Vrindavan Bazaar Tulsi

 

It is possible that this is the same stick sold by Gokula as Gokula Connoisseur Tulsi Vrinda. but is also possible that it is not. I certainly am enjoying this a little more than I enjoyed the Gokula, and that could be for a number of reasons - these sticks are fresher, I'm reviewing them in the summer rather than the winter, I'm in more receptive or happier mood, there is a batch variation, or they are made to a different recipe in a different part of the country. Whatever, they are part of the bigger picture of Indian incense being made in an artisan manner, and then rolled out in humble homes by hard working women. It's a complex picture, part romantic, and part concerning. But at the end of the story we come to the burning of the incense. This incense isn't developed for Western homes, it is cheap as chips (cheaper actually) incense made for Indian people living in or visiting the holy city of Vrindavan in the north east of India. Yes, it's a little smoky and simple, but it is also earthy and vibrant. The scent on the stick is fresh, sweet, green, herbaceous, with a touch of wood. The burn scent is not as attractive, but that is quite common and acceptable.  Yes, this is nice, simple, basic, everyday Indian masala incense. 

Available at £1.02 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates. 

Date: June 2025   Score: 33

***

   

Vrindavan Bazaar

Tulsi / Basil

Tulsi / Basil

 

Tulsi or tulasi is the Indian name for Holy Basil, which is commonly used in India for religious and therapeutic purposes. Basil has a long folk tradition in many cultures around the world, with a variety of therapeutic or magical uses (this product claims that cancer patients should use it - and according to science that may be helpful). Basil has a fresh, green, alive, slightly sweet aroma with herbaceous and minty notes. There may be some hints of clove, anise or licorice, and a suggestion of pepper. 

Reviews

   

Goloka Nature's Basil (M)
April 2023 - Score: 40== 

  

Goloka Sri Tulsi (Organica /Natural Series)

Jun 2025 - Score: 34↓ 

Vrindavan Bazaar Tulsi (PM)
Jun 2025 - Score: 33

Radha Madhav Tulsi / Vrinda Chandan (M)
Nov 2021 - Score: 31 

  

Gokula Connoisseur Tulsi Vrinda (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 30 

 

Phool Luxury Incense Sticks - Tulsi (PM)
July 2024 - Score: 25 

The Great Indian Caravan
Namaste Neroli & Basil Cones (P)
April 2021 - Score: 19

   

Reviews: 7

Top score: 40 
Bottom score: 19 
Average: 30

Conclusions: 

***

Different Scents

Vrindavan Bazaar Agarwood

 

This is called Agarwood, but I'm not expecting there to be much agarwood character here. Quality agarwood is very expensive, and this is a very cheap incense. The fragrance blender would have aimed for something that has the qualities of agarwood - which is woody, warm, sweet, smoky, resinous, spicy. It is common in incense to use a synthetic like Black Agar Givco, and/or a blend of wood oils (natural and/or synthetic) like sandalwood, cedar, with perhaps some patchouli and/or vetivert. 

The scent on the stick is woody, fresh, green tea, some sweetness, but not sugary - a little sharpness, some damp earth and leather, a suggestion of halmaddi. It is pleasant and engaging. It is a fairly typical decent quality Indian woody-incense scent.  The scent on the burn is warm, mild, a little smoky, some vanillin, quite engaging and pleasant, though without depth or character. It is a relaxing scent. It is a "nice" scent. There's not a lot going on here. It is just what it is. A pleasant, everyday, woody-masala incense. Incredible value for money. I'm happy to get in large supplies of this sort of incense at this sort of price. You can't go wrong really.   

Available at £1.02 for 20gm from Vrindavan Bazaar. They ship internationally at reasonable rates. 

Date: June 2025   Score: 37

***

   

Vrindavan Bazaar

Agarwood incense

Vrindavan Bazaar Swami

 

Sweet and fruity aroma on the stick. Kinda like cherry. But a cough sweet kind of cherry. Along with dog poo and shoe polish and Sellotape and wood. Fascinating and compelling fragrance that keeps me going back for more. It's interesting how fragrances are more compelling when they combine the pleasant and the unpleasant. Sweet and sour. Yin and yang. Malty and bitter. It works. 

