The Story of Traditional Natural Incense

Reprinted with permission from Prasad Gifts

Traditional incense began in India, thousands of years ago, first as resin pellets, then as cones and logs made from a paste of powdered herbs, woods, and flowers blended with natural oils. Stick incense was invented in the 1700's, when Indians began hand-rolling this mixture onto thin bamboo sticks to make it easier to use. Incense throughout the ages has healed our bodies and spirits, and enhanced both spiritual experience, and sensual enjoyment.

Incense Formulas in Asia and India are centuries old and precious to the families who maintain and protect them from generation to generation, the same as traditional perfumes in Europe. While there are incense factories in India, making hand rolled natural incense is a traditional skill, practiced mostly by women as a cottage industry, and passed down in families.

The Quality of Incense

Essential oils and petroleum-based oils are volatile and evaporate more quickly than natural materials. Incense made with these oils has a much shorter shelf life, so must be made in smaller batches and used up quickly. Natural oils combined with herbs, resins and powders in a paste are more stable, so traditional incense can last many years, especially when packaged.

Because of higher labor and material costs, closely guarded formulas, and limitations of modern manufacturing, it’s difficult to produce traditional natural stick incense outside of India. In the West, incense is made mostly from synthetic materials, and then dipped in essential or artificial oils - thus the name dipped incense.

Some dipped incense makers thin the oil with a penetrating medium, so that it soaks in better, and makes the incense last longer. Some traditional incense makers may also use synthetic ingredients, which tend to release toxins when burned. High quality incense generally burns cleaner and longer, with less smoke, and the fragrances linger in the air.

Incense expert, Gina Hyams, in her book Incense, says, "The best incenses are made from unadulterated, natural ingredients, free from synthetic additives and binders… when natural substances burn, the power stored in the plant materials is released - the energy of the earth, sunshine, rain, wind, stars, and moonlight. Each fragrance, like a color or a sound, possesses a particular vibrational quality. Synthetic oils that simulate nature may smell pleasant, but they don't contain any life force." 'Incense' Pg. 20 – 1, Chronicle Books, 2004

Aroma 'pheromones' go straight to the brain, so the purity of incense is important. Many consumers feel that synthetic ingredients may be toxic, or harmful to health. Which fragrances are pleasing is also very individual, and that’s why there is such a wide choice of delightful incense fragrances.

Prasad Celestial Incense and Angel Flora Incense have been among the best-loved hand-rolled Indian incense brands in the US since Prasad began in 1988. Prasad is proud to continue the wonderful tradition of natural Indian incense.