Incense in The Wind: 2025

Monday, 13 October 2025

Darshan incenses

I've looked back at incenses I've had with the Darshan name. With pretty much all of them I note a delicate floral character, supported by a pale sandalwood base. The exceptions are those which tend to be musky rather than floral, though I might have missed the floral notes. The general sense of "darshan" is like catching a glimpse of a god or someone sacred. And it seems that incense makers convey this through delicate floral (rose) notes above a soft, subtle sandalwood.

Reviews

Happy Hari/Cultures of Eden Darshan Flora (M)
June 2018 - Score: 42

Gokula Gopala Darshan Flora (M)
May 2013 - Score: 40

Vijayshree "Golden Nag" Darshan cones (P)
Sep 2024 - Score: 40=

SAC Atma Darshan Flora (PM)
April 2023 - Score 38=↑

Asoka Trading / Love in Life Bharath Darshan (P)
March 2017 Score: 37↑

Vijayshree "Golden Nag" Darshan (PM)
Jan 2025 - Score: 32

Rasbihari Lal Absolute Darshan (PM)
Jun 2025 - Score: 32

Vinasons (VNS) Darshan (P)
Oct 2025 - Score: 30

Koya's Bajrangi Darshan (M)
Jan 2022 - Score: 23

Reviews: 9
Top score: 42
Bottom score: 23
Average: 35

***

Ingredients

Vinasons (VNS) Darshan

Perfumed charcoal stick. Marked "Highly Perfumed" on the side of the box. There is a sweet floral scent on the stick, mainly rose - it's like a sugary Turkish delight. Quite fresh and charming.

The scent on the burn is quietly restrained, gently diffusing a soft smoky floral fragrance around the room. Over time I settle into it. I find it modest but appealing. I've looked back at other incenses I've had with the Darshan name. With pretty much all of them I note a delicate floral character, supported by a pale sandalwood base. The exceptions are those which tend to be musky rather than floral, though I might have missed the floral notes. The general sense of "darshan" is like catching a glimpse of a god or someone sacred. And it seems that incense makers convey this through delicate floral (rose) notes above a soft, subtle sandalwood. I think that has been modestly achieved here. I have grown to like this Darshan by Vinasons.

Darshan is available in 20g packs from VNS at 47 rupees (40p). (If you live outside India, to buy from VNS you need to contact Shreyas Sugandhi at vns@vnsons.com).

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 30

***

Vithaldas Narayandas & Sons
Vinasons

Darshan incenses

The Mother's India Fragrances Aditi

Fluffy and cute. Scent on the stick is sandalwood soap with some florals hovering on top. Attractive, though more reminiscent of clothes conditioner fragrance than traditional Indian incense. Gradually the sandalwood and warm lambs wool becomes more prominent, leaving the soapy aspect behind, though it still trails along in the distance like an abandoned dog.

The scent on the burn is a tad smoky - a bit like smouldering damp leaves. There's also odd off-notes like school glue and fried fish. As the stick has been burning I've looked for an image of the Aditi packet (my sticks are from a sample pack), and when I find an image I note the scent description on the packet says "Gentle lavender, purifying green sage, and earthy patchouli", none of which I've yet got. I check the sample pack, and the Aditi is clearly marked. So, unless the stick was misplaced in the sample pack, I have the right one. I find a different sample pack with some Aditi sticks, and try those. The scent on the stick is very similar, though more volatile and with salted caramel, vanilla, and, yes, a suggestion of patchouli (or am I finding a ghostly suggestion?). On the burn I am finding this stick more pleasant than the one from the other pack. But still no lavender. It is caramel and vanilla and sandalwood. I consult with Chrissie, who grew up with lavender in Provence. She smells it blind and says caramel - caramel tea, and I get that. I absolutely do. When I say that the main note is meant to be lavender, she doesn't reject it. She says that while it doesn't have notes of the flower, it does remind her of the leaves. I go into the garden and bring in some lavender leaves. They remind me of sage. And I'm not getting that from this stick either.

