What Every Indian Homemaker Should Know
In most Indian households, lighting incense is a daily ritual.
For morning pooja, evening prayers, or simply to make the home smell pleasant, incense sticks have been part of our tradition for generations.
But today, not all incense is what it seems.
As a specialist working closely with Indian consumers and wellness brands, I want to gently bring attention to an important issue that directly affects the health of your family—especially children, elders, and homemakers who spend the most time indoors.
The Problem: Modern incense is no longer traditional
Traditionally, incense was made using herbs, resins, flowers, and natural oils.
These ingredients were chosen not only for fragrance but also for their purifying and calming properties.
Today, many mass-market incense sticks are produced using synthetic fragrance oils, chemical solvents, artificial dyes, and coal or petroleum-based binders.
When burned, these release fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air—pollutants that remain trapped inside homes.
What you are really breathing in
Chemical incense smoke may contain:
• Synthetic fragrance compounds
• Chemical fixatives
• Artificial colours
• Petroleum or coal-based fillers
This smoke is inhaled repeatedly, day after day.
How chemical incense affects your family
Children:
• Triggers cough, cold, and wheezing
• Can worsen asthma or breathing sensitivity
• Long-term exposure may affect lung development
Elders:
• Increases breathlessness
• Aggravates heart and lung conditions
• Causes headaches and eye irritation
Homemakers:
• Maximum exposure due to time spent indoors
• Frequent headaches, sinus problems, fatigue
• Skin irritation and migraine triggered by synthetic fragrances
Many women unknowingly blame stress or weather, while the cause may be daily incense smoke.
Why Indian homes are more vulnerable
Indian homes often have:
• Smaller rooms
• Closed windows during AC or monsoon
• Daily incense use, sometimes multiple times a day
This causes smoke to accumulate with little ventilation, turning a spiritual habit into indoor air pollution.
Strong frangrance is a warning sign
Natural incense:
• Smells soft and earthy
• Does not overpower the room
• Smoke disperses quickly
Chemical incense:
• Smells very strong even before lighting
• Irritates throat and eyes
• Leaves smell on clothes and curtains
If incense fragrance lingers unnaturally long, it is likely synthetic.
Safer and traditional alternatives
To protect your family:
• Choose herbal or resin-based incense
• Prefer essential oils over fragrance oils
• Avoid sticks with artificial colours
• Burn incense only in ventilated areas
• Use less quantity
Our ancestors used incense to purify the air, not pollute it.
Spirituality should heal, not harm
Pooja is meant to bring peace, positivity, and protection.
Not headaches, coughing, or discomfort.
As Indian homemakers, you are the guardians of your family’s health.
Making mindful choices—even in small daily rituals—creates a healthier and happier home.
Final thought
Before lighting incense, ask yourself:
Is this nourishing my home, or silently harming it?
A conscious choice today protects your family for years to come.
