Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi of Pune (HMS) have a long established presence as an Indian incense house, though are best known in the West as the supplier for a number of own brand retailers such as Happy Hari, Absolute Bliss, Bhagwan, Prasad Gifts Celestial, Hare Krishna Das, Windrose Triloka, Blue Pearl, TOI, Pure Incense, Gokula, Sacred Boutique/KrishnaShopping, Bhaktivedanta Manor, etc. Sometimes it's the same sticks under different brand names; sometimes, as with Pure Incense, some of the sticks are made specially for the retailer (for some special sticks Adi-Guru supplies his own oils, and oversees the making of the incense). HMS branded incense can be bought in India - even from Amazon.in, but HMS are reluctant to sell to Western markets where they have existing contracts with retailers.
They are recognised for their heavy use of vanilla crystals (or - more likely - vanillin) to strengthen and prolong the incense scent, which tends to give most of their incenses a sweet vanilla base. There is a sparkle to some sticks, which is possibly the glint of vanilla crystals or vanillin.
According to the HMS website, the family started making incense in 1860 when brothers Haridas and Madhavdas Sugandhi opened up an incense manufacturing business in Poona for the local market. I find it curious and noteworthy that Sugandhi means fragrance, and is also the given surname of the family. The business is today run by Nandkumar and Anil Sugandhi, the great-grandsons of the founders. The HMS website states that "our sustainable approach includes eco-friendly, charcoal-free products that significantly diminish air pollution. By harvesting the remains of gums, resins and barks, we prioritise optimal waste management." Such words are fairly common on Indian incense websites, and need untangling. You'll note that the masala paste on HMS incense sticks is charcoal black, which seems odd given the claim they don't use charcoal. My understanding is that a number of incense companies are nowadays using coconut charcoal rather than wood charcoal, and I assume that is what HMS are referring to. Burning coconut charcoal still releases harmful carbons into the atmosphere, but less trees are cut down.
HMS employ 50 workers on making the masala paste, packing, etc, and "more than 500 women" on a freelance arrangement where they work at home in their own time to roll the paste onto sticks.
They are recognised for their heavy use of vanilla crystals (or - more likely - vanillin) to strengthen and prolong the incense scent, which tends to give most of their incenses a sweet vanilla base. There is a sparkle to some sticks, which is possibly the glint of vanilla crystals or vanillin.
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| The family premises in Pune |
According to the HMS website, the family started making incense in 1860 when brothers Haridas and Madhavdas Sugandhi opened up an incense manufacturing business in Poona for the local market. I find it curious and noteworthy that Sugandhi means fragrance, and is also the given surname of the family. The business is today run by Nandkumar and Anil Sugandhi, the great-grandsons of the founders. The HMS website states that "our sustainable approach includes eco-friendly, charcoal-free products that significantly diminish air pollution. By harvesting the remains of gums, resins and barks, we prioritise optimal waste management." Such words are fairly common on Indian incense websites, and need untangling. You'll note that the masala paste on HMS incense sticks is charcoal black, which seems odd given the claim they don't use charcoal. My understanding is that a number of incense companies are nowadays using coconut charcoal rather than wood charcoal, and I assume that is what HMS are referring to. Burning coconut charcoal still releases harmful carbons into the atmosphere, but less trees are cut down.
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| Some of the HMS workers |
HMS employ 50 workers on making the masala paste, packing, etc, and "more than 500 women" on a freelance arrangement where they work at home in their own time to roll the paste onto sticks.
Reviews
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| Pure Incense Connoisseur Nepal Musk (M) July 2017 - Score: 46 |
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| Bhagwan Incense Hari Leela Masala (M) Oct 2023 - Score: 44 |
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| Berk Holy Smokes Ambrosia (HMS Blue Lotus) (M) May 2025 - Score: 40↑ |
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March 2024 - Score: 39 |
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| Primo Chaitanya / Gaura Absolute Chaitanya / Gokula Mystic Champa (M) Feb 2024 - Score: 38 |
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| Temple of Incense Purple Rain (M) (HMS Blue Lotus) Jan 2025 - Score: 37 |
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| Primo Connoisseur Patchouli / Gokula Gaura Super Patchouli Sticks (M) Mar 2024 - Score: 37↑ |
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| Bhagwan Incense Patchouli (PM) April 2025 - Score: 37= |
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| Windrose Triloka Hawaiian High (M) April 2025 - Score: 36= |
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| Prasad Celestial Patchouli (M) Apr 2025 - Score: 35 |
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| Primo Blue Lotus (M) Feb 2024 - Score: 34 |
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| Primo Cedarwood Gokula Gaura Absolute Cedarwood (M) Aug 2019 - Score: 33 |
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Blue Pearl Patchouli (PM) Feb 2024: 31↓ |
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| Pure Incense Classic Frankincense (M) March 2021 - Score: 30 |
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| Primo Agarwood / Gaura Absolute Agarwood (M) Feb 2024 - Score: 28 |
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| Primo Sandalwood / Gokula Sandalwood & Vanilla / Gaura Absolute Sandalwood (PM) Feb 2024 - Score: 28 |
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| Prasad Incense Celestial Sandalwood (PM) Apr 2025 - Score: 28 |
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| Primo Incense Nepal Musk (M) July 2017 - Score: 26 |
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| Prasad Celestial Amber (PM) Apr 2025 - Score: 26 |
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Mar 2024 - Score: 24 |
Reviews: 23
Top score: 46
Top score: 46
Low score: 24
I'm burning the Sons Of Asgard "Ash" incense stick you sent me.
ReplyDeleteThey claim "Our Celtic Tree Essence Incense Sticks are handmade by us" but it smells strikingly like some of the higher quality HMS Sandalwood sticks that Pure sells.
Do you agree?
It's still sitting on my desk. But I've just pulled out a stick to look at and sniff. It does seem to have the Pune character. Could be Vinason or DBS as well.
DeleteI have to confess I am generally dubious about incenses which say they are hand made in the UK. On investigation the claims are either not true, or not verified. My hesitation about reviewing the stick has been because of that claim. I'd like to be able to say that the sticks are hand made in Glastonbury - I think that would be really cool. But I feel I should contact them first to check the veracity of the claim.
Yeah, it's highly unlikely. If it were, it would be more expensive (not that this is cheap), unless we're talking dipped charcoal incense, maybe.
DeleteMy speculation is that it is either, as you suggest, made in Pune, possibly to the Sons own specifications, or that they import some sticks, again possibly made in Pune, to which they externally add some fragrance, as Wild Berry do in America, and as Spiritual Sky used to do (which is where Fred Soll started out in incense). It is fairly quick and cheap to apply a fragrance solution to ready made sticks. They may use already scented sticks, but by adding a touch of fragrance of their own, they can make the sticks unique, and can claim that they are hand made in Glastonbury.
DeleteI was actually wondering if HMS would sell their base sticks as blanks for others to dip.
DeleteI don't see why they wouldn't - they seem quite open to business ideas.
DeleteIt's the base sticks that contain the vanilla, so they would have that Pune character. I think most of when encountering Pune incense for the first time find that vanilla character very appealing. It's only have we have burned several of the sticks do we become a little weary of it. Overly sweet scents do have that effect. They are nice once in a while. Too much, and they gradually become off-putting. It's a curious experience. I think it's the body's reaction to sugar. We need some sugar for energy, so our body initially finds it attractive, but too much and it turns to harmful fat, so our body starts to reject it.