Incense In The Wind

Radiating Incense In The Wind - a painting by Hai Linh Le

Thursday 16 May 2013

Gokula-incense

   


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Doing a search for Goloka incense on the internet, I discovered the Gokula-incense site, which has a wonderful samples offer. I bought sixty different scents for £9.30 including postage. The site is run by Mukunda dasa, who has travelled as a monk around India and to various Hare Krishna temples; and Gauriji Devi, who has a passion for incense. As of 2021, the website says Mark, rather than Mukunda dasa. 

The samples come from three brands: Gokula, Gopala and the higher quality (and slightly more expensive) Gaura brand. I am unsure of what the difference is between each brand - perhaps different suppliers? I may ask one day. There is also incense from Radha Madhav, a Bangalore based Krishna incense company.   Anyway, all the sticks are hand rolled in India. The package was sent with a hand-written note, and a colourful booklet on Lord Krishna. Each sample has its own plastic bag on which the name is hand written. The aroma from the package is very sweet and very promising. 

Mukunda / Mark has confirmed to me that they source "from different suppliers in India and other
locations also. We also have some scents from Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi of Pune."  As of 2021 the incense is organised into:
Classic Quality, which is sold in red packets at £2.95 for 20gm, and in Bundle Savers at £22.95 for 250gm;
Connoisseur Quality, which  is sold in purple packets at £3.95 for 20gm, and in Bundle savers at £32.95 for 250gm;
Chakra: Ayurvedic Healing Incense, which is sold at £3.95 for 20 gm;
* Meditation: Ayurvedic Healing Incense, which is sold at £3.95 for 20gm; 
* Primo, which is sold at £3.95 for 20gm; 
* Radha Madhav, which is sold at £7.99 for 200gm; 
* Cones, which are sold at £1.95 for 18 gm; and 
* Sample packs

See Radha Madhav Agarbatti for reviews of Radha Madhav incense sold by Gokula

See Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS) for reviews of Primo, Gaura, and Gokula Connoisseur incense sold by Gokula

Reviews

* = Reviews over 5 years old


Gokula Gaura Radharani
Aug 2019 - Score: 46


Gopala Parvati
May 2013 - Score: 45*


Gokula Goloka Supreme (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 45↑ 



May 2013 - Score: 44*

  
Gaura Absolute Hari Leela (M)
Oct 2023 - Score: 44


Gokula Shyam
Feb 2024 - Score: 43


Gokula Everest
Nov 2021 - Score: 43


Gokula Prabhupada Special
July 2017 - Score: 42*


Gopala Darshan Flora
(also see Happy Hari Darshan Flora)
May 2013 - Score: 40*


Gokula Gauranga
Aug 2019 - Score: 39


Gokula Floral Champa (M)
Nov 2021 - Score: 37


Gaura Nepal Musk
July 2017 - Score: 36*

 
Gokula Connoisseur Royal Tube Rose (M)
Sept 2023 - Score: 35 

 
Gokula Ananda Flora Fluxo (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 34


   
Gokula Vrindavan Supreme (M)
Aug 2019 - Score: 33 


 Mar 2024) - Score: 32↓


Gokula Agarwood & Musk (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 32↓↑


Gaura Rose Supreme
July 2017 - Score: 30

  
Gokula Vrindavan Flower (M)
June 2019 - Score: 30


Gokula Connoisseur Tulsi Vrinda (M)
Feb 2024 - Score: 30





Gokula Gaura Super Night Queen (M)
 Nov 2021 - Score: 27 


  


Gokula Incense Cones Rajnigandha
March 2020 - Score: 
19


Gokula Incense Cones Mogra 
Feb 2020 - Score: 19


Scents reviewed: 22
Highest score: 46
Lowest Score: 19





The Gokula Catalogue  
(* means it has been reviewed)

*NOTE* Gokula changed the names of some their incense in 2019, the pre-2019 names are in brackets.

Gokula Brand

Kesar Chandan
Vrindavana Flower
Dabari
* Everest
* Radha Rasabihari
Himalaya
Frank Incense
Chandan Supreme
Nag Champa Special
Visnu Priya
Jasmin Masala
Rasa Leela
* S(h)yam
Green Champa
* Gauranga
Tulasi Masala
* Prabhupada Special
Rose Special
Madhuvan


Gaura Brand - Now called Primo (also sold as Gokula Connoisseur)
Sourced from Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi and listed under Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS)

* Vrindavan Supreme
Absolute Agarwood
Pink Sayli
* Nepal Musk
* Super Patchouli
* Aguru
* Rose Supreme
Narayan Supreme
* Absolute Cedarwood
Vrindavan Champa
* Absolute Sandalwood
* Super Night Queen
Absolute Hari-Leela
*Absolute Chaitanya
* Goloka Supreme
Vaikuntha Supreme
Shiva Shambhu
* Chocolate Supreme
Absolute Night Queen
Gold Flora
Gold Sandal
Gold Highness
Super Flora
Radharani
Krishna Champa