You know, I was happier just with the name, Aditi (a Vedic goddess), than with the description of this being lavender, sage, and patchouli. I'm now looking for those scents, even though I had decided a while back just to concentrate on the scents that emerge from each encounter, rather than trying to tease out what should be there, and may not be. Having said that, I'm now in the stage where I am getting sage notes, and perhaps an edge of lavender. But are those genuine fragrance encounters, or are they ghost suggestions? Whatever. Either way, I'm not thrilled by this Aditi. This stick from the second packet behaves much better than the fishy one from the first pack, and is quite acceptable, if a little spicy and prickly. But on the whole, not an incense that I get much pleasure from.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 25

***

The Mother's India Fragrances

Vrindavan Bazaar Vrindavan Flora

I'm not sure if the Flora of the name is intended to refer to the Flora style of incense based on Sri Sai Flora Fluxo, or if it refers to the Vrindavan Flowers incense fragrance based on the flowers that Krishna would have known when he lived in Vrindavan - such as Happy Hari Vrindavan Flowers and Gokula Vrindavan Flower. As this stick is no different to the others I've reviewed from Vrindavan Bazaar, and as this incense is made in (or around) the sacred city of Vrindavan (as it is likely so were the Happy Hari and Gokula sticks), I am inclined to think that the name is more likely to refer to the Vrindavan Flowers fragrance than the Flora style. Though it is possible that it refers to both - or neither!

The sticks are mechanically extruded charcoal paste lightly rolled in a pale brown melnoorva/masala powder. Pleasant sweet floral scent on the stick.

The scent on the burn is quite heavenly. Sweet, yes, perhaps a tad too much. It's a vanilla or benzoin focused sweetness. It could get sickly, but the delicate and charming florals prevent that. They hover on top, yet also weave in and around the sweetness. There's light, creamy wood - sandalwood. Not the dark, musky sandalwood, but a delicate white sandalwood. The florals have rose notes mostly. But light and delicate. This works for me. Perhaps a bit feminine for my taste. And perhaps a bit one-dimensional, in that the play is all around the florals and the sweetness, and there's not - for me - quite enough balancing darkness. I'd like there to be a naughty edge to this. However, with those quibbles, I still like it. Charming as fuck.

On looking at my reviews for the Happy Hari and Goloka Vrindavan Flower(s), I note I mention flowers, vanilla, and sandalwood in both (I suspect they came from the same source - probably around the same time), so there is an affinity with this Vrindavan Flora. I suspect they are all approaching the Vrindavan Flower fragrance from the same ideas - and it does make sense to conjure up the notion of this legendary flowers with a mix of light florals, vanilla, and light sandalwood. But, as with a fragrance such as Nag Champa, how each maker blends the scents to get to the final fragrance will be unique. This blend works for me. And I have no problem at all with the paste being extruded - which, apparently, can be an issue for some incense makers to adjust their paste ingredients to match the requirements of being extruded rather than hand-rolled (they probably need to go look at how dhoop is made).

Available at $1.40 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 43

***

Vrindavan Bazaar

Sunday, 12 October 2025

Ranga Rao (Cycle) Vasu Spirituality Hanuman

Hanuman is a Hindu god described on the packet as "The strength of prosperity". As with the others in this "Spirituality" set, the sticks are hand rolled charcoal paste lightly covered with a pale melnoorva/masala powder which has the scent of benzoin - a cool, slightly mineral vanilla.

When I picked up this set, I thought it would be a quick, fun romp through some brightly perfumed-charcoal sticks with clearly defined (or at least distinct) scents. Bish, bash, bosh, then pop the packs either in the outhouse, or kitchen, or hallway, to serve as bright room fresheners. But despite the packs being hexagonal (which usually signifies an everyday perfumed-charcoal incense), the sticks have a coating of melnoorva/masala powder, which generally indicates a bit more time and money has been spent on the sticks, which may include giving a bit more thought to the fragrance structure. Which generally means for me a bit more time spent on evaluating the incense. Added to which, it turns out that these sticks have a noticeable dose of benzoin, such that they are very unified, and superficially all smell the same. But there are differences. Not always obvious at first, but they are there. Though I'm not getting much from this one. Floral, mineral, sweet, caramel, vanilla. Ho hum. Same as the others, really.

