The history of the Pondicherry and Auroville cottage industries incense is that in 1949 Mirra Alfassa, The Mother, started making incense for the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India. The aim was for this to be a modest low cost product for their own use. Surplus was sold to visitors, and by 1973 was being exported. It is sold under the Cottage Industries brand name, though originally and for a while it was under the name of the ashram, Sri Aurobindo, and had a shop in Pondicherry. However, when it became a charity, it was not allowed to get directly involved in a commercial enterprise, so set up a separate trust, Sri Aurobindo Ashram Central Sales Organisation, to deal with incense and other sales through their online shop: Sacso-online.com.
Auroville is an experimental township near Pondicherry that was set up by Alfassa in 1968. When I first read about Auroville I was delighted, but the more I learn about it, the less I like it. I am uncomfortable that it is mostly Westerners who live there, organising or running small business, such as incense making, while it is the local Indians who do the work. While putting this page together I came upon this report by the BBC: Local concerns over Indian utopia, which appears to confirm my concerns: "there are at least 120 commercial enterprises operating here, making incense, clothes, silk paintings and so on. Under the rules, they can keep two-thirds of the profits and pay no tax. The locals think it is not fair. They are the ones who work full-time, and often for less than the Aurovillians get in maintenance grants. 'I feel like a slave,' one of them told me. 'Of course they do provide us with jobs,' he said, 'but it's very difficult for us local Tamils to become members.' 'It's like being back in the days of the British Raj', said another."
In addition to the original Cottage Industries, there are several organisations selling incense made by the Pondicherry/Auroville cottage industries. These organisations tend to sell the incense to Western visitors and online to Westerners. There is a remarkable similarity between the incenses made by the different organisations. The incenses tend to be pure and simple, without frills. They also tend to be dry and sombre, and sometimes a little harsh and peppery. In the Tamil Nadu region where Pondicherry and Auroville are based, the incense makers sometimes use the residue left over from distilling resins and spices as this is a cheap source of fragrance. Though when mixed with wood powder it can smell dry, harsh, and peppery. The locals are accustomed to it, and like it. I don't like it - I find it resembles dry brown dusty twigs. Each to their own.
Auroville is an experimental township near Pondicherry that was set up by Alfassa in 1968. When I first read about Auroville I was delighted, but the more I learn about it, the less I like it. I am uncomfortable that it is mostly Westerners who live there, organising or running small business, such as incense making, while it is the local Indians who do the work. While putting this page together I came upon this report by the BBC: Local concerns over Indian utopia, which appears to confirm my concerns: "there are at least 120 commercial enterprises operating here, making incense, clothes, silk paintings and so on. Under the rules, they can keep two-thirds of the profits and pay no tax. The locals think it is not fair. They are the ones who work full-time, and often for less than the Aurovillians get in maintenance grants. 'I feel like a slave,' one of them told me. 'Of course they do provide us with jobs,' he said, 'but it's very difficult for us local Tamils to become members.' 'It's like being back in the days of the British Raj', said another."
In addition to the original Cottage Industries, there are several organisations selling incense made by the Pondicherry/Auroville cottage industries. These organisations tend to sell the incense to Western visitors and online to Westerners. There is a remarkable similarity between the incenses made by the different organisations. The incenses tend to be pure and simple, without frills. They also tend to be dry and sombre, and sometimes a little harsh and peppery. In the Tamil Nadu region where Pondicherry and Auroville are based, the incense makers sometimes use the residue left over from distilling resins and spices as this is a cheap source of fragrance. Though when mixed with wood powder it can smell dry, harsh, and peppery. The locals are accustomed to it, and like it. I don't like it - I find it resembles dry brown dusty twigs. Each to their own.
Incense reviewed: 4
Highest score: 39
Lowest score: 32
Average: 33
***
Reviews: 11
Top score: 30
Top score: 30
Bottom score: 21
Average: 26
Average: 26
***
Reviews: 7
Highest: 33
Lowest: 10
Average: 24
***
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| Meadows |
Scents: 8
Top score: 27
Bottom score: 22
Average: 24
Bottom score: 22
Average: 24
***
Scents tried: 14
Highest: 28
Lowest: 17
Average: 23
Highest: 28
Lowest: 17
Average: 23
***
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