While both Durbar and Masala style incenses are known for their rich fragrances, Indian Durbar incense has become most popular in recent years due to its more complex, often sweet and spicy, aroma, frequently achieved by using a higher concentration of fragrant oils and an additional blend of ingredients, including resins and wood powders, compared to traditional Masala incense, which many also appreciate due to its earthy, natural and organically derived fragrance. Durbar translates to "Royal Court". These scents were traditionally burned for royalty and in temple services. Masala means a combined mixture of fragrance resins, herbs, spices and oils. Masala incenses have as many as 30 ingredients, most of them a guarded secret of each artisan. There are 9 principal ingredients used in Masala incense production, with possible varying combinations numbering in the 1000's. Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Ingredient Focus:
Both styles, Durbar and Masala, utilize aromatic spices, herbs, and resins. Durbar incenses tend to incorporate a greater variety and higher concentration of these elements, particularly resins like frankincense and myrrh, which contribute to its unique fragrance profile. More costly varieties of Durbar incenses often incorporate halmadi which adds the traditional "Nag Champa-style" blend of fragrances by adding Sandalwood, Magnolia or Frangipani oils, and also incorporating southeast Asian black Oudh.
Fragrance Profile:
Masala incense, while also known for its complexity, often focuses on a more traditional, earthy, and sometimes floral or woody scent, whereas Durbars are known for sweeter, spicier, and often a more potent aroma. Some Masala incenses are wood based with Sandalwood powder forming the core fragrance basis.
Binding Agents:
Durbar incense sometimes utilizes a higher proportion of binding agents like resins, which can enhance the fragrance and its longevity.
Manufacturing Process:
The specific techniques used in crafting the incense sticks can also impact the fragrance. Indian incense makers may use a combination of traditional methods and modern techniques to create the desired scent profile. Some incenses are hand-rolled with no set weight or thickness for each stick, while others are made in machines that mix the dough and roll on to the stick, to be later sorted and hand packed, since hand rolling is becoming a dying art.
History:
Since antiquity, dating back at least 5000 years, Indian incenses were prepared in a Masala Dhoop-style dough like mixture, that was rolled into balls and burned for temple and religious use. In the early 1900's, the Maharaj of Mysore developed the idea of rolling the masala incense dough onto a bamboo stick. This style of incense became known as "Mysore Agarbathies" (pronounced with "h" silent), as we are familiar with today. It first introduced at the Wembley Park exhibition in London, throughout 1924, and given to influential guests to encourage export from India. The incense sticks became much easier to manufacture and transport in a uniform shape and size, while still involving the natural herbs and resins along with charcoal and gijit resin rolled on to bamboo sticks. Durbar and masala incense production has been centered in South India specially in the Mysore and Bangalore regions, although today, it has moved to other areas of the country, such as Pune, Pondicherry and Chennai. There’s something undeniably hypnotic about the curl of incense smoke drifting through the air—it’s not just a smell, it’s a vibe. Long before perfumes came in fancy bottles, people were burning blends of woods and spices to shift moods, mark moments, as an air refreshener and as a religious ritual.
Unveiling the Craft: The Durbar & Masala Incense Creation Process
Step into a workshop where the air itself seems to hum with quiet purpose. This isn’t just a production line—it’s a hands-on ritual with roots deeper than a spice market in summer.
Traditional durbar incense isn’t fast, flashy, or factory-made. It’s earthy, soft and pliable to the touch, and a little bit magical. Every step in the process matters, and every hand involved knows exactly why, but it's a dying art. Handmade masalas and durbars are often prepared by indigenous people, living below the poverty line, as a tribal village handicraft. You'll know it's handmade if your sticks are non-uniform in shape, size and weight. Other fine incenses of this type are also prepared by modern masala machines and are uniform in size and weight.
It starts with choosing ingredients. Not just any bark or resin will do—only the ones with the right mood, scent, and staying power make the cut.
This is about fragrance, not philosophy. The artisans behind durbar and masala style incense are curators of scent. They don’t just follow recipes—they feel them.
Here’s a look at how the magic happens:
Sourcing fragrant resins, herbs, and woods selected for their aroma and burn quality. Due to disappearing raw materials, ingredients are gathered more carefully now to protect a fragile environment and are ethically sourced.
Grinding the ingredients into fine powders, keeping textures consistent without losing potency.
Mix the powder with a damp binding agent to form a thick, pliable paste.
Hand-rolling the paste into sticks or cones before letting them air-dry naturally.
The result? A soft, rich blend that doesn’t crumble under pressure or vanish in a puff of smoke. It’s incense with presence—slow-burning, full-bodied, and bold enough to hold your attention without overwhelming it. A hidden secret of both masala and durbar incenses is they tend not to have much initial top note and are best appreciated when they are burned, and your scents fill your space. Finest grades have a scent that may linger in a room for days.
