How to Burn Loban and Dhoop in a Loban Dan, Step by Step
How to burn loban (benzoin resin) and dhoop at home: lighting the charcoal, how much resin to add, using a brass loban dan safely and putting it out.
Loban is a tree resin, also called benzoin or sambrani. It does not burn by itself like an incense stick. It is dropped in small pieces on a glowing piece of charcoal or cow dung cake held in a loban dan, and it melts into fragrant smoke. The steps below are for a brass loban dan with a handle.
What you need
- A loban dan or dhoop dan: a metal bowl on a stand, usually with a handle and a pierced lid
- Charcoal: a quick-light disc, a piece of wood charcoal or a piece of dry cow dung cake
- Loban resin, in small lumps or powder
- Tongs, and a plate or tile to stand the burner on
- A spoonful of sand or ash for the bottom of the bowl
Steps
- Put a thin layer of sand or old ash in the bowl. It protects the metal and keeps the base cooler.
- Hold the charcoal with tongs and light one edge. A quick-light disc sparks across by itself; wood charcoal needs a minute over a flame.
- Place it in the bowl and wait until it is grey at the edges and glowing, about two to three minutes.
- Drop on a pinch of loban, about the size of a pea. It will bubble and smoke at once.
- Carry the loban dan by its handle through the rooms, or leave it on its plate in the pooja room. Add another pinch when the smoke thins.
- When finished, let the charcoal burn out in the bowl, or put it out with sand. Empty the ash only when it is fully cold.
Loban, dhoop, sambrani cups: the difference
| Type | How it burns | Needs charcoal? |
|---|---|---|
| Loban resin | Melts on an ember | Yes |
| Guggal resin | Same as loban, a deeper smell | Yes |
| Dhoop sticks or cones | Lit directly, smoulder by themselves | No; they sit in a dhoop stand |
| Sambrani cups | Lit at the rim, burn down by themselves | No |
Safety
- The bowl and lid get very hot. Use the handle, and never set a hot burner on wood, cloth or plastic.
- Open a window. Loban gives a lot of smoke, and a closed room fills quickly.
- Go easy around infants, people with asthma, and pets, especially birds.
- Never leave lit charcoal unattended, and keep it away from curtains.
Cleaning the loban dan
Melted resin leaves a black sticky layer. Once cold, scrape it gently with a wooden stick and wipe with a cloth dipped in warm water. For the brass outside, use the methods in how to clean brass. The inside of the bowl will stay dark; that is normal.
FAQ
Can loban be burned without charcoal?
Not well. Resin needs an ember. Sambrani cups and dhoop cones are the no-charcoal options.
How much loban should I use?
A pea-sized pinch at a time. More makes heavy smoke.
When is loban burned?
Commonly in the evening, on Thursdays and Fridays in some families, and at pooja. Customs vary.
Is loban smoke safe?
In a ventilated room, in small amounts, it is widely used. Keep it light around children, asthma patients and pets.
What is the difference between a loban dan and a dhoop dan?
They are the same kind of burner. A loban dan is a deeper bowl for charcoal; a dhoop stand simply holds a stick or cone.
