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Business

Selling the scents of the Gods
By Naomi Gunasekara
S. M. Mohideen and Sons at 82, Old Moor Street, Colombo 12, is a gloomy shop full of plastic barrels and chocolate-coloured glass bottles. Despite its damp, musty and gloomy appearance, the shop smells of fresh jasmine as workers carefully measure ounces of jasmine scent to be sold to customers. "The price depends on the concentration of the smell. An ounce of jasmine is priced between Rs. 20 and Rs. 100 while gardenia costs Rs. 150 an ounce," said Director, S. M. A. Majeeth.
Seated behind a table full of glass bottles and dressed in immaculate white, he made a contrasting picture against the shop's gloomy aura. "We sell all materials required to manufacture joss sticks including the sticks, oils and even cardboard boxes," he said wiping some scent on his neatly combed hair, having carefully poured some into a small bottle.

The shop specialises in perfumes, perfumed oils and Bathi compounds used for the manufacture of joss sticks, commonly known as handhun kuru. They have been dealers in used bottles, corks, plastic stoppers and talcum powder since 1982.

The oils and compounds come from China, Japan, Holland, France, India and Germany. Their products are capable of competing with Indian goods in the market, according to Majeeth, who believes in giving his customers the best products despite the income being small. "I prefer working with small-scale entrepreneurs," he says, "because they don't bring cheques and cause unnecessary problems."

Having established S. M. Mohideen and Sons in partnership with his father at a time when Indian products were sought by the consumer because their fragrances lasted longer, Majeeth gives his customers material that will produce a better product. "We wanted to introduce a better product to the market and started selling compounds and perfumes that were long lasting," said Majeeth who is in possession of over one hundred varieties of perfumes including the usual rose, jasmine, gardenia, henna and sandalwood that are in demand. He himself makes a number of perfumes.

The market for joss sticks or handhun kuru is a steady one, according to Majeeth, because they are used by people of almost all religions. "Temples and kovils use a lot of joss sticks," he says adding that all his products, except the sticks used for joss sticks, are imported. These include the cardboard boxes used for selling the finished product.

"There are over 15 shops that sell similar products in Colombo because the market is a steady one. We buy stocks for Rs. 50,000 a month and purchase stocks according to stock fluctuation. Some fragrances don't have a demand in the market although we buy them thinking they will move fast. I have scents that are over 25 years old."

According to Sanjeewa Nishantha, who manufactures joss for an additional income, the joss stick business is good if one has the will and dedication to become successful. "I play in a band and do this to get a steady income," he said while pointing out that the joss stick business opened new avenues of business, such as selling scented powders and scents. "If you mix some jasmine scent with surgical spirits, you can bottle the mixture and sell it as perfume. You can also mix scents and make your own perfume if you want to start a perfume business."

Nishantha who has been in the business for over four years sells his products in the Nittambuwa, Warakapola, Algama, Negombo and Ja-Ela areas. "We do about 50 bundles a day each consisting 500-600 packets and get an income of over Rs. 15,000 a month. I think this business has a lot of potential and promises much scope for unemployed youth. But they just seem uninterested."

According to Majeeth, manufacturing joss sticks is not a business that requires a huge capital. "One can get into the business with Rs. 1,000 and expand gradually. We buy the products of our customers because we know that sticks made with our compounds and scents have a market. A lot of people from Kandy make joss sticks for self-employment and it brings me immense pleasure to work with people like them."

His business, which helps a number of small-scale entrepreneurs to survive, has become very much a part of Majeeth's life today. He enjoys the work and spends his days among hundreds of floral-scented containers and bottles. "The products are associated with the Gods and the trade is blessed by them," he said with a smile.

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