Grinding isn’t just a prep step; it’s where the materials start to wake up. The scent rises gently from the powder, giving the room a calm intensity that sets the mood for what comes next.
Then comes the paste which is kneaded into a dough. It’s sticky, thick, and oddly satisfying to work with. This is where tradition meets instinct.
There's a rhythm to the rolling, a quiet conversation between texture and technique. The artisans don’t measure with teaspoons—they work by feel, by scent, by knowing when it’s just right.
Once shaped, the incense rests. No rush, no shortcuts. Just time doing what it does best - bringing everything together.
And when it’s done, what you’re left with is more than just something that smells good. It’s a crafted experience, one that carries the imprint of hands, heritage, and a little bit of mystery.
Here's a quick video for you to see a bit of the process behind the making of traditional hand-rolled masala and durbar incenses.
Film courtesy of wildfilmsindia.com
The Heart of Tradition: Ingredients of Durbar & Masala Incense
Durbar incense doesn’t play by modern rules—it follows ancient instincts. Its ingredients aren’t trendy wellness buzzwords; they’re time-tested essentials that have earned their place through centuries of smoke and symbolism.
These materials weren’t just picked for how they smell. They were chosen because they’ve stood at the crossroads of spirit and scent for generations.
This isn't a blend slapped together in a lab. It's a formula passed down like a family secret—messy, mystical, and undeniably effective.
Each component is rich with cultural weight, and when they combine, they don’t just make a scent; they tell a story you can smell.
Here are a few of the core characters in this aromatic ensemble:
Frankincense: resinous, complex, and ancient— sourced from Somalia, Ethiopia and east Indian varieties known as Sambrani-Benzoin Loban.
Sandalwood: smooth, grounding, buttery and gently sweet, it wraps the scent in a calm embrace. Sandalwood traditionally was sourced from Mysore, however, due to scarcity, blight, and overharvesting, production has shifted to Australia and China. Original pure Mysore Sandalwood is the highest grade but has been blocked for export by the Indian government.
Myrrh: bittersweet and smoky, it adds depth with a touch of mystique. Often Indian Myrrh known as Guggal resin is employed.
Halmadi: scent is derived from the Ailanthus triphysa tree, in the pine family and native to India, this ingredient is also rare and only present in natural form in the most expensive Indian durbars. Modern techniques mimic its fragrance with various oils that smell similar.
Aloeswood: also known as aguru, agarwood, and oudh, is a sophisticated, masculine, fragrant wood primarily sourced from jungles of Southeast Asia, with highest grades from Vietnam. Due to current extreme rarity and cost, many modern incenses employ synthetic alternatives.
Together, each forms a foundation that's both bold and balanced—assertive without shouting, soothing without disappearing.
Other scents are sometimes added including ground patchouli leaves, lavender flowers, cedarwood needles, or fragrant amber resin from the Himalayas, to offer diversity, while the main melody remains unmistakably durbar.
Durbar and masala incense doesn’t ask for your attention—it earns it. As the smoke weaves its way through a room, it softens edges and sharpens moments.
What you get with each burn is more than a blend of materials—it’s a nod to craft, patience, and the human desire to make something meaningful out of the everyday. It’s a little old-school, a little mysterious, and fully alive in its simplicity.
A Symphony of Scent: The Unique Aroma and Richness of Masala & Durbar Incenses
Part of the magic lies in the materials themselves.
The base mix draws from:
Ground sandalwood, for warmth and grounding
Natural gums or resins, which hold everything together and extend the burn
Crushed botanicals and spices, carefully chosen for their scent and soul
Layers of scent that work in harmony. This approach allows the incense to burn softer, smell richer, and stay truer to its natural tone. Not mass-produced, not rushed—just crafted with care. As it smolders, the scent doesn’t just fill the room; it reshapes it. A little calmer. A bit clearer. Maybe even more sacred.
So, when you strike that flame, know this: soft masala incense isn’t just about what you smell. It’s what you feel, remember, and reconnect with—without needing anything more than a quiet moment and an open mind.
Experience the Depth of Durbar & Masala Incense from Matchless Gifts,
Soft masala incense isn’t just something you burn—it’s something you experience. It brings together centuries of tradition, craftsmanship, and sensory richness into each wisp of smoke.
These scents aren’t here just to smell nice; they’re here to ground you, move you, and make your space feel just a little more meaningful.
Every stick tells a story—of skilled hands blending ancient ingredients, of rituals passed down, and of scents that still resonate across time.
Your incense doesn’t just fill the air; it shifts it. It brings stillness to busy days, depth to quiet nights, and a sense of connection to something older, steadier, and quietly powerful.
Your collection of Mystic Temple durbar incenses brings you the depth and complexity for you to try. Here's your link for masala incense varieties we offer you, both in Mystic Temple brand as well as other fine Indian incenses selected for you.
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