At the “Sugandh India Expo Varanasi-2024, the chief guest of the event “Pt. Narendra Sharma, head of the Tiranga Agarbatti Group, while addressing the event, raised a concern. He pointed out that while smoking lounges exist in airports, railway stations, and public places, incense products are banned in certain temples. He expressed his worry about this practice, particularly in the context of a grand temple like Ayodhya, where devotees are unable to offer traditional religious items like incense, tika, tilak, etc. Pt. Sharma emphasized the importance ofhigh-quality incense products for religious use. He stated that both manufacturers and worshippers should prioritize quality materials for devotional purposes, as these offerings represent acts of devotion to deities.
Following his remarks, Pt. Sharma commended the success of the “Sugandh India Expo 2024” held in Varanasi, the city of Baba Vishwanath. He welcomed the Sugandh India magazine team and business representatives from across the country. He expressed the belief that Kashi offers a unique erspective on life, family, and the world, where happiness is more crucial than prosperity, and a harmonious family life is like a beautiful fragrance.
Responding to Pt. Sharma’s welcome, Sugandh India magazine editor, Arif Farooqui, expressed gratitude for the Tiranga Agarbatti family’s support. He acknowledged their generous advertisement campaign in Uttar Pradesh newspapers, which welcomed participants from all over the country. Mr. Farooqui also expressed his personal appreciation for Pt. Sharma’s long standing support.
The magazine’s managing editor, Farid Asim Farooqui, presented bouquets of flowers to prominent guests, including Mr. Dipen Haria head of Balaji Agarbatti Company (main sponsor), Mr. Jagrit Jain, head of Devdarshan Dhoop Agarbatti Company, Chandigarh (co-sponsor), and Mr. Rupesh Anchan, VP Sales, Oriental Aromatic Limited, Mumbai (co-sponsor). The two-day expo welcomed business owners from across India, including those from Uttar Pradesh. Excited by the event’s success, Mr. Farooqui announced plans to hold the next expo in a different city in 2025. Many companies, both large and small, secured business deals and agreements during the expo. The overall atmosphere fostered a thriving business environment, leaving all participants satisfied and optimistic. Pt. Sharma reiterated the significance of incense sticks and fragrances in Indian tradition. He emphasized the importance of reviving the practice of burning incense in religious households, both morning and evening. He believes this tradition would instill religious values in younger generations.
He further urged the audience to inform children about the importance of festivals and prayers. He also expressed concern about the influence of foreign companies selling products based solely on marketing strategies. He urged Indian businesses to prioritize the quality of their products to compete effectively. Finally, Pt. Sharma made a powerful point about societal values: while people readily spend on other things, they often seek inexpensive products for religious offerings. He emphasized that we should not offer inferior goods to deities but choose items we ourselves value. He concluded by saying that this was a very successful event of Sugandh India magazine and such events should keep happening.
Venue : Mumbai
Date 12th and 13th April 2025