

The Alchemy of Copper, Clay & Water.

The Deg-Bhapka method is a traditional form of hydro-distillation used in Kannauj for producing attar. The Deg, Bhapka and Chonga are the principal distillation apparatus; the Bhatti and the cooling-water tank (Gachchi) form the wider operating setup around them. Aromatic material is heated with water in the Deg, its vapour travels through the Chonga to the Bhapka, and the distillate is captured in a carrier oil.

How the Parts Connect

From Aromatic Material to Attar.

Material moves through the apparatus in one direction. The Bhatti heats the Deg, and the Gachchi cools the Bhapka.

  1. Input

    Aromatic material + water

    Flowers, roots or other aromatic material, depending on the attar — for example rose, kewra or vetiver (khus).

  2. Deg

    Copper still

    Heated by the Bhatti

  3. Chonga

    Vapour pathway and primary condenser

  4. Bhapka

    Receiving vessel with base / carrier oil

  5. Cooling arrangement

    Gachchi water tank; the Bhapka is immersed in it

    Cools the Bhapka

Schematic of how the parts connect. Not to scale.

What goes where?

Deg
Aromatic material + water
Bhapka
Base / carrier oil
Chonga
Vapour pathway + primary condensation
Gachchi
Cooling bath
Anatomy of the Distillation

The Five Critical Components.

The Deg, Bhapka and Chonga are the principal distillation apparatus. The Bhatti, which heats the Deg, and the Gachchi, which cools the Bhapka, form the wider operating setup. Each component is marked accordingly below.

  1. 01

    Bhatti

    Traditional Furnace

    Operating setup

    Bhatti: Controlled heat, guided by the distiller

    The Bhatti is the traditional furnace that supplies heat to the Deg. Documentation of the Kannauj process describes it as brick-built and notes the use of fuels including wood and cow-dung cakes. Heating is supervised throughout the distillation process.

    Construction:
    Brick-built traditional furnace
    Key function

    Supplying heat to the Deg

  2. 02

    Deg

    Copper Still

    Principal apparatus

    Deg: The copper distillation vessel

    The Deg is the copper still. It contains the aromatic material together with water. Its lid, the Sarpos, is sealed with cotton and clay to contain the vapour generated during heating.

    Construction:
    Copper still with sealed lid
    Key function

    Hydro-distillation of aromatic material

  3. 03

    Chonga

    Connecting Pipe & Primary Condenser

    Principal apparatus

    Chonga: The vapour pathway

    The Chonga is both the connecting pipe between the Deg and the Bhapka and the primary condenser. It carries the vapour generated in the Deg toward the receiving vessel, and it is where condensation begins. Traditional descriptions of the apparatus identify bamboo as the material of this connecting/condenser element.

    Material:
    Traditional bamboo connecting tube
    Key function

    Carrying vapour and primary condensation

  4. 04

    Bhapka

    Copper Receiving Vessel

    Principal apparatus

    Bhapka: The receiving vessel

    The Bhapka is the copper receiving vessel connected to the Deg through the Chonga. It contains a base or carrier oil where the traditional attar process uses one, such as sandalwood oil. As aromatic vapour reaches the receiver and condenses, the aromatic material is captured by the receiving oil.

    Construction:
    Copper receiving vessel
    Key function

    Receiving the distillate and capturing aromatic material in the carrier oil

  5. 05

    Gachchi

    Cooling Water Tank

    Operating setup

    Gachchi: The cooling bath

    The Bhapka is immersed in a water-filled cooling tank known as the Gachchi. The tank cools the Bhapka and supports condensation as aromatic vapour reaches it.

    Construction:
    Water-filled cooling tank
    Key function

    Cooling the Bhapka and supporting condensation

Also part of the apparatus

  • SarposLid and sealing arrangement

    The Sarpos is the lid of the Deg. It is sealed with cotton and clay so that the vapour generated during heating is contained and directed toward the Chonga.

The Process in Sequence

How the Distillation Actually Works.

  1. Phase 01

    Preparation

    The aromatic material is placed in the Deg with water, and the Deg is closed with its sealed lid (the Sarpos). The Bhapka is prepared with its base or carrier oil, where one is used, and is connected to the Deg through the Chonga.

  2. Phase 02

    Heating & Condensation

    The Bhatti heats the Deg. Vapour generated inside the Deg travels through the Chonga toward the Bhapka; condensation begins in the Chonga, and the aromatic material is captured by the receiving oil in the Bhapka.

  3. Phase 03

    Cooling

    The Bhapka is kept immersed in the water-filled Gachchi. Cooling supports condensation as vapour reaches the receiving vessel. The distillation is monitored throughout the process.

  4. Phase 04

    Separation & Storage

    After cooling, the water and oil are separated. The documented process describes more than one way of doing this, and it is not set out here as a procedure. Where traditional Kuppi storage is used, the finished attar may then be kept in leather vessels to help remove residual moisture.

Duration: published descriptions vary, and no single duration applies to every attar or producer. A distillation is generally described as taking several hours.

After Distillation

Separate. Condition. Store.

  1. 1. Cooling

    The Bhapka cools in the Gachchi.

  2. 2. Separation

    Water and oil are separated. More than one method is documented, and practice varies between producers.

  3. 3. Moisture removal / storage

    The Kuppi is a traditional leather storage vessel used after distillation to help remove residual moisture.

Practice is not identical for every attar or every producer.

Traditional, Not Industrial

Hydro-distillation is not steam distillation.

Traditional Deg-Bhapka hydro-distillation

  • Aromatic material is heated together with water in a copper Deg.
  • Vapour passes through the Chonga into a copper Bhapka.
  • The distillate is captured in a base or carrier oil, and water and oil are then separated.
  • Heat comes from a traditional furnace, the Bhatti, and is supervised by the distiller.

Modern industrial steam distillation

  • A different system, run in purpose-built industrial equipment.
  • Steam is passed through the aromatic material, rather than the material being heated in the water itself.
  • It is not the method described on this page, and the two should not be confused.

Technical descriptions are based on Government of India / Development Commissioner (MSME) documentation of the Kannauj Attar & Essential Oil Cluster, paraphrased for this page. Where descriptions differ between producers, this page describes the variation rather than choosing one version, and it makes no claim about the age or continuity of the method.

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