Incense in The Wind: March 2026

Sunday, 22 March 2026

Om Sai Om Brand Red Wood

This luxury box of very attractive cedar spicy Red Wood got soaked in storage. Absolutely soaked. I don't know how, but it wasn't damp, it was dripping water when I picked it up. I dried out the sticks by putting them in the window in the sunshine, and they are ripe with flavour. Seems no harm was done. I've burned a few sticks around the house and find them very tasty.

Hand-rolled charcoal paste on a purple coloured bamboo splint. The paste has been covered with a fluffy orange-red melnoorva/masala powder. The cold throw scent is ripe with spicy sweet oriental or amber warmth - there's some powerful almost icy volatiles with some awareness of aldehydes. This is a beautifully perfumed incense, that is mainly focused on the attars used rather than on anything resinous or plant like. I find the scent quite compelling and addictive and very smooth. Quite Arabian.

The hot throw scent on the burn mirrors the joys of the cold throw scent on the stick, but softer and deeper, and more beautiful. This is honeyed amber with gentle woody spice, a blend of red fresh spiky cedar and soft creamy nutty beech. The more it burns, the more the wood comes through, and the amber blanket eases away, though remains in touch. There's chocolate and jasmine in the mix. I love this.

Available direct from Om Sai at 100 Rupees for 50g (in India only), or from Aavyaa for same price, who will ship internationally if you contact Vishesh on WhatsApp (+91-9710009184) with your order and address.

Date: March 2026 Score: 45/50

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Om Sai (Om Brand) Agarbatti

India luxury box incense

Saturday, 21 March 2026

Vedic Vaani Royal Javadhu

Royal Javadhu is a traditional South Indian divine body perfume using a soft, creamy sandalwood-powder base with delicate florals and fresh herbs. There are a number of javadhu incenses (such as sold by Rajpal, Giri, and Mangaldeep) though as it's a little known perfume outside India, it's not often seen in Western stores. I had one earlier this year, Jaygee's Javadhu, and loved it.

Vedic Vaani is a modern online distribution unit based in Mumbai, which sells puja items including own-brand incense. I've been mildly curious about them for a little while; though its dubious reputation, own-brand philosophy, and bulk buying prices, put me off. So I was pleased when Brief Chemistry sent me some from a bundle he bought last year (2025).

This is a fat, hand rolled stick made from a very firm charcoal paste, and coated with a fine melnoorva/masala powder. The cold throw scent on the stick is quite pungent. This is initially repugnant. The polar opposite of the experience I had with Jaygee's Javadhu. This arouses my interest. Icy aldehydes compete with something very barnyard and feral. The olfactory experience is an almost vomit heaving spin of the bizarre and fascinating juxtaposition of sweet chemical perfumes sparkling in the writhing heart of the manure. Aged wood and leather, kinda oudh based, and then glimpses of florals. It's compelling and fascinating, though not exactly pleasant. It smells like something has gone wrong. It certainly does not smell like Javadhu. The main floral note starts to emerge as rose, and there's sweet powdery sherbet, and the rotting mass that is the base feels more identifiable as something close to oudh.

It is more acceptable when burned, though still not initially delightful. It is softer than expected with none of the pungency displayed on the stick. The accord is not clear. Woody notes, yes, a little blurry and a tad scorched. But gradually the florals settle - sweet, sherbetty, somewhat fruity - soft berry fruit, somewhere between strawberry and raspberry. There is much to like in this when the burn settles. It's at its best, I feel, in the after-burn. It leaves an attractive fragrance in room - something I also found with Jaygee's Javadhu.

A fascinating, compelling, sometimes quite challenging incense that develops and finishes very attractively. It's one that I feel needs several separate studies to really get to know it.

Available from Vedic Vaani at 100gm for £12.75 plus shipping (at least £25). Also available from USA based eBay seller Everest Trader at around $7 per 20gms plus shipping.

Date: March 2026 Score: 35

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Vedic Vaani Tambulam Paan

Vedic Vanni is a modern online distribution unit set up in 2013 by two businessmen, Ashish Gandhi and Mayank Goyal. They sell a full range of puja items, including incense, which they sell under their own brand name. The incense blog ORS came across the website in 2022, bought some of the sticks, and enjoyed them.