On the burn there's some musk and amber and a piddle of patchouli. It's an old fashioned accord, with a good balance between the sweet and the woody. The scent is a little restrained, though does manage to delicately inform the room after a while. I like it. It has a sort of Seventies hippy vibe with those soft patchouli notes. Would I get it again? I'm enjoying it, and will use it in the house as a sweet and gentle room fragrance, and as a soft and subtle atmosphere creator. It is relaxing, seductive, and assured. Yeah. Nice. It grows on me.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 31

***

Ranga Rao (Cycle Brand )

Ranga Rao (Cycle) Vasu Spirituality Shivaya

Shivaya is described on the packet as the "deity for auspiciousness and re-establishment". As with the others in this "Spirituality" set, the sticks are hand rolled charcoal paste lightly covered with a pale melnoorva/masala powder which has the scent of benzoin. This has a cooler volatility than the others, and a fresher, lighter fragrance - a delicate, playful floral, like fresh daisies on the lawn. And a touch of caramel in the distance. It's quite attractive, quite feminine.

The scent on the burn is a light, delicate floral - touching on lotus, sweetened with vanilla notes. It's quite gentle and charming. I'm quite happy to burn this as a room sweetener.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 28

***

Ranga Rao (Cycle Brand )

Ranga Rao (Cycle) Vasu Spirituality Maa Durga

This Spirituality set by Ranga Rao (Cycle), using their Vasu brand name, has the theme of Hindu gods - rather similar to Sree Vani's Little Gods set (similar in theme, though not in quality). Durga is the main representation of Mahadevi, the supreme goddess. She is usually portrayed as the protector or warrior goddess with several arms, each holding a weapon, and riding on a lion.

This Durga stick looks and smells remarkably like the Ganesha stick I've just reviewed. There is a distinct sambrani fragrance, which is based on benzoin, and that was my take on the Ganesha. Alok Pandey of incense house Malaan, remarked that in his experience all Cycle incense used benzoin. I hadn't noticed that myself - perhaps because most of my experience has been with the perfumed charcoal sticks; however, I've opened all the other packs in this set, and they all look the same and smell the same; and - yes - they all smell of sambrani, which uses benzoin. But where the Ganesha was jasmine and sambrani, this stick is sulphur and fruit with sambrani.

The scent on the burn is a little bit like an autumnal bonfire, though more fragrant with those benzoin notes. It's moderately attractive, but it doesn't turn me on.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 26

***

Ranga Rao (Cycle Brand )

Friday, 10 October 2025

Ranga Rao (Cycle) Vasu Spirituality Sri Ganesha

Three or four years ago a reader suggested I review Vasu, so I ordered a couple of packs online, but the dealer had run out, and instead of informing me, substituted them for a couple of Satya. Traders, please, communication is key. Get in touch and say you have run out, and make some suggestions. Don't send people stuff they haven't ordered. Anyway, this pack turned up recently. Can't recall where it came from. But now's my opportunity to fulfil the reader's suggestion.

My expectation from the hex boxes and the cellophane packet holding the six different fragrances was that these Vasu sticks would be simple, but bright, perfumed-charcoal room fresheners. But on opening the first pack I note that they have a melnoorva/masala powder coating - and the small sub-title under the fragrance name says "Natural MASALA Incense". I also notice for the first time that Vasu is one of Ranga Rao's brands. Ranga Rao's main brand is Cycle, and I note that they tend to use the Cycle band logo on a number of their brands, such as this one, as a "symbol of quality".

There is a pleasant perfume on the stick. Salted caramel / amber and jasmine - an odd mix, but it somehow works. It's not a profound scent, but it is attractive. The perfume is reasonably heady, quite Indian, and projects gently but firmly in the room.

Scent on the burn is a little smoky, but has much of the elements of the scent on the stick, though now I feel it is closer to benzoin than either amber or jasmine. There's a neutral mineral element combined with some sweet vanilla. Though perhaps it leans more toward sambrani than benzoin. Yeah, it's an OK scent. I'm quite happy to burn the rest of the pack as a room freshener, though I'm perhaps unlikely to want to buy it again.

