It has been a long-established tradition for us to visit India every December-January, and this time we returned to meet both our old and new suppliers. The trip was both fun and a dive into history. We uncovered many previously unknown details about the old, happy times—long lunches and dinners with our esteemed suppliers were not only enjoyable but also informative and educational. Below, we’re excited to share our findings.

But first, I’d like to express my gratitude for the many spiritual gifts we received this time during our meditation at Sri Ramana Ashram in Tiruvannamalai, at the foot of the holy Arunachala Hill.

Many of you have seen our video from Meena Perfumery in Bangalore. If you haven’t watched it yet, please take a look here. 

Padam Ji, the owner of Meena, shared a couple of amusing stories about their interactions with Paul Eagle of Happy Hari. Initially, Paul did not have direct contact with Meena Perfumery and was purchasing Meena Supreme from a reseller, who marked up the price by 20%. Paul, ever persistent in seeking direct contacts with manufacturers, one day showed up at the factory in Bangalore. He requested that Meena does not disclose his direct discovery to the reseller, thus beginning to buy the incense directly from the factory at a better price. Once, he ordered a large batch of Meena Supreme for the UK. Notably, the incense sticks’ tips are green, a feature not for aesthetics but to indicate the morning shift’s production; the afternoon shift’s sticks had no colour. A batch made by the afternoon shift was mistakenly sent to Paul, arriving with plain tips. Paul, upset, called Meena Perfumery, fearing customers would reject the incense without the green-tipped “trademark.” Eventually, both parties laughed over the misunderstanding. Paul’s attention to detail and customer perspective were indeed remarkable.

Another supplier, the maker of second generations of Nag Champa Gold and Oudh Masala, recounted how Nag Champa Gold was initially hand-made. As demand exceeded supply, they purchased 50 incense-making machines to meet the needs adequately. Paul was known for his generosity and timely payments, often sending money upfront, highlighting his trust in his suppliers. In those days, agreements between incense importers and suppliers were built on trust, without formal contracts.

Did you know the most recent version of Happy Hari Oudh Masala differed from the original? As noted by a customer from the Netherlands, who collaborated with Paul Eagle for local distribution:

“The same applies to Oudh Masala: the one we received from you in September had a dominant mint note and is truly as described on your website—although a bit too minty for our taste. However, we reordered because it reminded us of the original Oudh Masala from Paul Eagle from 10 years ago, which had more barnyard and ambergris notes; we only have a few sticks of that left.”

The good news is that we have managed to find that original Oudh Masala incense, which Happy Hari ceased selling due to the rising cost of materials. We are thrilled to announce that we will start selling this old legacy Oudh Masala in May. It closely resembles the current variant on our website but with less pine and mint notes and more pronounced agarwood notes. We invite everyone who has purchased Happy Hari’s old Oudh Masala to get in touch and confirm if it matches their memory. We will publish your review on our site. This will be fun! If you remember the old Oudh Masala’s scent, please email us, and we will send you a sample for free!

What our dear customers say in December warms our hearts and fills us with gratitude. Their feedback is a true gift during this festive season. It is so pleasing and soul-nourishing to receive reviews like these. It is like bathing in the sun during the cold winter. Thank you all. We love you.

The incense sticks arrived on Dec 11th. Shipping really fast. Thank you very much for the sample incense sticks and the extra goodies. The smell of the purchased chopsticks is simply indescribable. Even a day later (after airing a 25 sq. m room) this fragrance is discreetly present. I can recommend him to everyone. Thank you very much for your work behind it. It won’t be the last time I’ll get something for my soul from you. Thank you very much. I wish you peaceful days (ps.to Germany no customs duties).

Franco, Germany

Great quality and great service! Incense is of high, long lasting quality. Package is beautiful and seller included ‘thank you’ note as well as few free samples. Great price for great product!

Tea, Croatia

The same applies to Oudh Masala: the one we received from you in September had a dominant mint note and is truly as described on your website – a little too much mint to our taste actually – but we ordered it again because it did remind us of the original Oudh Masala from Paul Eagle from 10 years ago, although that one had more barnyard notes, and an ambergris note; we only have a few sticks of those left.

Gezina, Netherlands

I’m in love with the warmth of Woody Champa. It creates such a cosy and welcoming atmosphere. The scent is balanced; sweet and spicy with just the right amount of champaca florality. I don’t want to ever miss this scent in my collection!

Irene, Germany 

The Olfactory Rescue Service, or ORS as many know it, is the oldest and most respected incense review website, covering quality incense from all over the world.

