Aalayam

Kungiliyam is a natural tree resin, sold in rough white and grey lumps. In Tamil homes it is the classic sambrani, burnt in a small clay or brass dhoopam after the morning bath, on Friday evenings and before a festival puja. Aalayam bags it loose, so you can take as much or as little as each offering needs. The pack is marked for puja use only and is not food.

We keep Aalayam with the rest of our pooja essentials, part of the personal care and household department. It sits beside incense, lamp wicks and the other small things a home shrine runs through over a month.

To burn it, light a piece of charcoal in a fireproof holder and wait until the edges turn grey. Drop two or three lumps of kungiliyam on top; they soften, bubble and release smoke within a minute. Carry the holder slowly from room to room, or set it in front of the shrine while you say your prayers. Some families also wave the smoke over freshly washed hair to dry and scent it, as grandmothers did.

Store the bag sealed, in a cool and dry cupboard away from the kitchen, so the resin keeps its scent and does not pick up moisture. Keep the lit holder well clear of curtains and children. For a lamp to burn beside it, see the ghee and oils we stock, keeping lamp ghee for the shrine only.