Ganesha is one of the most popular and well known Hindu gods - usually depicted with an elephant head and four arms, he is, as it says on the box, the "deity of good luck and remover of obstacles".

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 28

***

Ranga Rao (Cycle Brand )

Thursday, 9 October 2025

Vrindavan Bazaar Night Queen

I've just reviewed Bhaktivedanta Manor /Sacred Boutique Night Queen, which I found very desirable. Bhaktivedanta Manor sources from Vrindavan, the sacred city in northern India, which is where this Night Queen comes from. From my experiences with incense sourced from Vrindavan, I wasn't expecting the incense to be the same - it appears there are a number of small enterprises going on in and around Vrindavan, with little organisation as regards who makes what fragrance, so there is some variation. However, I thought the two Night Queens would be closer than what they are.

This is a hand rolled charcoal paste on a machine cut bamboo splint which has been coloured green on the tip. The paste has a thin covering of brown melnoorva/masala powder. There is a fresh though soft pine disinfectant volatility which eases back after a while to reveal a room freshener floral bouquet touched with woods, mainly sandalwood. It is pleasant.

The scent on the burn is soft and attractive though perhaps lacks a bit of character. It's an acceptable and familiar floral incense with fine-toothed waxy white jasmine, a sprinkling of rose, and some sandalwood. Florals and sandalwood are a familiar and acceptable partnership, and they work well together here. There's nothing here to excite the interest, but then that's sometimes what is needed.

Available at $1.40 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 33

***

Vrindavan Bazaar

Night Queen

Wednesday, 8 October 2025

Night Queen

Night Queen is a incense name I have encountered a few times, and hadn't really paid much attention to it. I looked it up once, considered if it was a variation of Parijatha - the night-blooming jasmine, and ended up concluding it was probably based on the scent of the night flowering cactus known as Queen of the Night. I've looked again, a little more closely this time, and I now suspect it is a different night-scented jasmine - Lady of the Night; known in India as Raat ki Raani or "Night Queen". I land on that conclusion due to the Ittar Store website post, which says: "Night Queen fragrance typically includes notes of Night Queen, jasmine, ylang-ylang, and other floral notes such as rose and lily, as well as a hint of musk or vanilla for a deeper, more sensual aroma", which seems a fair summary of the incense scents I have encountered with the Night Queen name.

Reviews

Bhaktivedanta Manor /
Sacred Boutique Night Queen (P)
Oct 2025 - Score: 47

Vrindavan Bazaar Night Queen (PM)
Oct 2025 - Score: 33

Goloka Blessings Incense Courage
(Night Queen & Sandalwood) (P)
Jan 2019 - Score: 28

Gokula Gaura Super Night Queen (M)

Nov 2021 - Score: 27

Tulasi Night Queen (P)
April 2019 - Score: 20↓↑*

Jaycia Passion Night Queen (P)
Jun 2013 - Score: 20

Reviews: 6
Top score: 47
Bottom score: 20
Average: 28

***

Best Scents

Bhaktivedanta Manor / Sacred Boutique Night Queen

Sold via the UK Krishna temple, Bhaktivedanta Manor (which was bought by George Harrison for the UK branch of the international Krishna movement), via their online site Sacred Boutique/KrishnaShopping.com. Sacred Boutique say they import from the sacred city of Vrindavan (incense from which is also sold by Vrindavan Bazaar, Gokula, Sai Handicrafts, and others). The packet says "Charcoal Free", though the paste crumbles in my fingers, and leaves dark marks similar to charcoal. There are no smouldering paper smells when the stick is burned, which I tend to get from incense which uses wood powder. I would have thought this was a standard charcoal paste stick. Anyway....

