Brass incense sicks holder Buddha meditation

In the 5th century BC, Siddharta, or the Buddha, belonged to a main family in India. He poses as a reformer by opposing sacrificial practices and the prohibitions of Brahmanism. Kindness, charity, renunciation, non-violence (Ahimsa) and vegetarianism were the principles preached by Buddha. He was supported by the main and intellectual classes who saw through this emerging movement a means of concentrating political and religious powers; less by the popular classes attached to Brahmin rites. Buddhism spread to eastern Asia, mixing more or less with local religions. The Hindu counteroffensive, several hundred years later, led to its virtual disappearance in India.

The use of incense in India

The incense give a fragrant smoke when burned. They are composed of aromatic materials, wood, essential oils. In India, incense is called Agarbatti (Hindi). There are two kinds of incense in India: Masala incense and Charcol incense. Masala incenses are made of dry ingredients while in the Charcol incense there are liquid perfumes or essential oils.

Nowadays the Indian incense is used for several other reasons as to create an atmosphere of relaxation or simply to scent the air. We use incense holders made of different materials.