Seamus Hammond
Incense is an aromatic material that releases a fragrant smoke when burnt. It has been used for thousands of years for reasons ranging from the pragmatic to the spiritual. Ancient civilisations such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans all made use of incense, and it has been a central part of religious traditions in India, China, and Japan. Today, incense is manufactured and enjoyed all over the world, from France to Peru, Taiwan to Morocco, and Dubai to California. However, India stands out as the largest incense manufacturer globally, accounting for about 30% of the global market.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Largest manufacturer | India |
| India's share of the global market | 30% |
| Popular manufacturers in India | Shrinivas Sugandhalaya, Moksh Agarbatti, Cycle Pure |
| Country with the oldest record of using incense | China |
| Countries with a history of burning incense | China, India, Japan, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Babylonia, Peru, Taiwan, Morocco, France, Indonesia, Dubai, Somalia |
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What You'll Learn
India: the world's largest incense manufacturer
Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. It is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. The use of incense dates back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and has been an integral part of cultural and religious traditions in many countries. Today, India is the largest producer and manufacturer of incense in the world, accounting for approximately 30% of the global market.
In India, incense sticks are known as "agarbatti" or "joss sticks". The traditional Indian form of incense is a resinous paste wrapped or moulded around a bamboo core or stick, sometimes with added perfumes. This variety of incense is believed to have originated in India, as most other Asian countries, such as China, Tibet, and Japan, primarily use coreless incense. India's leadership in incense production and export is not surprising given its long history of using incense in religious and cultural practices.
The Vedas, ancient Hindu holy scriptures, describe the use of incense as a form of medicine. In the Ayurvedic tradition, creating an environment with strong scents was often considered one of the first steps in healing a patient. Incense was typically made by monks and doctors, using ingredients based on the five Ayurvedic elements. Incense was also used in religious ceremonies, with priests and monks employing it in their meditations, purification ceremonies, and other rituals.
India's incense industry provides employment opportunities, particularly for women. Many incense companies in India, such as Shrinivas Sugandhalaya, Moksh Agarbatti, and Cycle Pure, offer jobs to older women, widows, and poor women from surrounding rural villages, providing them with a source of income and financial independence.
The global incense market offers a diverse range of fragrances and styles, with contributions from various countries. Arabian countries, for example, are known for their bakhoor, a form of incense burned to purify houses and during special occasions like weddings. Japanese incense, such as the Ha Ko paper incense, is renowned for its delicate fragrances and shapes inspired by native plants. French companies like Astier de Villatte produce luxurious incense sticks, while countries like Indonesia contribute sustainably grown, hand-rolled natural incense.
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China: incense used for 2,000 years
Incense has been used in China for at least 2,000 years, with the practice becoming especially prominent during the Song Dynasty from the 10th to the 13th centuries. The Chinese have used incense for religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, traditional Chinese medicine, and in daily life. Agarwood and sandalwood are the two most important ingredients in Chinese incense.
The introduction of Buddhism to China brought with it calibrated incense sticks and incense clocks. The first known record of incense use in China is by the poet Yu Jianwu (487–551):
> "By burning incense we know the o'clock of the night, With graduated candles we confirm the tally of the watches."
In China and Japan, a censer called a shǒulú in Chinese and egōro in Japanese is used by several Buddhist traditions. The censer is usually made of brass, with a long handle and no chain. Instead of charcoal, makkō powder is poured into a depression made in a bed of ash and lit. The incense mixture is then burned on top.
China was the birthplace of solid stick incense, which does not contain a solid wood core. Incense in China is often burned directly, with the tip or end of the incense stick ignited with a flame until it begins to turn into ash. The flame is then extinguished, leaving the incense to smolder.
Incense is used around the world, from Japan to France, Arab countries, North and South America, Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, Tibet, and more. It is used for a variety of purposes, including religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, ceremonies, deodorizing, and as an insect repellent.
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Japan: incense with subtle scents
Incense has been used in Japan for over a thousand years, with the earliest documentation of burning incense wood recorded in the Nihon Shoki, the second-oldest surviving book of classical Japanese history. Incense was first used in or around 595 CE during the reign of Empress Suiko and Prince Shotoku, who was also known as the Priest Prince due to his devotion to Buddhism, a novel religion in the region at the time.
The popularity of incense in Japan skyrocketed during the medieval period (1185-1603), with samurai warriors using it to purify their helmets and armour in the hopes that it would make them invincible in battle. By the 15th and 16th centuries, incense was widely used by the middle and upper classes, and a new Japanese art was born, with the creation of gilded and painted lacquer utensils and sets made specifically for burning incense.
Japanese incense is typically crafted using natural ingredients such as sandalwood, agarwood, resin, and essential oils, with some incense made purely with plant-based ingredients. Unlike most incense sticks, traditional Japanese incense is made entirely from fragrant materials, resulting in a pure scent without the smoky, burnt-wood smell. The most common forms include sticks, cones, and coils, each burning at different speeds and intensities.