Warm and seductive wood based aroma on the burn.  Honey edges. Floral notes. Overall a little bit blurry. Attractive blend of sweet and wood. It's a pleasant scent, but there's not much composition or focus to the scent.  I like it, and would buy it again, but find I have little to say about it, either good or bad. The scent on the burn does not have the compelling contrasts of the scent on the stick. But it is very pleasant, and the more I am with it, the more I like it. Yes. It has really grown on me. I suspect when I come to review this again I will like it even more. 

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

Date: June 2025   Score: 37

***

   

Vrindavan Bazaar

Thurga's Sunrayn Alayamani

Alayamani means "temple bell", and the packet is decorated with several such bells. I should imagine that the intention would to be create a bright, loud, and celebratory scent to signify the ringing of a temple bell, and it certainly does that. The scent is perfumed, floral, bright, joyous, and warm. A little sugary sweet. I would like some balancing interest, but that is not to be. So be it. Sweet, perfumed, bright, floral. It does what it does, and it's fine. I like it. 

Date: June 2025   Score:  30 

***

Thurga's (Sunrayn) Incense

Goloka Sandalwood (Organica / Natural Series)

 

The Organica / Natural series has been around since at least 2018 with six Indian focused fragrances (Davanam, Astagandha, Frangipani, Kastoori, Sandalwood, and Sri Tulasi), though appears to have been joined at some point with four additional scents with a Native American focus (Palo Santo, White Sage, Lavender & White Sage, and Sandalwood & White Sage). They are distributed in the US by Om Imports, and in the UK by Puckator. Sold in the UK at around £1.50 per 15gm pack, and in the US at $2.00 per pack. The Organica name appears to have been replaced at some point with Natural, so while retail outlets still refer to them as Organica, it appears that Goloka want them to be known as Natural. I have noted other Indian incense companies moving away from using the term "organic" for incense exported  to the West - this may be due to legal pressure to have companies pay for certification in order to label products as organic. 

I like sandalwood incense. Well, I like oil based sandalwood incense - less keen on the wood based sandalwood incense which is favoured in Asian countries. I'm cool with man made sandalwood oil, as it is the scent that I'm most interested in, and it is difficult for most people to detect when a synthetic has been used. The price may give it away. As well as the scent being  rounded, and perhaps quite heady as the lower cost allows for generosity in use. Indeed, I suspect most Indian sandalwood incense utilises synthetic sandalwood oil. It works. It's low cost. It doesn't harm the planet. Trees should be for hugging not for chopping down for our pleasure. 

The scent on the stick has sandalwood, a little soapy (possibly due to an aldehyde in the fragrance mix, placed there to make the sandalwood warmer and richer), as well as a glorious meld of herby, dusty, curiously natural feeling scents. This reminds me of the Astagandha and the Sri Tulasi in terms of herbs and the yinyang balance of synthetics and natural. I'm not suggesting that there is a balance of natural and synthetic fragrance ingredients here, just that is how the accord presents itself to me. It's a compelling and satisfying accord that keeps on giving. 

The scent on the burn is centred on sandalwood, though it's a little dry and peppery prickly for my taste - a little too woody, and not enough of the sexy oil.  It's an attractive fragrance, just that it doesn't rock my boat the way that some sandalwood can and does. Just a tad too dry and serious for my pleasure (your pleasure may vary). 

Date: June 2025    Score: 30

***

Goloka

Sandalwood

Reviewed in Germany

Goloka Astagandha (Organica / Natural Series)

 

The Organica series has been around since at least 2018 with six Indian focused fragrances (Davanam, Astagandha, Frangipani, Kastoori, Sandalwood, and Sri Tulasi), though appears to have been joined at some point with four additional scents with a Native American focus (Palo Santo, White Sage, Lavender & White Sage, and Sandalwood & White Sage). They are distributed in the US by Om Imports, and in the UK by Puckator. Sold in the UK at around £1.50 per 15gm pack, and in the US at $2.00 per pack. The Organica name appears to have been replaced at some point with Natural, presumably due to the costs involved in using the "organic" term in the West. 

Astagandha is a blend of eight fragrant ingredients which typically include saffron and sandalwood.  The paste on the stick is roughly rolled and uneven. There is a curious fragrance on the stick. A rough men's hair oil scent alongside more natural and intriguing and not necessarily commercially appealing aromas. Summer dust with hints of farmyard. Clay and flowers. Gosh - fascinating. This is not an accord that will likely have a wide appeal, but I find it compelling and rewarding. I like scents that are a little different, and perhaps a little challenging, but especially, as here, also somewhat attractive and desirable. I do find, personally - your mileage may vary, that scents which combine the harmonious with the challenging are the most interesting and satisfying.  Fragrance accords that combine the principle of yin and yang (contrasting elements that together form a positive energy in which the whole is greater than the parts) are much more delightful than scents which are weighted too much on the sweet or the savoury - such scents tend to pall after a while and become boring or satiating. While a yin and yang scent will continue to fascinate. 

