Charcoal black machine dipped sticks of herb perfumed incense by N. Ranga Rao & Sons of Mysore under their Flute brand. The incense is thinly dipped, and the machine smears the incense down the handle of the undyed bamboo. The incense burns quickly, producing a moderate amount of grey smoke that is gently and pleasantly perfumed with herby, soapy, citron accented aromas. The scent is slightly medicinal, with sharp notes of lemon, and hints of insect repellent. There is an artificial feel about it, and I suspect the company uses chemical fragrances. The whole thing looks, feels, and smells cheap and basic, but despite this, the aroma is clean, sharp, strong, without being overpowering, and is useful in the kitchen to cover up lingering cooking smells, such as pan fried fish.
This was bought from a market stall in Gillingham as part of a buy six for £5 deal - each pack contains 20 sticks. Flute brand incense is also available on Amazon and eBay for around £1 a packet. The Ranga Rao company have been selling incense since 1948, and export to 60 countries. They use Flute, Cycle, Lia and Angel brand names, and also make Woods and Rhythm brand incense.
Overall this is an acceptable basic cheap incense, useful for covering up odours, freshening a room, and wakening up the senses. The aroma is sharp, clean and fresh. It's not subtle or delightful, but it serves a purpose.
Date: April 2013 Score: 25
This was bought from a market stall in Gillingham as part of a buy six for £5 deal - each pack contains 20 sticks. Flute brand incense is also available on Amazon and eBay for around £1 a packet. The Ranga Rao company have been selling incense since 1948, and export to 60 countries. They use Flute, Cycle, Lia and Angel brand names, and also make Woods and Rhythm brand incense.
Overall this is an acceptable basic cheap incense, useful for covering up odours, freshening a room, and wakening up the senses. The aroma is sharp, clean and fresh. It's not subtle or delightful, but it serves a purpose.
Date: April 2013 Score: 25
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| Ranga Rao (Flute) |
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I tried this incense just this morning. After reading this review a few days ago, I actually decided to buy a small pack at a local bargain store and smell it for myself. I definitely agree with you that it is a "utilitarian" incense - if ever there was such a thing. I live in a one-bedroom apt., and often times the residual smells of the various incenses that I enjoy start to smell stale and unpleasant. Burning this interesting, and perhaps odd incense, seems to actually clear the air and create a clean atmosphere. Very strange indeed. I've never experienced anything like it in any incense before. I don't really mean "clean and clear" in some metaphysical or spiritual way, but in a practical and utilitarian way. When burning this incense with is curious lemony, detergent-like, tangy-herbal smell (I wouldn't exactly say "fragrance". It is definitely a smell), I get an urge to get up and start cleaning my home - even to the point of almost "spring cleaning" - which isn't really such a big deal, it is just a one-bedroom after all. I wouldn't use this to set any romantic, relaxing or meditative mood, nor for any devotional, religious purposes. But to create a clean, get-up-and-get-things-done mood, it definitely works for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, utilitarian is a good description. Done a fart? Light a Flute!
ReplyDeleteActually N.Ranga Rao and Sons are from Mysore not from Mumbai. And the seven herbs incense for the flute is also my favorite. Has an Ayurvedic smell to it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Vid - must have been a typo, and it seems I have repeated it in several places on my blog. I'll correct it now. I see the original link has gone, so I'll have to find a new one. Do you have a website for them?
DeleteI have also corrected the links - they now go to https://www.nrrs.com/ instead of http://www.nrrexports.com/.
DeleteSo I don't need their website address now.
Delete