Gokula Classic (Gopala Brand)

Chintamani
Gopi Priya
* Darshan Flora
Govardhan
Jasmine
Krishna Balaram
Lotus
Saraswati
Special Sandal
White Frank
* Parvati
Ganga Yamuna
Nandini (Tulsi
)

Gokula Classic

Apple & Strawberry (Krishna Balaram)
Chandan (Chandan Supreme)
Cinnamon (Syam)
Earth Flora (Madhuvan)
Everest (Everest)
Frankincense (Frankincense)
Green Apple (Saraswati)
Green Champa (Green Champa)
Himalaya (Himalaya)
Honey Champa (Dabari)
Jasmine (Jasmine Masala)
Jasmine & Kadam (Govardhan)
Kesar Chandan (Kesar Chandan )
Lotus (Lotus)
Musk & Saffron (Darshan Flora)
Nag Champa (Nag Champa Special)
OM Shanti (Prabhupada)
Rose (Rose Special)
Sandalwood (Special Sandal)
Summer Fruits (Rasa Leela)
Tube Rose (Tube Rose)
Tulasi (Tulasi Masala)
* Vrindavan Flower (Vrindavan Flower)

Gokula Connoisseur - Also see Primo and  Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS) 

See Haridas Madhavdas Sugandhi (HMS) for reviews of Primo and Gokula Connoisseur incense sold by Gokula

Agar Sandal (Gold Flora)
* Agarwood & Musk (Agarwood Supreme)
Agarwood & Vanilla (Absolute Agarwood)
Aloeswood & Jasmine (Aguru)
Amber (Super Amber)
Amber & Frankincensem (Ganga Yamuna)
* Bakula Flower (Absolute Hari Leela)
Blue Lotus (Blue Lotus)
Cedarwood (Absolute Cedarwood)
Celestial Fruits (Madhuri Radhika)
*Chocolate & Vanilla (Chocolate Supreme)
* Flora Fluxo (Super Flora)
Floral Bouquet (Gold Highness)
* Floral Champa (Krishna Champa)
Gold Sandal (Gold Sandal)
Golden Champa (Golden Champa)
Jasmine & Lotus (Mukunda Supreme)
Jasmine & Nag Champa (Narayan Supreme)
Lilac Flower ( Pink Sayli)
Lotus & Kewra (Lotus & Kewra)
Marigold & Juhi (Shiva Shambu)
Musk & Amber (Musk & Amber)
Musk & Champa (Musk & Champa)
Musk Heena (Musk Heena)
*Mystic Champa (Absolute Chaitanya)
Mystic Night Queen (Absolute Night Queen)
Nepal Musk (Nepal Musk)
Parijata Flower (Parijata Flower)
* Patchouli (Super Patchouli)
Pink Rose (Rose Supreme)
Rose & Saffron (Radharani)
Royal Green Champa (Super Green Champa)
Royal Kesar Chandan (Super Kesar Chandan)
Royal Nag Champa (Super Nag Champa)
* Royal Tube Rose (Royal Tube Rose)
Royal Vrindavan Flower (Super Vrindavan Flower)
Sandalwood & Myrrh (Vaikuntha Supreme)
* Sandalwood & Saffron (Vrindavan Supreme)
Sandalwood & Vanilla (Absolute Sandalwood)
Shiva Nag Champa (Varshana)
* Tulsi Vrinda (Nandini)


A traditional masala Indian incense company based in Bangalore.

See Radha Madhav Agarbatti for reviews of Radha Madhav incense sold by Gokula

Sandal Supreme
*Radha Madhav
*Damodar
*Gopal
Nag Champa
*Pushpanjali
Parijata
*Jagannath
Tulsi (vrinda)
* Tulsi chandan (vrinda chandan)
Vrindavan Flower
Kesar Chandan
White Rose



4 comments:

  1. Goloka incense is pretty popular.
    Always a good choice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Do you know if there is anywhere in the US I couple purchase any of these?

    Chocolate supreme by Gaura has great review on
    https://olfactoryrescueservice.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gokula are importers. Difficult to know exactly, but some of their Indian sources are the same as

      https://krishnastore.com/other-items-incense-om-69_49.html

      Also Corey Topel of Absolute Bliss incense has some from other suppliers that Gokula uses or as close to their styles as makes no difference (Indian incense makers tend to use the same methods and styles and scents, and will copy each other a lot, especially if someone is successful).

      http://www.absoluteblissincense.com

      Delete
  3. It seems that Gokula's Connoisseur Musk & Amber is priced slightly higher than any other stick in their line and deservedly so. This is a super premium stick. A handmade thicker stick with a powerful scent of amber and musk. Gokula lists the ingredients as musk and amber with subtle notes of Frankincense, Hina and Sandalwood. This is a massive scent and I think there is also halmaddi used here. Sweet and pungent mixed wonderfully on all levels. Slow burning at 1.5 hours. A little goes a long way.

    ReplyDelete

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