Sandalwood Sticks

A solid piece of heartwood and a wet grinding stone is still how chandan paste is made in most Indian homes and temples. Rub the stick in slow circles and the paste comes up fresh, fragrant, and exactly as thick as you want it.

Choosing a size

Sticks are sold by weight, from 40 g to 1 kg. A 40–50 g piece suits a household shrine and daily tilak. Temples, ceremonies and antim sanskar generally need 250 g upward. Because these are natural pieces cut from whole heartwood, each one differs slightly in shape and grain.

White or red

The white chandan stick is the fragrant one — for pooja, meditation and cooling skin paste. The red lal chandan stick has little scent but a deep natural colour, used for red tilak and traditional face preparations.

Care

Keep the stick dry between uses and store it away from perfume and strong-smelling household items — sandalwood absorbs odours readily. Wipe the grinding stone clean so old paste does not dry onto it.