Taken from the review of our Oudh Majestic incense: 

“It’s been a long time since there was a real contender to the Oud Masala from the Happy Hari family, that nearly perfect blend of masala base and at least an approximation of a decent oud to complement it. There are also a number of charcoal based ouds out there that one might not be able to pick out a specific aroma in a line up. Pure Incense have provided a wide and almost dizzying array of oud and aloeswood incenses from Madhavadas and often the issue is less the top oils than the base. I’m not sure where Oudh Majestic came from but it’s a really good charcoal oudh and has an oil mix on top that seems constructed to display something a bit better than the usual oudh tinged colognes.”

“Balsamic Amber just absolutely impressed immediately, it’s an instant hall of famer. It’s interesting but when we talk about good incenses we can spend so much time in areas (usually the woods) where resources are precious and rewards only given to the expensive, so Balsamic Amber reminds me that you can still create something excellent without having to go there.”

Rauchfahne is an upcoming, next generation blog on incense of all kinds, written by Irene, a German incense enthusiast who not just has a rich knowledge about the topic but also makes her own incense from natural ingredients.

“Practically out of nowhere, a new own brand appears in 2023 – Bhagwan Incense – with a considerable range of high-quality incense sticks and at comparably low prices. It uses the renowned name Happy Hari to advertise its quality and also seems to repeat the story of the person behind Happy Hari – Paul Eagle: a man who travels to India to find the best manufacturers of incense sticks and these to sell to the West under its own brand name.”

As the autumn weather sets in and more rains are on the way, it is a great time to lighten up an incense, make a cup of tea or coffee and look back to the journey we have traveled. It is a time for reflection and contemplation and it is very sweet, and a bit nostalgic, to look back and see your life events through some perspective.
We have been busy packing and sending orders in September and even more so in October, and I am pleased to share some customer feedback and communication with you.

First of all, I shall thank all our beloved customers for their feedback, suggestions and giving us a chance to improve. Please do not hesitate to share more, we are here for you.

We have been getting quite a bit of customer feedback about Oudh Masala we sell. It is one of the most popular sticks, and many people are ordering it.

We have two variants of Oudh Masala in stock – an old time proven stick, which was sold by a late Happy Harri, Absolute Bliss Incense and which is best known to be the “original” Oudh Masala. We also have a more recent variant of the same stick, made by the same supplier, with added pine and mint notes, that makes the stick a more rounded, richer, full bodied version of the old Oudh Masala Incense.

Where it was possible, we have been offering our customers a choice between the two and many people prefer a more updated, recent variant of Oudh Masala with pine and mint notes.

As one customer from the Netherlands put it: “The same applies to Oudh Masala: the one we received from you in September had a dominant mint note and is truly as described on your website – a little too much mint to our taste actually – but we ordered it again because it did remind us of the original Oudh Masala from Paul Eagle from 10 years ago, although that one had more barnyard notes, and an ambergris note; we only have a few sticks of those left.”

So, when placing your order that includes Oudh Masala, please indicate which version you would like to receive. We have a very limited quantity of an old Oudh Masala left and we will not be selling it in the future, but will offer a new variant of Oudh Masala with pine and mint notes.
We love both variants, but our heart lies with the more updated version without a slight cologne note attributed to an old version of Oudh Masala. I hope it will work well for both of us.

Otherwise, we are getting ready for our January trip to India and we have very high hopes for the visit, that could generate some sensations. We have located one more small incense maker in India, that makes an exceptional incense and we are longing to offer their incense to you in the Spring 2024. It is a small family run business and incense is not made in huge quantities, which means more challenges for us to supply it if we get more demand. Fingers crossed, it will work out well.

February 2024 update: Following our regular winter incense sourcing trip to India, we have been shown the original, old Oudh Masala that Paul Eagle was selling before switching to the current version due to the rising costs of materials. We will be offering the old version of Oudh Masala starting in March 2024. Customers who still remember the old Oudh Masala are encouraged to get in touch – we will send you a free sample to verify!

In the serendipitous year of 2018, my world was forever altered when I stumbled upon the enchanting music of Estas Tonne in the depths of YouTube. What initially seemed ordinary soon revealed itself as a tapestry of extraordinary emotions woven by a solitary maestro, armed with nothing but his guitar. His music bore the stamp of passion, an inner fortitude, and a nostalgia that, rather than plunging into melancholy, danced with poignant memories. It was as if he sought something profound through his music, an ardent quest for answers, with emotions flowing not from him but through him. Onstage, he entered a trance, conjuring a delightful restlessness in the hearts of those who listened, inspiring a passionate and conscious embrace of each moment, a life steeped in gratitude for the divine Here and Now.

