Mysore Agarbathi or Oodabathi as it is known in Kannada is a variety of incense sticks manufactured using locally grown ingredients which was found only in state of Karnataka. When lighted these sticks diffuses fragrance. They are mainly used in places of religious worships as well as at residences.
The use of incense, sandalwood, camphor, musk and saffron have existed since vedic periods. Agarbathi finds a place in all mantras chanted during poojas. For example – Dhoopam Samarpayami or Sasangam Samrpayamai. Agarbathi is an extension of Dhoopa which is normally in the form of small billets / sticks.
Dasanga is in powder form and sprinkled over fire, emits fragrance. Doopa are smaller sticks which does not have bamboo at its core. Agarbathis are rolled over bamboo and emits continuous fragrance through smoke.
Raw materials for making these sacred incense products are the same. Traditionally they are rolled by hand. Use of incense sticks become much prevalent during Maurya, Gupta and Mughal periods.
The art of agarbathi making originated in Cauvery Delta region during Maratha rule, and flourished in Bengaluru and Mysuru region after few families migrated to this region. The manufacture of agarbathi as an industry was started approximately in 1885 in the then princely state of Mysore (now part of Karnataka). Now 70% of agarbathis produced from India is from Karnataka.
Agarbathi is traditionally manufactured by using aromatic materials found in nature and when burnt, spreads in fragrance, through the medium of smoke. Fragrances of each agarbathi product is obtained by using various combinations of aromatic substances to improve fragrances resulting in standalone products.
Herbs, flower petals, roots, barks, natural essential oils, resins, charcoal and the like are finely ground into smooth paste and then rolled on to a bamboo stick and then dried undersun. Special wood like sandalwood (especially Santalum album) and Ailanthus malabaricum (which yields halmadi) and other natural ingredients used in the production were geographically available only in Karnataka.
Certain type of bathis known as Gila Dhoop were manufactured as wet bathis, which burns slowly. These Gila Dhoop are typically used in the northern parts of the India especially in Punjab and Haryana.
The uniqueness of agarbathi is that the fragrance which emanates before burning and after burning need not be similar. The heat generated when agarbathi is burned transform the aroma ingredients and bolster it to arrive at its own fragrances.
GI Tag Registration Date : 02 June 2005
GI Tag Number : 13 & 18
Certificate Number : 11
Geographical Area : Karnataka
Special Cover Release Date : 31 August 2021
Cancellation : Bengaluru 560 001
Type : GI Tag Cover
Cover Identification Number : KTK/34/2021
Each cover is numbered and 3000 covers are issued in Total.
Enlarged View of Cancellation
No comments:
Post a Comment