They are occasionally talked about on Reddit with a wide spread of opinions, but a constant that - like buying from some of the Vrindavan traders - the quality is variable and inconsistent, and what is in the box may not be what it says on the outside. I've been mildly curious about them, but when looking at their shop and prices, and knowing that they were inconsistent and rebranded from unknown incense makers, I wasn't interested in buying 100gms worth of unknown (and apparently fairly random) monoscent incense for £30 including shipping, when for the same price including shipping I could get 20x20gm packs of different incenses from Vrindavan Bazaar.

Regular readers of this blog will know that while I may really enjoy some incenses from rebranders such as Happy Hari, Gokula, and Sai Handicrafts, I am mainly interested in incense (good or bad) from the authentic brand. (Even though matters may be confused these days with a number of traditional Indian brands, such as BIC and (apparently) Goloka, sourcing out of house, and a number of new brands coming along, such as Mangaldeep and (apparently) Calmveda, who from the outset have been outsourcing their incense, there is still a sense that with an authentic brand I am buying a unique product not something off the shelf or "tweaked".)

Anyway. Yes. Curious about this Vedic Vaani brand, but when looking at the reality wasn't curious enough to spend proper money on large amounts of dubious incense. But Brief Chemistry from Reddit has been generous enough to send me a bunch from a haul he got at the end of last year (2025). And this Tambulam Paan is the first of the bunch I'm looking at.

Tambulam Paan refers to betel leaf. The two words, Tambulam and Paan, appear to mean roughly the same thing - the preparation of betel leaf for chewing. The paste on the stick is a semi-moist charcoal extruded onto a bamboo splint, and then coated in dark green powder. The scent on the stick is vibrant, tangy, fresh, slightly medicinal, quite green and spicy with some woody base elements. Rather likeable, and somewhat unusual. This is the first betel incense I've come across, though there are a few made, such as by Betala and Aahil. The scent on the scent is quite promising.

The scent on the burn is pleasant. Warm, gentle, floral and musky. Initially it is a little more conventional than the scent on the stick, though over time the tangy, somewhat sparkly, green notes come through, and at that point it deepens, and needs to be moved a little further away to give it more space and air to develop. I like this. I find it spicy and aromatic. A little balsamic, and with some eucalyptus notes. Perhaps a touch of fresh cannabis leaf, with a whiff of mint. Very cute and likeable, and something a bit different. It doesn't feel 100% natural - there's aldehyde notes, and a general sense of perfume construction. I'm cool with that, though I know some folks get a bit itchy about their incense not being 100% natural. I think it's a decently constructed perfume or attar. And I look forward to trying the other Vedic Vaani branded sticks.

Available from Vedic Vaani at 100gm for £5.56 plus shipping (at least £25).

Date: March 2026 Score: 35

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Sacred Incense from the Spiritual City of Vrindavan

Vrindavan ("basil forest") is the holy city in North India where Krishna spent most of his childhood. It is a popular tourist city for Indians and some Westerners (though most will head for the nearby Taj Mahal, and then shoot off for another major location on the Indian Golden Triangle). It is famous in incense circles for the soft and beautiful incense sold there. Much of it is made by established and skilled incense makers in Pune and Bangalore who will be commissioned to make traditional incense but with a softer, sweeter focus as fitting for a divine childhood.

There are many shops selling incense to the tourists - the three best known in the West are Vrindavan Bazaar (Hare Krsna Exports LLC, House No. 351, Chaitanya Vihar, Vrindavan); Hare Krishna Das (Hare Krishna Emporium, Loi Bazaar, Vrindavan); and Rasbihari Lal & Sons (Rasbihari Lal & Sons, Loi Bazar, Vrindaban). These will ship internationally, and the incense is very attractive. They don't reveal who makes the incense, and will be vague with statements like "made by local artisans", which buyers can interpret as they like. Some Western traders, such as Sai Handicrafts, Gokula, and Sacred Boutique, sell incense with a Vrindavan connection - either bought from Vrindavan, made for Vrindavan, or with Vrindavan in the name. Paul Eagle of Happy Hari sold a number of Vrindavan related incenses.

