I recently purchased a large number of Indian incenses for sampling. I was mainly interested in Mysore Sughandi, hoping to find another hidden Laxmi Dhoop. I also took the opportunity to sample as many different incenses as I could find by Padmini, Nandi, Sarathi and a whole bunch more. I am still making my way through that huge lot, but already I have found one that will be a permanent resident in my incense stash: Tulasi Deepak by Sarathi. "Deepak" is a Hindi and Sanskrit word meaning "little lamp". This incense is aimed at reproducing the smell of a burning oil lamp. This may initially conjure images of choking smoke, but the result is anything but hazy. Deepak exudes a deep, warm, honey-like smell that is completely enveloping. I imagine an amber lamp glowing in some dark corner of an Indian temple. I burned through my sampler pack in a matter of days, and ordered an entire carton for replacement. Unfortunately, I could find no ingredients listing for this incense, either on the package or the internet. I am sure this is the typical perfume-based Indian stick, so the "recipe" is probably a trade secret. Deepak sticks are a little bigger than the small, thin Indian sticks you sometimes find, but not as big as say the dry Indian masalas. Deepak is similar to Nandi Golden Incense (another favorite), and if you are a fan of that brand you will certainly love Deepak, which I find to be even richer and deeper than Nandi Golden.
