SANDAL WOOD TREE
DESCRIPTION
Sandalwood (Santalum album) is a part of Indian culture and heritage. It is the epitome of human excellence, imparting fragrance even to the axe that fells it.
Sandalwood finds a description in the oldest of Indian literature. It finds a mention in the ancient epic Ramayana (around 2000 B.C.). It has been used as an object in ritualistic offerings and also as an ointment for beauty aid. It has nearly 15 different names in the Indian languages, "Chandan(a)" being the Hindi name. In Indonesia too it is called "Cendana."
In the past, it has been said that Santalum album was introduced in India from Timor Island of Indonesia. But sandalwood has such inextricable links with Indian culture, literature, and ethos that it is difficult to support the hypothesis of its introduction.
Sandalwood is growing and regenerating naturally under favourable conditions in India. It is part of the indigenous vegetation and has been spreading in its distribution. However, several factors now threaten the important status of sandalwood.
This paper describes the distribution, ecology, growth habit, and uses of sandalwood in India. Nursery and plantation techniques for growing sandalwood from seeds are given. Current threats to the resource are identified.
Properties and uses
Sandalwood is commercially known as the East Indian sandalwood and its oil the East Indian sandalwood oil.
The heartwood that constitutes the central part of the tree Middle Eastern and other countries. The wood is used for burning in certain rituals by Hindus, Buddhists, and others. The wood paste and oil are used as coolants. The wood paste is also used as an ointment to dissipate heat and as a beauty aid. There are excellent descriptions by Kalidasa of this use of sandalwood in his Sanskrit epics (300 B.C.).
Sandalwood oil is mainly used in the perfume industry. The oil is an excellent base and fixative for other high-grade perfumes. Most top-grade perfumes have sandalwood oil as their base. In itself, it is an excellent, mild, long-lasting, and sweet perfume, yet the industry finds that it can blend very well with other perfumes and does not impart its fragrance when used as a base. It can also fix the better perfumes, which are volatile, for longer hours. Several chemicals have been tried in this role, yet sandalwood oil has retained its place of pride. From perfumery to joss sticks, there are several hundred products that use sandalwood oil. It is also used in the soap industry.
Sandalwood oil has antipyretic, antiseptic, anti scabietic, and diuretic properties. It is also effective in the treatment of bronchitis, cystitis, dysuria, and diseases of the urinary tract. The oil has an important place in the indigenous system of medicine. It is considered a cure for a migraine.
Sandalwood is used for carving and other artefacts. The sapwood and sometimes the mixed woods are used for manufacturing joss sticks. From the exhausted sandalwood powder, an entirely new essential oil has been produced by the process of hydrolysis.
DESCRIPTION
Sandalwood (Santalum album) is a part of Indian culture and heritage. It is the epitome of human excellence, imparting fragrance even to the axe that fells it.
Sandalwood finds a description in the oldest of Indian literature. It finds a mention in the ancient epic Ramayana (around 2000 B.C.). It has been used as an object in ritualistic offerings and also as an ointment for beauty aid. It has nearly 15 different names in the Indian languages, "Chandan(a)" being the Hindi name. In Indonesia too it is called "Cendana."
In the past, it has been said that Santalum album was introduced in India from Timor Island of Indonesia. But sandalwood has such inextricable links with Indian culture, literature, and ethos that it is difficult to support the hypothesis of its introduction.
Sandalwood is growing and regenerating naturally under favourable conditions in India. It is part of the indigenous vegetation and has been spreading in its distribution. However, several factors now threaten the important status of sandalwood.
This paper describes the distribution, ecology, growth habit, and uses of sandalwood in India. Nursery and plantation techniques for growing sandalwood from seeds are given. Current threats to the resource are identified.
Properties and uses
Sandalwood is commercially known as the East Indian sandalwood and its oil the East Indian sandalwood oil.
The heartwood that constitutes the central part of the tree Middle Eastern and other countries. The wood is used for burning in certain rituals by Hindus, Buddhists, and others. The wood paste and oil are used as coolants. The wood paste is also used as an ointment to dissipate heat and as a beauty aid. There are excellent descriptions by Kalidasa of this use of sandalwood in his Sanskrit epics (300 B.C.).
Sandalwood oil is mainly used in the perfume industry. The oil is an excellent base and fixative for other high-grade perfumes. Most top-grade perfumes have sandalwood oil as their base. In itself, it is an excellent, mild, long-lasting, and sweet perfume, yet the industry finds that it can blend very well with other perfumes and does not impart its fragrance when used as a base. It can also fix the better perfumes, which are volatile, for longer hours. Several chemicals have been tried in this role, yet sandalwood oil has retained its place of pride. From perfumery to joss sticks, there are several hundred products that use sandalwood oil. It is also used in the soap industry.
Sandalwood oil has antipyretic, antiseptic, anti scabietic, and diuretic properties. It is also effective in the treatment of bronchitis, cystitis, dysuria, and diseases of the urinary tract. The oil has an important place in the indigenous system of medicine. It is considered a cure for a migraine.
Sandalwood is used for carving and other artefacts. The sapwood and sometimes the mixed woods are used for manufacturing joss sticks. From the exhausted sandalwood powder, an entirely new essential oil has been produced by the process of hydrolysis.
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