The scent on the burn is floral, earthy, mildly bitter, dry, herby (in the sense of dry herbs rather than fresh), with suggestions of saffron. It's a compelling and fascinating scent, though doesn't quite carry the promise of the stick, and is a little hazy or muddled. I walked around the house smudging each of the rooms, and found it opened up more in the larger rooms which had more fresh air coming from larger open windows. This is a fascinating and delightful incense which I love, though that love is tempered by the sense of disappointment that the burn fell short of the promise of the scent on the stick.  This could have scored so much higher. 

Date: June 2025    Score: 40

***

Goloka

Reviewed in Germany

Goloka Frangipani (Organica / Natural Series)

 

The Organica series launched in the West with five Indian focused fragrances (Davanam, Astagandha, Frangipani, Kastoori, and Sri Tulasi), then was updated with four additional scents with a Native American focus (Palo Santo, White Sage, Lavender & White Sage, and Sandalwood & White Sage). They are distributed in the US by Om Imports, and in the UK by Puckator. Sold at around £1.50 per 15gm pack.

Frangipani (also known as Plumeria) is a waxy, fragrant flower, akin to jasmine and gardenia, with fruity notes. It is generally the scent used if an incense is called Champa. Because of the Champa name, it gets conflated with Nag Champa, though Nag Champa generally uses Magnolia champaca - however, this is a general usage, and Nag Champas may use frangipani and/or other related floral scents according to the whim of the maker. 

The scent on the stick is perfumed, heady, floral, with a woody base. It is slightly sweeter - touches of vanillin, than the Davanam, though is in the same general area of a Bangalore made Nah Champa. The scent on the burn is warm and familiar. In general if you like Nag Champa then you're likely to enjoy this. I like it. A solid, well made classic Indian blend of sandalwood and floral. Where I'm not excited is that I've come upon this fragrance blend so often now under different names and brands and minor variations, that it can feel a little too bland  and safe and almost boring. However, to be fair, it is a classic fragrance, and it is well made here. It doesn't excite me, and it doesn't soar high, but it is delightful. 

Available at £1.45 for 15gm from Powells Aromatherapy, or  $2.00 for 15gm from Exotic Incense.

Date: June 2025    Score: 37

***

Goloka

Best of Champa

Reviewed in Germany

Goloka Davanam (Organica / Natural Series)

 

This Organica series has been around since at least 2018 with six Indian focused fragrances (Davanam, Astagandha, Frangipani, Kastoori, Sandalwood, and Sri Tulasi), though appears to have been joined at some point with four additional scents with a Native American focus (Palo Santo, White Sage, Lavender & White Sage, and Sandalwood & White Sage). They are distributed in the US by Om Imports, and in the UK by Puckator. Sold in the UK at around £1.50 per 15gm pack, and in the US at $2.00 per pack. The Organica name appears to have been replaced at some point with Natural, so while outlets still refer to them as Organica, it appears that Goloka want them to be known as Natural. I have noted other Indian incense companies moving away from using the term "organic" for incense exported  to the West - this may be due to legal pressure to have companies pay for certification in order to label products as organic. Most products in India would be naturally organic, but the farmers couldn't afford to pay for certification. 

These are classic Bangalore sticks - hand-rolled perfumed masala with a heady fragrance on the stick. The fragrance is traditional (or nostalgic, depending on your age) - warm, woody, perfumed, slightly sweet, mildly exotic, gently floral. It's an attractive scent - quite compelling. The classic Indian balance of sandalwood and floral. It's a variation on the popular and successful theme of Nag Champa. 

The scent on the burn is attractive, following the same Nag Champa theme of sandalwood and floral, though also touched with some sweet citric. It perhaps burns a tad hot for comfort, but it does diffuse gently and pleasantly around the room. The floral element is a little playful, and morphs through various colours and tones of rose and begonia and gardenia into jasmine. Just a tad too floral for my taste, but the soft playfulness is enjoyable, and I like the heady but not aggressive blossom. 

