The Sacred, Sensory and Strategic Story of Mysore Sandalwood

By Prof. Shalini R. Urs

Mysore Sandal Soap is making headlines — but not for the best reasons. A heated debate has broken out over the choice of its new Brand Ambassador. But perhaps this is a good moment to take a step back and revisit the remarkable story behind the soap — and how this iconic wood and its fragrant oil became symbols of Mysore’s pride and economic resilience during the challenging years of the First World War.

To understand the rich legacy of sandalwood (scientific name: Santalum album), you must look far beyond soap. The story of Mysore sandalwood is a saga of fragrance, ambition and transformation, tracing the path of Santalum album from its Australasian origins to its revered status in Mysore, India. Once a royal monopoly, sandalwood became a global symbol of luxury through the establishment of the Mysore Sandalwood Oil and Soap Factory. 

The story stretches across centuries and continents — woven into the history of ancient medicine, the rituals of Hinduism and two thousand years of Buddhist traditions across Asia. For generations, sandalwood was prized not just for its fragrance, but for its spiritual and healing powers. Its journey also runs through more than 400 years of European colonialism, where it became a key player in connecting Asia to global trade.

So yes, while the soap may be in the spotlight today for a different reason, it’s worth remembering that behind it lies a rich legacy — one that’s deeply rooted in tradition, Science, innovation and identity.

In 2022, the Karnataka Government’s legislation to liberalise sandalwood trade re-branded the “Royal Tree” as the “People’s Tree,” democratising a sacred resource and ensuring its legacy for future generations. This article explores the historical, economic and cultural milestones of this journey, culminating in the pivotal policy shift.

Sandalwood in Ancient World: A Global Traveller

Sandalwood (Chandana) was one of the key tree species cultivated by Austronesian arboriculturists, prized for its fragrance, durability and ritual significance. It spread through ancient maritime spice trade routes, connecting island Southeast Asia with the Indian subcontinent. Endemic to Indonesia and Australia, sandalwood was introduced to Southern India by Austronesian sailors before 1300 BCE, where it soon became naturalised. 

Buddha’s Far-Flung Forests

When Siddhartha Gautama (c. 563-483 BCE) left the comforts of his royal life to seek truth in the forests of India, it was under the Bodhi tree that he found enlightenment. But sandalwood — Indian Chandana — was a constant companion in his journey. Revered for its calming fragrance and sacred symbolism, sandalwood became deeply woven into Buddhist rituals and iconography.

Over time, this reverence travelled far: sandalwood Buddhas were carved across China and Japan, while in Java and Sumatra, coins were minted bearing the image of a sandalwood flower-faced Buddha. As demand grew, the fragrant wood became central to regional trade networks, drawing the attention of islanders in Timor and nearby regions where it thrived.

Over time, Santalum album became indispensable in India’s spiritual and aesthetic life. Its wood was carved into sacred icons, its oil distilled into perfumes and medicines, its paste smeared in rituals. In the acclaimed ancient Ayurvedic medical text, sandalwood is listed among 129 mono-herbal drugs with 403 proscribed recipes. Yet it was in the Mysore region that sandalwood reached an apex — of both reverence and regulation.

Scent of a Legacy

The gentle scent of sandalwood has drifted through Mysore’s history — wafting from temple rituals, sacred texts and family heirlooms. In the Mysore (Mysuru) region of Karnataka, it is more than a tree.  Mysore, the historic capital of Karnataka, has long been celebrated as the “Sandalwood Capital of India,” a testament to the region’s deep-rooted association with this precious resource. The term “Sandalwood Mysore” signifies the origin and premium quality of this. The Sanskrit term “Chandana,” meaning “wood for incense burning,” aptly captures sandalwood’s traditional use and cultural significance. According to scholars, the word Chandana is likely to be of Dravidian origin term Cāntu meaning ‘daub or rub into a paste,’ sandalwood paste suggesting that this material came from a Dravidian-speaking people, prior to being introduced into Sanskrit.

Mysore’s legacy extends to traditional industries such as handicrafts and carving, where sandalwood has been a prized material for artisans for centuries. Its historic status as the Sandalwood Capital of India stems from royal patronage and strategic foresight.

A Tree of the State

Kautilya’s Arthashastra (320 BC) considered sandalwood as one of the important forest products to increase the royal revenue. It also says that trade of sandalwood should be conducted under a licence issued by King. Arthashastra illuminates the importance of sandalwood to kingdoms across the subcontinent — making trade links of sandalwood from Southern India to Northern India essential for States and religious purposes. The two went hand in hand, especially with Sanskrit epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, and in other holy literature. In these works, chandana is frequently mentioned as an adornment for the royals.

By the 18th century, sandalwood was a cornerstone of Mysore’s economy under the Wadiyar dynasty. Tipu Sultan (1782-1799) tightly controlled its trade, recognising its economic value. As early as 1792, Tipu Sultan declared sandalwood a “Royal Tree,” instituting a State monopoly. And this continued through the subsequent return of the Wadiyar rule and then East India Company’s control remained an important source of revenue in the late eighteenth century.

