I have reviewed this twice previously - in 2014 and 2017, and thought little of it other than as a toilet cleaner - mainly due to the obvious synthetic nature of the scent, and also it's rather overbearing old fashioned cheap floral scent. Lighting one today, after burning a series of ritual (rather than aesthetic) resins such as dragon's blood and benzoin, and I initially warmed to it, purely because it is a scent designed to please rather than to heal or cleanse. In comparison it suddenly seemed warm, familiar, and friendly. But, yes, it is crude and overbearing, and sharply chemical. It is, in reality, not my sort of incense, any more, I suppose, than a sambrani cup is really my sort of incense; but it has more in common with the sort of incense I like, and though it has flaws for me (aspects which I personally dislike), I inclined toward it. And still incline toward it. It has been burning away while I write this post, and I'm not repelled by it as I was in 2014 and 2017. I recognise its flaws, but in context with the flaws I find in some other incenses which are not for me - ritual incense like benzoin or wet dhoops, I am able to recognise that it has more in its favour for me than I had previously given it credit. The more we experience. The more we reflect and compare. The more we can recognise those elements by which we hold more store. I think this holds true for most things in life, not just incense. We can reject people because they were born in a different country to us, have a different culture, different religion, different skin colour, different gender or sexual orientation. But with a little reflection we can recognise that we have more in common with these people than we have differences.
Date: June 2018 Score: 20
I reviewed this in 2014 and dismissed it as a toilet cleaner. I got it again when I bought a cheap job lot of random Tulasi incense boxes. There is some very polished marketing going on with Sarathi (the owners of the Tulasi brand) - the box designs and wording are very professional, and
the website is smooth and impressive. This is a big operation, aimed largely, it appears, at the West. Though there are products within Sarathi that seem more aimed at the domestic Indian and Asian market - such as the "Dragon Brand"
Naga Durbar, a temple quality masala incense, and the
House Cleaning series with "invoking" names such as Call Money, Protection, and Go Away Evil. This Cannabis is clearly targeted to the West - at ageing hippies who still associate incense with smoking dope. There is a cautious disclaimer on the side that it "does not contain natural cannabis" - indeed, that it does not even "smell of natural cannabis"! But you can still burn it to "explore the deepest of your thoughts and desires".
It's a standard thinly rolled charcoal blank, dipped in a perfumed solution. The aroma is typical of cheap perfume-dipped charcoal sticks. There's some soapy notes, a varying amount of charcoal dust, and crude floral notes that I tend to associate with old ladies knickers. That's a personal thing, others may find it evocatively charming and reminiscent of lavender and roses. Provided I don't get too close to the smoke or attempt to analyse the scent, then it can burn away harmlessly in the background filling the room with a cheap odour.
Sarathi are clearly an intelligent and aware company. They know what they are doing. They are churning out various cheap incense sticks for those who are relatively undemanding, and just want something to freshen up the room, or cover up a bad smell. Within the range of scents they produce, some will be more attractive (or less offensive) than others. I am a sucker for musky, woody scents, and for anything frankincense related, so I will be inclined to favour those scents. I am less keen on these crude floral scents, so this is not one that appeals to me at all.
I am curious that they also do some quality masala incenses, and just wish a few less of these cheap perfume-dipped incenses came over to the UK, and a few more
Vidwan and Naga Durbar made it.
Date: August 2017 Score: 10
The sticks have a lively, piquant soapy floral aroma. When burned there is an initiate heady sweetness, but them the soapy notes dominate, and it becomes unattractively chemical, ending up drenching the room in artificial floral scents that are somewhat old fashioned, ugly, and remind me of old ladies knickers. Not good. Consigned to the toilet for covering up bad smells. Not to be used anywhere else in the house.
Date: August 2014 Score: 10
***