Date: June 2025    Score: 35

***

Goloka

Sai Handicrafts Lavender

 

Pretty appearance and pretty fragrance on the stick. A blend of floral, herb, lavender, and vanillin, with some wet leather and straw. Attractive and inviting, though the sweetness is a mite too sugary and obvious, which is a slight distraction. 

The fragrance on the burn echoes that on the stick, though somewhat sweeter and more perfumed. Because of the vanillin it reminds me of HMS in Pune, though DBS, also of Pune, use vanillin as well, and incense from Vrindavan sometimes uses vanillin. Indeed, I thought for a while that incense sold in Vrindavan by shops such as Vrindavan Bazaar, Hare Krishna Das, and Rasbihari Lal & Sons, were made by HMS - though logically it would make more sense for those shops to sell incense made locally, rather than bring in incense by lorry from a maker over 24 hours drive away. Also, the Lavender incense made by HMS, such as Ab Lavender sold by Sacred Boutiques,  Lavender sold by Blue Pearl, and Lavender Bliss sold by Bhagwan, look and smell different.  

I quite like this (indeed, I was going to send two samples to Vid of Ratnagandh, but I'm now only going to send them one as I'm burning this quite a bit). The sticks are somewhat variable, with some being darker and muskier than others (I like the darker and muskier ones more), and the sweetness becomes less obvious on subsequent burnings. On the whole, an attractive, albeit slightly modest, incense. Not bold on the named scent, though in the same ball park. Yeah, these are OK.  Available from Sai Handicrafts at approx 15g for £2.00. 

Date: June 2025    Score: 30

***

Sai Handicrafts

Best of Lavender

Sai Handicrafts Rose

 

These sticks look pretty, and they have a pleasant powdery sweet floral scent on the stick, leaning toward Turkish delight, though with some fresh, rain splashed rhododendrons in there. Gentle, mildly intriguing, though a tad too perfumed for my taste. I've enjoyed some rose incenses, though on the whole it's not a scent I like to cuddle up to. 

It's a smidge smoky on the burn, as well as being somewhat vague, so the mind tends to focus on the blurry smell of grey smoke. Aside from the smoke there's a slight acidic sharpness, and a sense of floral, more jasmine than rose. On the whole, while mildly pleasant, this is not my huckleberry. 

Best burned while listening to "Moon River" sung by Audrey Hepburn. Available from Sai Handicrafts at approx 15g for £2.00. 

Date: June 2025    Score: 28

***

Sai Handicrafts

Best rose incense

Stamford Patchouli

 

Sample stick of perfumed-charcoal incense from Stamford London who have carried on the Stamford name and incense from the now closed Aargee.  I did review this Patchouli back in 2015 as part of the Stamford Exotic Collection, and wasn't impressed: "There is a hint of patchouli on the stick - also sandalwood, lemon, and polish. There is a mild and modest perfume on burning, with hints of rose petal, strawberry jam, and lawn grass. It's OK, but doesn't really make an impression." 

I largely agree with that review. I like patchouli and am usually inclined to like even the simplest or crudest patchouli incense, but this one isn't impressive.  

Date: June 2025   Score: 20

***

Patchouli

Stamford London

Prasad Incense

  

Prasad Incense is the brand name of incense sold by American gifts and incense shop Prasad Gifts. The incense is made by HMS (Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi of Pune), a much used and fairly distinctive white label incense house who make incense for a number of own brand outlets in India and the West, such as Gokula,  Berk, and Pure, as well as selling incense under their own name (though not easily available in the West). 

Reviews

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Patchouli (PM)
Apr 2025 - Score: 35

   

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Golden Champa (PM)
May 2025 - Score: 30 

  

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Midnight Rose (PM)
May 2025 - Score: 30

  

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Frankincense (PM)

May 2025 - Score: 28

 

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Sandalwood (PM)
Apr 2025 - Score: 28 

   

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Amber (PM)
Apr 2025 - Score: 26 

  

(HMS) Prasad Celestial Musk (PM)
Apr 2025 - Score: 26

   

Reviews: 7
Top Score: 35
Bottom score: 26
Average: 29

Conclusion: These are pleasant enough everyday incenses. Though, as they are made by HMS whose sticks are sold by so many own brand traders, I have little interest in exploring further. I would much rather get HMS incense in HMS branded boxes so I know exactly what it is I am getting. 

***

Own Brand Traders

Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi