Radha is Krishna's lover, and the goddess of love. I've had a few incenses with her name, and they usually have a rose element. Pleasant fruity notes on the stick. Some florals. Some prickles. Quite a sharp volatility - touches of show conditioner. There is a general generic perfumed masala feel here, though the fruit, and then some leather, are attractive. After a while I pick up tobacco, woods - a soft blend of light sandalwood and cedar, some soft warm spice, gentle sweetness, light florals and subtle rose trickles through, along with some vanilla. There's a lot going on here - several different oils appear to have been used, and its a subtle, careful mix. I'm leaning toward this being a stick by Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS). I'm enjoying the fragrance on the stick!
The fragrance on the burn echoes that on the stick, but - as is common - warmer and softer. There's a rose tea scent - gentle wafts of sweet, almost heady rose backed by something dryer, darker, and a touch bitter or tannic. Other scents whisper around - hints of fudge, pencil shavings, with a compelling balance of gentle woods and light florals with a caramel mid-note. I like this.
I've looked back on my notes for Goloka Radharani (now called Pink Rose) and Bhagwan's Spring Blossom, and there are similarities. I feel that it is likely (more likely than not) that this is a Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS) stick - either the same or a variation of HMS Pink Rose - and it is the same or a variation on Goloka Pink Rose / Radharani, and Bhagwan Spring Blossom. I shall list it as a HMS incense until shown otherwise.
This ToI Radha is 20 sticks - approx 20g - for £14.00; Bhagwan Spring Blossom is 15g for €3.95; the Gokula Pink Rose 20g for £4.95; and HMS Pink Rose in India is 50g for ₹149 (£1.49).
Date: Jan 2025 Score: 37
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Steve, minor correction: TOI sells (most of their incenses) 20 STICKS per box, not grams.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I said that on one post, then made the comment that generally 1 stick = 1g. On this post I thought I would shortcut it. But, you're right, I should be more factual. After all, some sticks may weigh less than 1g, so folks may be getting less than 20g.
DeleteHMS stcks can be below 1g, others might be closer to 2g or even above.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I always try to give the stick count or price per stick for incense sold per wight.
On a side note: people will often ask for recommendations and if they state their budget, they often give no reverance...
That's kind of a small pet peeve of mine. A part of me wants to suggest them incense where a single gram or stick meets their budget. 😅
I think scents are so personal, that I shy away from recommendations. I prefer to say that incense is so cheap that its best to explore yourself.
DeleteA minor correction: Spring Blossom is not made by HMS, but thank you for mentioning us.
DeleteI'm also rather reluctant to give very concrete recommendations unless I feel like I have a relatively clear idea what they are looking for, and I always want to make sure to give some insight on why I recommend it.
DeleteRequests like those I referred to further up are rather broader ones. People who are relatively new to incense and trying to find a way to narrow down the overwhelming selection. They may ask for recommendations for a type of scent or broad genre, an incense style, reputable brands, believable all natural incense, incense available in a certain part of the world, stuff like that.
I won't give any recommendation on a post like "What's the best incense in the world?"
For me the best incense in the world tends to be the one I'm currently enraptured by. A few days ago it was Malaan Gaudhoop Swarna Champa. At the moment it is Balaji Red.
DeleteBalaji Red
DeleteI'm in love!
DeleteYeah, that's one of the reasons I find that question impossible to answer. The other reason is, that different people mean different things by that, and very little is an objective matter.
DeleteTotally agree. But people will still discuss the matter. I think as long as people are giving reasons or criteria, then it kinda works. In music, something like The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" is world's apart from something like Dylan's "Visions of Johanna" and that is world's apart from something like Yes's "Close To The Edge", but all three are wonderful and hugely influential for different reasons. Which would be the "best rock song"?
DeleteI am kinda more comfortable talking about best song, best album, best film, best novel, best writer, etc, because there are understood structures for talking about and listing these things, and even then it is accepted that such lists are ephemeral. But "best incense"? What are the criteria? And how can something so transient and personal be measured from person to person? It's like the wine world's Judgement of Paris , where when the reputation and name is removed, it all comes down to personal taste.