There are also a few outlets which sell incense they make themselves. This incense tends to be perfumed dhoop or perfumed cow dung. It's generally not the same stuff that is sold in the known shops and makes its way to the West. Though there is one outlet in Vrindavan which I had marked down to visit when I go to Vrindavan this November (2026), which Julian of The Incense Atelier has imported into the UK, and is selling as "True Vrindavan", which makes similar incense to that as sold by Vrindavan Bazaar and Rasbihari Lal & Sons.

Sellers in Vrindavan

Vrindavan Bazaar

Excellent low cost and well meaning shop. Orders can be a little random - you may not get exactly what you ordered, but you'll certainly get a little extra, and this is the best value incense anywhere in the world. They add nothing on to the price, so it's a genuine domestic Indian price. And shipping is also low cost. They do not reveal their sources, though is likely to be known white label incense houses in Pune, Bangalore, or elsewhere. It is variable, but nothing is rubbish, and some is awesome.

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Rasbihari Lal & Sons

Hindu spiritual shop selling books and a similar sort of unbranded incense as sold by Vrindavan Bazaar. International shipping prices can mount up quite quickly. Padma Store in Germany keeps a good stock, and sell a useful sample pack.

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Hare Krishna Das

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Vrindavan Bazar

Same name and similar logo to Vrindavan Bazaar, though the internet address is spelled Bazar instead of Bazaar. They don't have a physical shop, and don't give their address. And they only ship inside India.

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Incense houses in Vrindavan

"True Vrindavan"

Second generation incense house imported by Julian of The Incense Atelier, and sold under the name "True Vrindavan".

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Devgandha

Set up in 2023 by the Pandey brothers. They bring in attars from Kannauj, India’s perfume capital, blend them, and hand-dip traditional dhoops, so the product is finished in Vrindavan. Though it is debatable how much it can be truly called "made in Vrindavan".

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Divyavardan

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Umashankar Fragrances

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Incense around the world

The Best Incense Makers

Wednesday, 18 March 2026

Jahagirdar First Choice Anarkali Flora

This is part of Jahgirdar's Flora collection. A Flora incense is one that is generally in the style of Sri Sai Flora Fluxo - a masala stick quite rich with oils. The Anarkali name refers to the mysterious legend of Anarkali, a courtesan of Akbar the Great. In one version of the legend she fell in love and had an affair with Akbar's son, and when Akbar found out, he had her walled up in his palace. The son then rebelled against his father, killed him, took the throne as Jahangir, and had a tomb built for Anarkali. The more prosaic version of the story is that Anarkali was a walled pomegranate garden (the name means "pomegranate blossom") which echoes the walling up of Anarkali.

Anarkali embraced by Jahangir

I love such names. Way more evocative and romantic than something like "Rose and Saffron" (though, to be fair, "Rose and Saffron" is an attractive and enticing incense name, and more helpful than Anarkali).

As with the Sugandh Flora, this is a plump and soft extruded stick coated with melnoorva/masala powder. The powder is more Barbie pink than rose, with a vivid neon quality. The scent is wonderfully sweet and powdery floral. Deliciously yummy! This is such an exciting and vibrant cold throw fragrance - deliciously feminine and fresh and flowery, with a soft and clean woody base, light touches of fruit - melon and apricot, and a soft moment of sweet orange zest. Awesome!

The scent on the burn is green, earthy, floral, woody, lightly animalistic - warm woolly sheep, sweetly, softly fruity - a gentle tang. Wow. What's impressive is not just that there's a lot going on (this is far from a simplistic mono-scent incense), but that it all ties and flies together so well. This is a harmony blend which does reveal the seven generations of experience and skill in fragrance building. This is warm, resinous, comforting, luxurious, fluffy, earthy, floral, uplifting, joyous. It is elegant, sophisticated, and meditative. In short it is bloody gorgeous. From the name and attached story I was expecting a pomegranate scent, and I can't completely rule it out, but while there are fruity elements with some tang, this leans much more in the direction of rose and saffron with its blossomy softness and spicy warmth.

