Indian Incense sticks sandal wood

The incense sticks give a fragrant smoke when burned. They are composed of aromatic materials, wood, essential oils.

In India, incense is called Agarbatti (Hindi). There are two kinds of incense in India: Masala incense and Charcol incense. Masala incenses are made of dry ingredients while in the Charcol incense there are liquid perfumes or essential oils.

The incenses are ubiquitous in India. The days begin and end with the smell that prevails in the houses. Using incense is an ancestral tradition. It is used for religious ceremonies, for Meditation, to purify the air. It perfumes temples, houses, markets where traders bring it to Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity.

In the tradition, the use of incense was a spiritual and medicinal act. In India the manufacture of incense was based on the principles of Ayurveda. According to these precepts, the incense was composed of natural ingredients derived from the classification of five elements: vapors and branches for the Water, roots for the Earth, flowers for the Fire, leaves for the Air and fruit for the Ether. And the incense was made with ingredients that fit these categories, for example: sandalwood for the Water, turmeric for the Earth, cloves for the Fire, patchouli for the Air, the star anise for the Ether.

Today the Indian incense is used for several other reasons as to create an atmosphere of relaxation or simply to scent the air.