Our body has mainly five senses – being able to see, hear, taste, touch and smell. While each has its own importance, there are some that are often given a little more prominence than the others. The ability to smell happens to be one of them – whether it is the aroma of a chocolate cake being baked or the fragrance of your favourite perfume, there are emotions that tend to get evoked with certain smells. It is interesting to note even when it comes to devotion and divinity, all these senses are involved. When you look for an agarbatti stand online at eCraftIndia, you might not realise or think much about it, but there is a deeper connection with your worship too.
When you go to a temple or sit down with the intention to pray even at your own home, you will look at an image or at the statue of your beloved deity or brass diyas. You will either chant on your own or you might play some devotional music, which affects your auditory senses. Touching the flowers that you offer or applying sandalwood paste plays with your sense of touch. When you enjoy the prasadam or drink the holy water, you are bringing the sense of taste into action. But when you smell the fragrance of the incense or the fresh flowers, that is when the quadrangle of senses stands complete.
The stories behind incense and how they were first used:
Most people do not consider an incense stick holder as something that is very important, because they see it as nothing more than just a tool to hold the incense stick, till it burns out. However, if this simple tool was not around, most people would struggle to keep the incense standing upright and burning till the very end. It is interesting to note that incense, in some form or the other, has been around for several years. It is believed that the first people to use incense were the Egyptians, because they believed that the smell could keep evil spirits away and repel all kinds of insects as well. The priests of Egypt would use incense to purify tombs before people would be buried and there are stories that say that incense would often be buried with the dead, because they might be needed in the afterlife.
The Chinese were the first people to use incense for religious purposes and they would stick the incense sticks in sand or inside long vases. In India, incense has long been used in all kinds of religious and festive occasions. As per Hindu methods, having some form of fragrance for a pooja is essential, which is why dhoop-batti or agarbatti is considered a must.
These days, you will be able to find a range of incense sticks and incense in several other forms too, most of which are made using organic ingredients, making them safe to be used at homes.
How should you choose the best incense for your home:
Whenever you are looking for incense, you need to make sure that you pick something that has natural ingredients, because the smoke that tends to emanate from the burning of the same should not cause harm to anyone at home. as a matter of fact, if you pick an incense that is made with natural ingredients, you will get a far better fragrance too. You also need to pay attention to the type of incense you are buying – if you are buying dhoop-batti, then a normal agarbatti holder might not be enough; you will need a proper holder for the dhoop-batti.
Your choice also needs to be based on what purpose you are planning to use it for – whether you want a room freshener or you want something to enhance your divine experiences. You should also think about the smoke emission – incense sticks might not emit as much of a smoke as dhoop cones! Another factor that you need to keep in mind is the actual scent that you are choosing – this needs to be a personal choice and you should look for something that you like. Because scents are a highly personal choice, there is no real right or wrong here; you should choose whatever you like the most. You can choose from floral to musky to woody notes or you could even go for combinations of various scents that offer you a brand-new scent. If you are new to the world of incense burners, then you might want to stick to the popular ones and the favourites, which include sandalwood, rose, lavender and frankincense.
Why you should get the best incense stick holder from eCraftIndia:
At eCraftIndia, you will be able to choose from the most interesting looking holders – whether you want something simple and elegant or something that is interesting like a Buddha incense holder; there is plenty to choose from. There are several reasons why you will want to pick a proper holder, because not only will it keep the incense from causing any problems, but also last a lot longer.
For starters, when you place your incense in a holder, you can be assured of the full burn time – regular sized incense sticks tend to burn for about 30 to 45 minutes, while thicker and bigger ones can last longer. This means that you can use it as a timer for when you are meditating, chanting or even when you are taking a nap. As a matter of fact, most meditation places will use an incense to ensure that there is an ambience of calm. With a backflow smoke fountain style holder, you will be able to create a soothing smoke fountain that is perfect for concentrating and improving focus. While the gentle smoke is pleasing to the eyes, the fragrance will help transport you to a different level, allowing you to remove your stress and fatigue. This is also a good idea for when you are doing yoga – yet again, this is a time when you want a sense of peace, quiet and calm and with incense, you can achieve the same with ease.
Studies have shown that certain fragrances can help make you feel relaxed and some can help improve the quality of sleep – lavender, vetiver and chamomile are all known to be really gentle fragrances, that can induce a feeling of calm. The easiest thing to do is this – light up the incense stick, place it in the holder or stand, let it burn for a few minutes before you go to sleep and allow the aroma to envelop the room. You can do the same with tea light holders - lit candles kept inside decorative holders offer the same sense of calm and peace. However, you do need to remember to check if the incense is completely burnt out before you turn the lights out. In addition to incense allowing you to relax, it can also help spark creativity, especially when you want the juices flowing. For times when you are feeling the writers block, simply light up an incense and maybe you might be able to get the push you needed!
The options for incense holders that you can find at eCraftIndia:
At eCraftIndia, you will be able to find home decor items and incense holders of various kinds, including those made with several types of materials. Metal is one of the most popular materials for making these holders, because they are extremely durable. Moreover, they will not be damaged due to the heat and can last a long time. Wood and bamboo can also be used to make these holders and these can offer a rustic look, while offering longevity. As long as the flames don’t touch the wood directly, these can be used for a really long time, without any fear.
Is it important to open to keep windows open while lighting incense?
If there is proper ventilation in the room, you can keep the windows closed; however, you might want to open at least one window if the room is very small. Alternately, you could keep the windows and doors open to allow the fragrance to flow from one room to the other.
If I place an incense in a proper holder and leave it all night, will it be ok?
While a holder will ensure that the incense stick does not fall off, keeping it alight all night could be dangerous. Same is the case for scented candles - you need to ensure that you snuff them out before going to sleep.
What kind of holders can be given away as gifts?
You can look at waterfall incense burner or holders with Buddha on them as gifts.
How do you choose the perfect incense holder?
This will depend on what kind of incense you are using – if you are using a stick type of incense, then you will need a holder with tiny holes in it. However, if you are using dhoop cones, then you will need an incense cone holder.
Where can I find the best holders for incense sticks?
One of the best places for all kinds of handicrafts and traditional items, including agarbatti and dhoopbatti stands happens to be at eCraftIndia. Here you will be able to find a variety of holders, including those that are extremely simple to ones that have religious deities, little Buddhas and more!