Dhoops are incense pastes rolled into sticks or logs, or extruded or moulded into logs or cones. They are not rolled around a bamboo stick. Chandan is sandalwood, one of the basic fragrant woods used in incense. Chandan dhoops are amongst the cheapest and most popular forms of incense in India. There are a number of brands available on eBay, and through some internet incense sellers, but - as of Feb 2013 - Amazon only has the one brand Vaishnodevi Chandan Dhoop - this can be bought from 89p to £1.99 for ten sticks or logs.
There is little pleasure in the smoke it produces. The aroma varies, and can be terribly smoky and unpleasant. The box claims: "Real Fragrance of pure Ghee & Real Sandalwood". Ghee, which is clarified or condensed butter, is sometimes burnt at funerals in India, and is an occasional ingredient in dhoops, helping to both bind the fragrances, and to aid burning. However, if the proportions are wrong, the smell of the dhoop can be like that of burnt butter. These Vaishnodevi Chandan Dhoop can be a bit smoky and unpleasant - the burnt butter dominating, and also a harsh burnt rubber odour penetrating the room. They produce a lot of smoke very quickly, and will fill a room with the fragrance, good or bad - sometimes leaving a diesel smell. However, the logs can be broken into smaller pieces, and that is advised. It's not all bad, as sometimes the fragrance can be pleasantly sweet, with the sandalwood dominating, and this brand does have hints of why chandan dhoops are so popular. But, on the whole, this is a cheap nasty incense brand, and should be bought for reasons of curiosity only. Don't buy expecting a consistently pleasant fragrance.
Oddly, the more I burn these the more I am liking them. Rough and ready, and feeling quite ethnic and real. They have a lot of character, and are certainly great at covering up unpleasant smells such as cat pee. Burning a whole log, though, may give you a headache. I certainly won't be buying them again.
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