I've just looked up "pomegranate blossom" and the description I found is pretty much what I've been experiencing: "soft, subtle, and somewhat fruity" and "understated, blending in with the green, slightly earthy undertones typical of blossoming fruit trees". The accord of this incense is Anarkali walled up. Perfect.

Only available in India. ₹160 for 100g, direct from Jahagirdar, or from GroovyFragrances.

Date: Mar 2026 Score: 50/50

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Jahagirdar First Choice

Flora, Fluxo, and Supreme

Jahagirdar First Choice Sugandh Flora

This is part of Jahgirdar's Flora collection. A Flora incense is one that is generally in the style of Sri Sai Flora Fluxo - a masala stick quite rich with oils. They are traditionally quite thick, heavy, and soft, with the stick often bending under its own weight. And they are often coated with the brown wood powder known as melnoorva (or masala powder). The powder was originally used to preventing the finished sticks from gluing together as they dried, and was sometimes perfumed. Over time it has come to signify a masala style incense, and so is now expected. The dough in this Sugandh is perfumed and has been machine extruded, so it doesn't need the powder, but people tend to expect it. Sugandh means fragrance, and is sometimes used as part of the name of an incense house or of a individual incense.

The scent on the stick is gorgeous - clean, bright sandalwood with citric floral notes, a hint of lemon and a whiff of fresh daisies. Delightful.

The accord on the burn follows a traditional masala/flora profile of clean sandalwood and cosy florals - in this case quite sweet and rose like. And there are some mild spice notes and a hint of warm woolly sheep. A solid incense.

Date: Mar 2026 Score: 35/50

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Jahagirdar First Choice

Flora, Fluxo, and Supreme

Jahagirdar First Choice Majmua

Majmua is a classic Indian attar from Kannauj, the capital of perfume. It is a layered fragrance - its name means collection or gathering - which generally involves vetiver and kewra in a
sandalwood base. My previous experiences with Majmua - Blue Pearl Majmua and Gamta Miracle Majmua - have been positive. Jahagirdar are a seventh generation attar house in Pune who, since 1942, have also been making incense. In 2017 they set up a separate incense factory called First Choice. Awkward name, but my first experience of their incense, Rose Oudh, was awesome. My sort of incense - rich, warm, intelligent, passionate, yet soft as a feather pillow of fragrance.

The stick looks very similar to the Rose Oudh - it is a fat, heavy, dark paste extruded on a dyed pink bamboo splint. I can't tell them apart by sight. However, the scent on the paste is different. Where Rose Oudh is sweet, floral, woody, and immediately captivating, the Majmua is more subtle and alluring with understated mineral and marine notes combined with soft, sherbetty citrus and rose. It's a lovely scent.

The scent on the burn is soft and gentle and very subtle. There is a sweet and natural and understated balance of rose and sandalwood. It's fairly clean and pleasant, though perhaps a little too subtle and unadventurous for my taste.

Only available in India. ₹300 for 100g, direct from Jahagirdar, or from GroovyFragrances.

Date: Mar 2026 Score: 30/50

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Jahagirdar First Choice

Tuesday, 17 March 2026

Oudh explored

In Arabian and Islamic culture Agarwood chips are soaked in aromatic oils to make both an incense and a perfume known as bakhoor (or sometimes just oud/h). In India this tradition is blended with Indian incense making to produce Indian style incense sticks fragranced with oudh style attars. The result is likely to be sweeter, richer, more oil heavy than incense sticks named Agarwood, which are more likely to be woody and drier or more neutral in nature. Popular in China and Japan. When made in India, they are likely from a Hindu incense house.

Oudh incense sticks - likely to be rich, dark, heavy, honey sweet with distinct floral/rose notes for balance. Possibly made by a Muslim incense house.

Agarwood incense sticks - likely to be woody, but lighter, dryer, more neutral than an Oudh stick. Popular in China and Japan. When made in India, most likely to be a Hindu incense house.

Some Indian incense houses may make both an Oudh and an Agarwood incense.

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