SANDALWOOD

 

SANDALWOOD

 

Sandalwood is a class of woods from trees in the genus Santalum that are heavy, yellow and fine-grained, which retains their fragrance for decades, making it one of the most expensive woods in the world.

 

Bharata used to be the world's largest producer of sandalwood in past, but it has been overtaken by Australia in the 21st century, mainly because of over-exploitation.Being expensive, sandalwood is harvested by removing the entire tree, instead of sawing it down at the trunk close to ground level, as the stump and root possesses high levels of sandalwood oil.

 

Oil is extracted from Sandalwood through distillation, including steam distillation, water distillation, CO2 extraction and solvent extractions. Sandalwood oil has a distinctive soft, warm, smooth, creamy and milky precious-wood scent, imparting a long-lasting, woody base to perfumes. Due to its low fluorescence and optimal refractive index, sandalwood oil is often employed as an immersion oil within ultraviolet and fluorescence microscopy.

 

Bharatiya sandalwood is very sacred in the Aryan Ayurveda and is known in Sanskrit as “Chandana”, specifically used for worshipping the god Shiva. It is believed that goddess Lakshmi lives in the sandalwood tree, that’s why a paste using sandalwood powder is an integral part of all the rituals and ceremonies. The paste is prepared by grinding sandalwood by hand, with granite slabs shaped for this purpose, with the gradual addition of water therein, making it a thick paste mixed with saffron or other such pigments to make “chandanam”.

 

Sandalwood is thought to bring one closer to the divine and thus it is one of the most used holy elements in not only Aryan Vedas, but in all the religions across the world.

 

Sandalwood is mentioned in various suttas of the Pāli Canon, whereby in Buddhist traditions, sandalwood is considered to be of the padma (lotus) group and attributed to Amitabha Buddha. Sandalwood scent is believed to transform one's desires and maintain a person's alertness while in meditation.

 

Sandalwood is very popular in the Islamic world, where it is used as perfume or burned as "bukhoor" to fumigate rooms and spaces of worship; it’s also used for preparing the prayer Tashbih beads.

 

The quantity of myrrh and aloes used in preparing Christ's body for burial was indicative of deep respect; and in ancient Egypt, myrrh and sandalwood were used to embalm the great pharaohs of Egypt.

 

In East Asia, sandalwood is the most commonly used incense material by the Chinese, Korean and Japanese in worship and various ceremonies. In Korean Shamanism, sandalwood is considered the Tree of Life.

 

Zoroastrians offer sandalwood sticks to the holy fire, as it possess highest sensitivity to fire, sandalwood being accepted by the Yasna and Yashts as the most appropriate fuel.

 

Sandalwood oil and paste are widely used in medicines, skin and beauty products, mouth fresheners, incense sticks, deodorants, lotions and perfumes. Being a powerful antiseptic and astringent, it helps in the treatment of headache, stomach ache, urinary and genital disorders.

 

Sandalwood oil & paste is used in the treatment of inflammatory and eruptive skin diseases, as a diuretic and mild stimulant, for smoothening the skin. The leaves and bark were used by early Hawaiians to treat dandruff, lice, skin inflammation, and sexually transmitted diseases.

 

White sandalwood is used for treating the common cold, cough, bronchitis, fever, and sore mouth and throat, it is also used to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs), liver disease, gallbladder problems, heatstroke, gonorrhoea, headache and cardiovascular diseases. The presence of a hypotensive agent in sandalwood oil helps in lowering blood pressure.

 

Sandalwood oil has multiple beneficial qualities for the skin, as it acts as an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-proliferative (inhibits undesirable cell growth), antiviral, antiseptic, fever-reducing and scabies inhibiting. It effectively encounters scarring, wrinkles, inflammation, eczema, psoriasis, wound healing and acne, it even enhances skin toning & whitening.

 

Sandalwood oil contains antioxidants that help maintain the buoyancy and structure of the skin cells. It also reduces dryness and replenishes the moisture in skin, increasing elasticity.

 

Sandalwood is time-tested in Ayurveda for its pitta-reducing quality, cooling the skin in cases of tanning & sunburn and soothing the skin with its anti-inflammatory properties, especially in cases of acne, rashes, and insect bites. Its antiseptic properties help in wound care and healing, especially when paired with turmeric paste, it reduces rash and discoloration following chemotherapy radiation.

 

Sandalwood also balances excess sebum with its astringent properties, nourishes and moisturizes the skin. The alpha-santalol component of sandalwood is an inhibitor of tyrosinase, a key enzyme in the synthesis of the skin pigment melanin, acting as a potential inhibitor of abnormal pigmentation associated with aging and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.

 

Sandalwood is an active ingredient in soap that helps in exfoliating dirt-impurities and clogged pores, as it flushes out the toxins from the internal layers of the skin. It brightens complexion, lightens fine lines and rejuvenates skin cells for a soft and glowing skin.

 

The abundance of astringent properties in sandalwood oil is extremely beneficial in inhibiting the growth of cavity-causing bacteria in the mouth. Not only does it help in treating bleeding gums and healing minor wounds but also helps in cleansing the mouth, enhancing salivation by improving secretions in the gastrointestinal tract and strengthening the gums.

 

Explore the nature and its infinite boons therein.

 

COURTSEY: WORSHIPCOSMETIC.COM