Category: India

Burning incense in many places is a religious as well as a purification rite. The practice has been followed for hundreds of years and continues to thrive even today. Incense burning is simply the burning of aromatic materials with the release of odor or fragrance. Some incense is burned for medicinal purposes while others simply are for aesthetic values.

The reasons for burning incense in recent years have however changed, largely influenced by the wide variety of cultures practicing the art as well as the interaction of cultures. In recent years, the practice has gotten quite popular as a result of such diverse reasons.

Incense burning today is very diverse with many materials being used. Oils, solids and other things that have a fragrance are being used. The large diversity means the need for appropriate incense burners is necessary. A solid can be held on the same incense burner as a liquid, like frankincense.

Some liquid aromatics are added a charcoal powder base that is then placed on the incense burner. Others use synthesized materials. All these substances thus require their own incense burners.

Incense classification can take many forms. In most cases, the mode and degree of incense burning is used. The 2 groups commonly used are indirect and direct burning. In indirect burning, charcoal or burning embers provide the heat source. Frankincense is one of the materials that is indirectly burnt as well as myrrh. In Europe, Frankincense is used to signify any aromatic substance that is burnt on an incense burner. During burning, frankincense is placed on coal embers in its unprocessed state on the incense burner and let to burn.