My days soon revolved around his videos, perpetually on loop. Gradually, an epiphany emerged – there was more to his music than met the ear. Struggling to articulate it, I found myself describing it as “a river of life,” an invisible force that surged forth with each strum. From the stage, it radiated, a potent epicenter, traversing the space and enveloping those nearby in profound meditation, as if collectively transported to another realm.

My thoughts meandered to the realm of qawwali and the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He, too, would ignite the stage with his love for the divine, conjuring waves of sound and ishq (love), punctuated by the graceful sway of his head and hands. The stage buzzed with activity, yet the audience wore tranquil expressions, lost in muraqabah (Sufi meditation), their eyes wide open, glowing as if in prayer. It was the same phenomenon, that invisible force transcending from the performer to the audience. Was the qawwal’s performance technically flawless? Perhaps not, but it mattered not; the result eclipsed the process, and the result was nothing short of sublime.

Then, a captivating detail caught my eye: an incense stick gracing Estas’s guitar’s neck. It burned with grace, its tendrils of smoke mirroring the grace in his movements. In every performance, this incense played a role, inseparable from the music, each enhancing the other.

An insatiable curiosity stirred within me – what was the incense that accompanied Estas’s performances? For some inexplicable reason, my thoughts turned to Myrrh and Amber, fragrances that held a special place in my heart, often kindling them during my creative endeavors. Amber bolstered concentration, while Myrrh exuded mystical depths with its ethereal resonance. However, it appeared my guess was wide of the mark.

Estas had chosen an incense that perfectly complemented his artistry, crafting an ambiance where his creative spirit soared unencumbered. His choice? Sandalwood and Rose. What a splendid selection, accentuating the elegance of his music and the artistic essence of his being. While Amber and Myrrh were earthy and grounding, Estas had opted for scents that provided structure (sandalwood) without the weight of resin, and the ethereal lightness of rose, an ethereal companion for his inner flights of fancy.

It became evident that his choice of incense was a mere reflection of his character – a blend of strength, gentleness, and kindness, seamlessly interwoven. “There is no conflict if you embrace life as it is and do not fight with it,” Estas often professed. These words, golden truths, evoked memories of Sufi mystics who navigated the bustling world while keeping their hearts attuned to prayer: “Dil ba eru dast ba kor” – “Heart with God, hands in work.”

I hold the fervent wish that one day, you will have the chance to witness Estas’s enrapturing performance in your own city. If such an opportunity arises, immerse yourself in this once-in-a-lifetime manifestation of life’s essence on stage. It will transform you, cleanse your heart, and leave you with a newfound lightness that lingers for countless days, a testament to the enduring power of love and art.

Let us talk about the music of incense and fragrance of the Earth. Sounds like a Zen Koan, doesn’t it?

When we visited Kannauj, a small town in Uttar Pradesh in the north of India, we were shown an attar (perfume oil) which resembled the fragrance of the soil. Yes, it smelled like soil, and we were surprised to learn that one can replicate the smell of the Earth using natural botanical ingredients.

Then we were shown fragrances that create joy and ecstasy or sorrow and sadness. How is this possible? We were shown fragrances that were named after famous qawwali singers (qawwali is a type of Sufi singing associated with Chishtiya Sufi tariqa). I remembered the world-famous guitarist Carlos Santana, who loved one particular incense, which is made using a perfume oil composition called Amber Kasturi – a mysterious temple smell of amber and musk.

Yes, incense is like music – it can create joy and happiness, can concentrate the mind, and can help with creativity, relaxation and peace. Incense can change the aura of a room within minutes, and it can change our state of the mind the same way as music does. Isn’t this wonderful?

There is an incense for everything, and every time of the year.
When it is cold, we tend to make a cup of hot tea and burn some myrrh or frankincense. When the spring comes, we might use some arabic oudh (agarwood) and patchouli that will dance in the wind. In the summer lemongrass and rose are great for freshening up a room and cooling it down, while some amber in the autumn can give a space a thoughtful mood. Incense is part of our life – it is our invisible companion.

At the same time, incense is the culmination of nature`s creation, and the ability of man to create fragrances that impact the world within us, and communicate with the world beyond us – something our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years.

If only they had known that one day, someone sitting in a city office would use amber incense, and a young lady who goes to a yoga class would come home and burn a stick of Nag Champa, just to bring a smile to her face….