Mild Fragrances in the Hills, Strong Notes in the Plains: Sanjeev Jha
Siliguri, considered the hub of the incense industry in North Bengal, sees sandalwood fragrance as the most preferred choice. However, across the entire North Bengal region, there is a distinct demand for different fragrances in the hilly and plain areas. While light and mild fragrances are popular in the hills, strong or hard fragrances are preferred in the plains. Speaking to Sugandh India, Mr. Sanjeev Jha, head of Bandana Agency in Siliguri, said that in Sikkim and other hilly regions, people prefer light and mild fragrances because of the cooler climate and the habit of keeping doors and windows closed. Similarly, pouch packaging does not work there. On one hand, the government has imposed restrictions on plastic, and on the other, consumers themselves do not prefer pouches.
He further explained that in contrast, people in the plains keep their doors and windows open and use fans, which is why they prefer slightly stronger fragrances. Responding to another question on fragrance preferences, he said that Siliguri, being home to people from different parts of the country, has a mixed fragrance trend. However, even within this mix, sandalwood remains the most favored. Consumers may switch fragrances once or twice, but eventually return to sandalwood.
Bandana Agency is a well known name in the incense trade in the Siliguri market. Mr. Sanjeev Jha told Sugandh India that he represents the second generation in his family’s incense business. His father started the business in Kolkata in 1972, and in 1989, it was registered under the name Mangaldeep Firm. His father, Mr. Jaychand Jha, and uncle, Mr. Devchand Jha, began trading in incense. As part of the second generation, he started working in Siliguri, North Bengal, in 2004. In this way, their family has been in the incense business for over six decades.
In response to another question, he shared that he oversees North Bengal, with a supply network extending from Siliguri to Assam and Sikkim. Earlier, goods were also supplied to Nepal, but that has now stopped. Similarly, although the Bangladesh border is accessible from the Phulwari side of Siliguri, only stone is traded through it. Incense and other FMCG products are supplied through the Kolkata border.
The agency handles all the companies that are associated with the Mangaldeep Firm in Kolkata. While Mangaldeep manages supply in South Bengal, Bandana Agency covers the entire North Bengal region. The agency primarily deals with brands such as Amrutha, Charu, Siddhi Vinayak Fragrance (Jaipur), Naveen Products, Raunak Fragrance (Bengaluru), and Shesh Mohan (Bengaluru).
Speaking about the market differences between South and North Bengal, he said there is a significant difference in consumer taste. Packaging also varies. In South Bengal, ₹20 pouches are the most popular, whereas in North Bengal, pouch packaging has not yet gained traction. However, ₹3 pouches have recently been introduced here. Boxes priced at ₹20 and ₹30 MRP are the most commonly sold, with the ₹20 box leading in volume. He added that in Kolkata, packs priced at ₹5, ₹10, and ₹20, along with higher quantity products, are in demand, while in North Bengal and Siliguri, consumers consider quantity along with quality and price.
Responding to another query, Mr. Jha said that among incense brands, Zed Black and ITC perform strongly in this market. Other products such as Darshan’s Black Stone, Bharat Darshan, Cycle, Balaji, Amrutha, Bansi, Charu, Parimal Mandir, Shakuntala, andn Shalimar are also widely sold. He noted that the market share of wet and dry dhoop is around 15%, while incense sticks account for 85%. In wet dhoop, Zed Black, Bansi, and ITC leadthe market. Zed Black enjoys a monopoly due to its affordability and quality. In sambrani cups, Cycle’s Naivedya leads, followed by products from other companies.
In Siliguri, the camphor market is mainly driven by stores dealing in puja materials. Brands like Mangalam and Saraswati are popular in this segment.
He further shared that within the Charu brand, the Maa Bhavani range is the top seller. Charu recently launched three new series, which have performed very well. The Five Star range, which was recently updated, has regained traction. Ugadi is also doing well. Similarly, all products under the Amrutha brand perform strongly, as it is considered a class brand, and its entire range benefits from brand trust. Its Lavender and 3-in-1 variants are particularly popular.
He also mentioned that the agency handles products from PS (Indore), Naveen, and Bansi (Jaipur), which are performing satisfactorily. In dhoop, Bansi offers several variants that are doing well, with Mangal Kamna being especially popular.
Answering another question, he said that on average, a customer spends between ₹50 to ₹100 per month. On brand loyalty, he noted that there is no strong loyalty in this market. Consumers keep experimenting with fragrances. They try different products from various companies and even within the same brand. If they do not like a fragrance, they switch. However, sandalwood remains evergreen. Even when consumers change brands, they still look for sandalwood.
