Aravinda Sugandha Shringar

Sugandha Shringar, created in 1960, is claimed by the company to have been innovative in that it was not a single scent incense, but was a blend. It is a perfumed charcoal incense which combines sandalwood with a floral scent. This was created four years before Satya was founded, so this incense blend of sandalwood and champa was around at least four years before Satya made their Satya Nag Champa, which is a blend of sandalwood and champaca. 

This is clearly a perfumed charcoal incense - a machine extruded charcoal paste has been applied to a machine cut and dyed pink bamboo split, and at some point a liquid scent has been applied to the charcoal. The scent on the stick is not great. Indeed, it's a little off-putting with notes of vomit and stale cheese along with the floral touches which are both fresh and old at the same time. It's a curious and not exactly inviting scent. 

However, on the burn, it somehow works. I'm not as impressed as I was ten years ago - also I note that the sticks I had then are different, as I describe them "scruffily hand-rolled charcoal paste onto undyed sticks which are mostly quite thin and floppy", whereas these are fairly sturdy machine extruded sticks.  I didn't take a photo - the picture I used was taken from the internet, so all I have to go by is my description, and my memory, which matches the description. 

The scent on the burn is warm, modest, attractive; fairly sweet with gently heady rose like floral notes underpinned by a modest sandalwood warmth. It somehow works, but does feel a little old fashioned and minor. The main interest is the historic claim, and experiencing this scent, which despite being old fashioned, may be the first modern Indian incense, and the forerunner of all  Nag Champas and blended incenses.  I also like the retro quality of the packet design. 

Date: April 2023   Score:  28 


We've been finishing off the pack in the outhouse, and I've become quite fond of the lingering scent. It is attractively floral, and last for a good while, making the outhouse a pleasant place to walk into. Moved the score up a tad. 

Date: May 2023   Score: 29 

Pack of approx 15 for 48p from Incense-essentials.co.uk of Norfolk [Update, Oct 2021 - the link appears to be dead]. Made by Aravinda Parimala Works, of Mysore, who were founded as a small local company in 1963 with this scent. The company has developed its exports and now has several export awards and a wide range of scents. Sugandha means fragrance, and is sometimes used to mean incense. Shringar means adornment - interestingly. Indian brides should wear 16 shringar or adornments on their wedding day.

These are rather cheap, rough looking sticks. Poorly and scruffily hand-rolled charcoal paste onto undyed sticks which are mostly quite thin and floppy.  This is a perfume-dipped incense, with volatile aromas present on the stick. The incense does burn nicely however. The smoke is soft and attractive. The colour is grey and modest, but the smoke itself is soft, enveloping and very pleasant. The base aroma is sandalwood, with sweet champa notes. Quite warm and seductive. For a budget incense, this is indeed quite pleasant, and the aroma is strong enough to make itself felt, and to linger for a while. Again, quite impressive for an imported dipped perfume stick. Unless I happened upon a very fresh one.

I like these.

Date: August 2013  Score: 31

***

Aravinda Parimala Works

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