My fellow Zoroastrians should not be under the delusion that what they are offering in our agiaries and atash behrams is real sandalwood. Real sandalwood is now very scarce, and ranges in cost between Rs 14,000 and Rs 22,000 per kg. Even a single sliver weighing only 10 g would cost at least Rs 140 per thin stick. No sukhadwalla would afford to sell one thin stick in retail for less than Rs 200, counting profits down the line from wholesale to retail, transport, etc.
When you pay Rs 20 for a thin stick, don’t expect it to be sandalwood… even if you buy it from an Udvada seller opposite the Iranshah. The days of real sandalwood were over decades ago. PHIROZE B. JAVERI phiroze.javeri@gmail.com
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