Manufacture of Agarbatti (Incense Sticks)

Ever wanted to make your own incense sticks at home? Love the ones available from Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry? Maybe you can try it now! You can even use food colors to get various colorful incense sticks! Here's an excerpted article from my Grandfathers' Diary, Dated January, Saturday 22nd, 1966.

Agarbatti or Incense sticks are very pleasing to the senses and can be made
in various fragrances, light one in the morning and your day is instantly fragrant!

You will need:
8 parts of powdered charcoal
2 parts of maida (refined flour or self raising flour)
1/4th part of potassium nitride
4 parts of water
Attar (perfumed oils of your choice)
Sufficient quantity of white oil and water mixed in the proportion of 5:1
Thin bamboo twigs


Mix the powdered charcoal, maida, potassium nitride and water to form a paste of medium consistency. Cut bamboo into required lengths and roll in the paste one by one so that they are fully covered with the mix. Dip the sticks in the white oil and attar mix. Leave to dry in the sun.


(The above is from "Laghu Udyog" in Marathi, by G.B. Golwalkar, available from Vridhasrham, Ward G, Plot No. 336, Kotitheerth Udyamnagar, Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Cost Rs 3/-)