Ganesh incense holder: the classic Indian incense plank
This is the holder you find in households all over India: a narrow, gently curved plank of dark wood with one end tilted upwards. That raised end carries a small hole. The incense stick slots into it at an angle above the plank, so the ash drops onto the wood instead of your table. A line of inlaid stars in a brass colour runs along the plank, and a figure of Ganesh sits at the wide end.
Ganesh is the Hindu deity with the elephant head, known as the remover of obstacles. He is traditionally called on at the start of something new: a journey, a move, a course of study. On an incense holder that fits, because lighting incense marks exactly those moments in many homes, from the first hour of the morning to the last of the evening. The carving and the inlay are done by hand, so the grain of the wood and the placing of the stars differ from one piece to the next.
Using the holder
Light the tip of the stick, blow the flame out after a few seconds and set the stick in the hole. Place the holder on a level surface and allow for the length of the stick, since ash falls onto the plank slowly as it burns. Pick a spot out of a draught and never leave burning incense unattended.
Cleaning and storage
Wipe the ash away with a dry or slightly damp cloth and let the wood dry afterwards. Keep the holder out of the washing-up bowl, as neither wood nor brass takes kindly to prolonged water. In the same category Avalon Magic Plants stocks incense sticks from Satya and Nag Champa, Natural Agarbatti, loose white sage and backflow holders with matching cones.
