SMELLS LIKE NIRVANA PAPIER D'ENCENS

At L’ORIENT, pleasure needs very little justification. We believe in something done entirely because you enjoy it. Our Papier d’Encens (paper incense) brings incense into a small, deliberate gesture. For the end of the working day, the beginning of an evening, or the pleasure of making the room feel like yours again. The perfect holiday gift (even if it's to yourself).

A little closer to enlightenment

From the spice gardens of the Malabar Coast to the agarwood forests of the Barak Valley, India's aromatic landscape is as diverse as it is intoxicating. Smells Like Nirvana brings together the dry, almost ethereal character of white oud with the warm, balsamic depth of benzoin. Cardamom lends an unexpected richness, at once green, spicy and gently sweet, giving the composition a seductive warmth without losing its woody restraint. Earthy yet elegant, austere yet opulent, a fragrance that plays somewhere between the sacred and the hedonistic. For those who prefer their enlightenment with a little indulgence. Perfumed incense papers, handmade and assembled in India, where fragrance has moved between the sacred and the everyday for millennia, kept safe in a beautiful L’ORIENT envelope.

FROM DR. PRASANTHI

“India's relationship with fragrance is extraordinary.

Growing up, scent was everywhere, though I rarely thought of it as perfume. Cardamom crushed into chai, incense drifting through the house, the warmth of resins burning during prayer. These were familiar smells, so woven into ordinary life that I barely noticed how much they shaped my understanding of fragrance.

With Smells Like Nirvana, I wanted to explore a different side of that aromatic heritage. Something less overtly floral, more contemplative, but still deeply sensual. The dry, almost austere character of oud, the comforting warmth of benzoin and the unexpected richness of cardamom. I love the way these notes move between restraint and indulgence.

The name is a little tongue-in-cheek. Nirvana is traditionally associated with liberation from desire, whereas I have built a brand around the idea that pleasure is something worth embracing. I like the contradiction and tension.

Introduced for Deepavali as part of our Holy Smokes collection, these handmade incense papers are a small invitation to enjoy the act of doing very little. No pursuit of perfection, no promise of transcendence. Just fragrance, flame and a few minutes entirely your own.

Enlightenment optional.”

Dr Prasanthi Purusothaman
Founder, L’ORIENT

A journey through India’s aromatic landscape.

From the spice gardens of the Malabar Coast to the agarwood traditions of the Barak Valley, India’s fragrant history is one of extraordinary diversity, shaped by centuries of botanical knowledge, trade and ritual.

Dry, almost ethereal oud lends a quiet, woody austerity, softened by the balsamic warmth of benzoin and the green, aromatic richness of cardamom.

A fragrance of contrasts, at once earthy and elegant, austere and opulent, ancient yet entirely of the present.

As the paper burns, these distant landscapes converge in a single fragrant flame, a reminder that scent has always had the power to transport us somewhere beyond the present moment.

Fold into an accordion. Light with flame and extinguish until smouldering and smoke is released. Use only with a suitable heat-resistant incense holder on a stable, non-flammable surface. Burn in a well-ventilated room, away from draughts and flammable materials. Never leave burning incense unattended. Keep away from children and pets, and allow the holder to cool before handling.

Contains 20 hand made incense papers (1 inch x 5 inch) per pack. Infused with fragrance blend.

MADE IN INDIA.

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SMELLS LIKE NIRVANA PAPIER D'ENCENS

A little closer to enlightenment

FROM DR. PRASANTHI

A journey through India’s aromatic landscape.