This stick is, as indicated above, a perfume-dipped charcoal. I have noted that some incenses from Vrindavan are masala, some are perfumed masala, some are perfume-dipped charcoal, some are hand-rolled, and some are machine-extruded, so it is clear that there are variety of artisan enterprises in and around Vrindavan supplying the various traders. The scent on the stick is quite volatile, and it takes a little moment for the fumes to settle down to be approached as a fragrance rather than an assault of pine disinfectant. And it is worth the wait, for the fragrance is fascinating. It is dark, mysterious, sultry, floral, musky, seductively female, and conjures up images (as least for me, your mileage may vary) of an Arabian belly dancer. There's mint, patchouli, banana, jasmine, leather, shoe polish, coal dust, faint cat piss, and damp straw. It is utterly extraordinary and compelling.

The scent on the burn builds on the scent on the stick, though is softer and more fragrant with touches of vanilla and Parma Violets. Oooh, it's a gorgeous fragrance. I love this. And it's only £2.95 for 20g from Sacred Boutique. Lovely stuff. Perfumed-charcoal, eh? Who knew that it could be so beautiful?

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 47

***

Sacred Boutique

Night Queen

Tuesday, 7 October 2025

Oriental Zara

All of the Oriental masala sticks I've reviewed have had an immediate perfume hit when taken out of the packet. The paste is always hard and dry, yet the scents have been wet and volatile, reminiscent of flora/fluxo incense, such as the original Sai Flora Fluxo. And like Sai Flora Fluxo there is something appealing about the heady intensity of the aroma on the stick, but there is a limit to that appeal. And that is certainly the case here. These sticks should come with an aroma warning: "Caution - This Aroma May Be Very Volatile. Inhale With Care." I am so hit with the volatility of this fragrance that I'm not able to get close to what the scents are.

The scent on the burn is medicinal, floral, slightly dirty, mineral, somewhat familiar and everyday, yet curiously interesting. There's some benzoin, jasmine, hint of sandalwood, and something clean and soapy. On the whole I'm just not getting this incense. We're not on the same wavelength, but I think I might get there eventually. My question is, do I want to spend more time with this incense trying to get there? And I think the answer is no.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 24

***

Oriental

Oriental Indus

An immediate moment of "ooh! lovely scent" from the fragrance on the stick. Candy sweet, jammy, woody, intensely floral - like a full blooming damask rose. I'm not a fan of rose scents in incense - it's not a scent I tend to voluntarily select when buying incense. Though I have totally fallen in love with various rose incenses like Happy Hari's Queen of Roses, and Georg Huber's Weihrauch Rose, the bulk of them I don't have much time for. They tend to follow the same line, and deliver the same thing. An obvious and heavy and somewhat overbearing floral scent that, natural or not, tends to smell artificial. It's a personal thing - if you like rose incense, fine. Each to their own. There is no official standard in scent appreciation.

Sold by Scenting Secrets for Rs 150

That moment of instant appeal doesn't last long - there's a point at which satiation kicks in, and I've had enough of the scent on the stick. On the burn the scent is predominantly rose. The further away the better - the scent gets lighter and more floral. In the same room it is quite heavy, and there are some unattractive scorched notes, which at times is like burning hair.

Date: Oct 2025 Score: 25

***

Oriental

Best rose incense

Oriental Agarbatti Co.

Oriental is the incense house founded by Attar Syed Rahman Hussain / Attar Khasim Saheb, the businessman, along with Mr. T. L. Upadycya, who created the bamboo-core agarbatti. So a fairly significant figure in incense culture. By using a bamboo splint it became quicker and easier to make incense sticks. Dhoop, which was the previous main style of Indian incense stick, has a slower production process because it needs to be extruded rather than rolled. Oriental appear to be refurbishing themselves - the samples I have are titled as by New Oriental Agarbatti Co., and the website is currently (Oct 2025) "under maintenance". But this "new" company was founded in 1890 and is the oldest incense house in the world to make agarbatti.

I had a perfume-dipped incense by Oriental a few years ago, and I graded it as the worse incense I have ever had (it now shares that honour with some backflow cones from China). But this "new" Oriental, at least the perfumed-masala sticks, produces appealing incense. A little mainstream, and a little heavy on the perfume rather than the natural and complementary aspects of an incense, but decent enough, especially for everyday room freshening and modest atmosphere/mood creation.

Reviews