One unique type of Japanese incense is Baieido Hinoki, which features the scent of Japanese Cypress, a sacred wood in Japan that has been used for centuries to build imperial palaces, temples, and Shinto shrines. The sweet evergreen note of Hinoki is believed to stimulate and relax the mind, making it an ideal natural air freshener.
Another notable Japanese incense brand is Shoyeido, founded in Kyoto over 300 years ago. Shoyeido uses only natural ingredients, resulting in soft, pure scents that linger gently in the air. For those seeking complex and luxurious fragrances, Baieido offers deep scents made with rare woods like jinko (aloeswood), while Nippon Kodo blends centuries-old craftsmanship with modern appeal, offering a range of traditional temple incense as well as fresh, floral, and citrus-infused varieties.
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Arab countries: bakhoor, a form of incense
Incense, an aromatic material that releases a fragrant smoke when burned, has been used for millennia by various cultures and serves a variety of purposes. In most Arab countries, incense is burned in the form of scented chips or blocks called bakhoor (Arabic: بَخُورٌ [baˈxuːɾ]). Bakhoor is a blend of luxurious ingredients, creating a rich and complex fragrance.
Bakhoor is an integral part of Arabian culture and hospitality rituals, used to welcome guests and mark significant celebrations with its exquisite aroma. It is commonly burned at weddings and on Fridays, and more generally to perfume the house. The perfume comes in many forms, including colourful pastilles, scented bricks, and wood chips soaked in essential oils. The rich, aromatic smoke produced by burning bakhoor is a sensory journey, often experienced in homes during special occasions and ceremonies.
The act of burning bakhoor involves heating the incense over charcoal in a traditional mabkhara (a type of incense burner or censer) or an electric burner. This process produces a thick grey smoke that fills the air with a sweet and addictive smell. Many believe that the smoke instils positive energy, improves one's mood, and sparks creativity.
The ingredients used in bakhoor reflect the essence of Arabian elegance and include wood chips, essential oils, resins, ambergris, musk, sandalwood, and more. These ingredients are carefully combined to create a blend that is unmistakably lavish and unique to the Middle East. The art of burning bakhoor is a practice steeped in history and cultural significance, with its roots tracing back to ancient traditions.
In addition to its use in homes, bakhoor is also burned in majlis (congregations) as a gesture of hospitality. It is customary in many Arab countries to pass bakhoor among the guests, allowing the smoke to perfume their clothing and hair. The selection of bakhoor scents varies according to the season, personal whim, or social occasion, making it a way to express one's self through fragrance. Overall, bakhoor holds a special place in Middle Eastern culture and continues to be an essential part of Arabian heritage and traditions.
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Ancient Egypt: incense used for pragmatism and mysticism
Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. It is used for a variety of purposes, including aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. Incense is also used as a simple deodorant or insect repellent. The use of incense varies across different cultures and has evolved over time with technological advancements.
In Ancient Egypt, incense was employed for both pragmatic and mystical purposes. On the pragmatic side, incense was burnt to counteract or mask unpleasant odours resulting from human habitation. It was also used as a natural deodorant and insect repellent. Additionally, the Egyptians valued certain incense ingredients, such as cedar wood from the Levant, balsamon from southern Arabia and eastern Africa, and iris, lotus, lemongrass, and rose for their aromatic properties. They also utilised papyrus rind in incense production.
The mystical purposes of incense in Ancient Egypt were deeply intertwined with their religious beliefs and worship of the gods and goddesses. Incense was considered the "Fragrance of the Gods" and was integral to various rituals and ceremonies. The ancient Egyptians believed that burning specific types of incense pleased the gods and embodied life itself. They associated certain gods with particular types of incense, such as the strong association between the goddess Hathor and myrrh.
The ancient Egyptians also had secret recipes for incense, which were carefully guarded and involved symbolic ingredients and magical spells. They believed that the process of compounding resins with herbs, honey, wine, and raisins created the body of the gods. Large quantities of incense were burnt daily in the temples throughout Egypt, and numerous reliefs and papyri depict incense sticks, burning ceremonies, and offerings to the gods. The Pharaohs even cultivated incense trees and imported expensive resins to meet the demands of their temples and tombs.
Furthermore, the ancient Egyptians viewed incense as a sacred emblem of their gods' bodies. They carefully procured, transported, and stored their frankincense and myrrh. This is evident in the mortuary temple of Queen Hatchepsut at Deir el-Bahari, where expeditions to obtain incense trees from Punt are depicted, showcasing the significance of having the "Odor of the Divine Land." The Egyptians also worshipped the god of fragrance, Nefertum, who represented both the first sunlight and the scent of the Egyptian blue lotus flower.
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Frequently asked questions
India is the largest manufacturer of incense in the world, accounting for about 30% of the global market.
The typical Indian form of incense is a resinous paste wrapped or moulded around a bamboo core or stick.
Popular Indian manufacturers include Shrinivas Sugandhalaya, Moksh Agarbatti, and Cycle Pure.
China, Tibet, and Japan burn a lot of incense, and it is also produced in Arabian countries, Peru, Taiwan, Morocco, France, Greece, and North and South America.
In many Arab countries, incense is burned in the form of scented chips or blocks called bakhoor.
