Malaan Gaudhoop – Kanak Bhawan

Kanak Bhawan was the second sample that Alok Pandey of Malaan Gaudhoop sent me. He is the nose and the mind behind the brand; the one who composes fragrances with profound knowledge and attention to detail and develops the incense recipes.

The first box of Kanak Bhawan he sent me was only a preliminary version; the recipe still had a few teething problems that needed to be cured before they were ready for market launch. This batch had a flaw that could cause the sticks to extinguish, making them unsuitable for sale. BTW, most of it was donated to a temple rather than thrown away. 🙂
The final version, which I’m now finally able to try, also has a slightly higher proportion of oils than before.

A package contains 50g or about 15 sticks. These are ~ 9cm long and have an approximate diameter of 6mm. I found the sticks burned for about one hour.
Kanak Bhawan can be purchased in Germany from Indiaroma (€7.95), in the Czech Republic from Rymer (249 CZK), and in the USA from Exotic Incense ($8.00) as well as from Everest Trader ($10.00).
The dhoop sticks come in a sealed aroma bag; a matching ceramic holder is included. You’ll also find the following leaflet:

The text on the back informs that the revenue from the sales of the Malaan Gaudhoop brand benefits the family-run Gaolao Breeding Centre, which is dedicated to the preservation of the endangered Indian cow breed Gaolao.
The dung of these cows is collected, dried and processed into Biochar, which is then used in the dhoops as it burns very cleanly and at the same time (due to its fine porosity) encloses and retains the oils contained in the recipe.

The text also lists a range of general ingredients: Raal (Damar Batu), Frankincense, Benzoin, Guggul, Myrrh, Copal and Halmaddi; plus herbs, honey, woods, and both essential and perfume oils.

Now that my review is drafted, I have allowed myself to read the recently published review on ORS. Mike quotes Alok, who lists the following fragrance notes:
“Lily of the valley, facets of jasmine, geranium, rose, together with patchouli, cedarwood, sandalwood, musk and some gourmand elements such as ethyl vanillin and coumarin.“

Kanak Bhawan [Palace of Gold] smells fresh like a gentle breeze on a warm early summer day. It’s profile shares an intersection with the type of scents that I perceive as clean and remind me of freshly washed laundry, although Kanak Bhawan does not smell soapy in any way. I have to add, that this association is significantly less pronounced with the current sticks.
One aspect of the floral component smells lavender-like to me. Alok wrote to me in one of our emails that he knows why. I asked him not to tell me anything in advance so as not to influence my impression. But now I am very curious about what he has to tell me!
It’s a powdery note that, together with a very fine, tart and almost herbaceous smell, makes me think of lavender.
Furthermore, I smell a subtle similarity to Swarna Champa; a jasmine-like florality, which in Kanak Bhawan makes up only a small part of the bouquet, while I find it predominant in Swarna Champa.
Which other flowers might be hidden in this complex bouquet, I cannot figure out.

In the background, I sense the resins in the base, which I found more prominent in the previous version. Sometimes I could pick out the Raal in there and perceived the resinousness as frankincense-like, which also brought in a slightly fruity note. In the final version, I don’t know if I could still name the resins. However, I still smell a slight fruitiness.
The blend now generally smells rounded, as the actual aroma is now only supported by the resins, instead of them standing almost equal beside the perfume.

At the heart of the composition, I find a sophisticated sweetness, from which an occasional vanilla-like tone emerges. This aspect brings more warmth into the arrangement and acts as a mediator between the other elements.
Like the resins, the sandalwood has also receded further into the background. I still find it in the softness of the scent, but I can only really isolate it in the raw smell and a while after the stick has burnt out.

I’m entranced by the composition of Kanak Bhawan, despite the fact that it doesn’t align with my typical incense preferences. With each stick I ignite, I grow more fond of it. Its multi-layered character and complexity are remarkable.

Already in 2024, Alok wrote to me that 2 years of development and corresponding resources had gone into Kanak Bhawan. It is a labour of love, and I think you can smell that with every breath.