There were State-owned sandalwood godowns known as Sandal Koti. Before 1799, China was one of the main buyers of sandalwood from Mysore. It was used in traditional medicine, burnt as incense sticks and even used to make furniture. Red sandalwood was widely sought and used by the aristocracy of the Ming and Qing dynasties, especially the royal families and officials of all ranks would collect it in tribute to the emperor. In the Forbidden City, almost all the furniture is made of sandalwood.

 In 1831, British took over the administration of Mysore kingdom under the pretext of (subsidy default) and created dedicated institutions like Sandal Cutcheri recognising its immense revenue potential to manage vast sandalwood stock. Sandalwood was a major revenue source for Mysore State, contributing an average of Rs. 1.5 lakh annually to the exchequer between 1834 and 1861, with a peak of Rs. 3 lakh. By 1878-80, it accounted for nearly 80% of the total revenue from forest produce. British colonial forces placed Indian sandalwood under their protection.

From Ritual to Revenue

When power was restored to the Wadiyars in 1881, sandalwood quickly emerged as Mysore’s economic backbone. With rising global demand, it became a key source of public revenue. Annual Forest Department auctions saw prices surge from Rs. 387 per ton in 1880-81 to Rs. 1,051 by 1913-14, and up to Rs. 5,000 per ton before WWI.

Such was the allure of Mysore’s sandalwood that perfumers from Europe — including firms like Volkarts and Antoine Chiris — endured months-long sea voyages and bullock cart journeys to attend auctions in remote locations like Hunsur and Tirthahalli. But WWI brought exports, especially to Germany, to a standstill — halting auctions. German chemists, who had mastered distillation, created pharmaceutical-grade sandalwood oil, then prized as the only known remedy for venereal diseases before sulpha drugs. For over a century, sandalwood shaped Mysore’s economy and governance.

Scientific Swadeshi

The Maharaja of Mysore, recognising the opportunity, aimed to distil sandalwood oil locally to global standards. He tasked Alfred Chatterton, then Director of Industries, with the challenge. Chatterton joined forces with Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) chemists J.J. Sudborough and H.E. Watson to develop pharmaceutical-grade sandalwood oil through rigorous experimentation — the first such effort in India.

By 1916, their work led to the establishment of the Government Sandalwood Oil Factory in Mysore. A larger facility followed in 1917, capable of producing 2,000 pounds of oil monthly. The Maharaja envisioned Mysore’s oil as the finest in the world — India’s Fragrant Ambassador.

This moment marked not just a milestone in industrial self-reliance but also the birth of a distinctly scientific Swadeshi movement — home-grown, research-led and globally competitive.

Birth of Mysore Sandal Soap

The story began, when the Maharaja of Mysore received a gift of luxurious sandalwood oil soaps — possibly from France. Inspired, he and Sir M. Visvesvaraya envisioned a home-grown sandal soap industry. At the IISc., a young chemist, S.G. Shastry, was already experimenting with soap-making on a small scale. To scale it up, Shastry was sent to England to master modern techniques. Upon his return, a dedicated soap factory was set up in Bangalore under his leadership. By February 1918, production of the now-iconic Mysore Sandal Soap had officially begun.

S.G. Shastry and the Sandal Soap Breakthrough

Sent to England to learn the craft, S.G. Shastry — later dubbed “Soap Shastry” — returned to India to create a uniquely Indian soap. Working at IISc., with Sudborough and Watson, he developed a vegetable-based formula using pure sandalwood oil, avoiding animal fats to suit local values. The result: a luxurious, fragrant soap enriched with patchouli and vetiver oils. His genius lay not just in formulation, but in presentation:

Design: Oval shape, wrapped in tissue, placed in a floral box like fine jewellery. Branding: The Sharaba emblem — part lion, part elephant — signalled strength and wisdom; the slogan “Srigandhada Tavarininda” rooted it in Mysore’s identity.

Marketing: Ads in The Hindu, neon signs, and even a camel-back procession in Karachi created a buzz.

 Launched in 1918, Mysore Sandal Soap became the world’s only soap made from 100% pure sandalwood oil. Once a royal indulgence, it soon became a household name — earning a GI tag in 2006. The price of sandalwood has shot up almost exponentially. At the start of the twentieth century, a tonne of sandalwood cost only Rs. 365; by 1970, it costed Rs. 10,000; in 2011, a tonne sold for Rs. 9,00,000; the price of sandalwood has since peaked in 2018 at nearly Rs. 52 lakh.

Veerappan: The Dark Chapter

The saga of Veerappan, the notorious bandit and sandalwood smuggler, represents a dark chapter in Mysore’s sandalwood legacy. His violent exploits and extensive smuggling operations cast a long shadow over the region’s rich and revered history with sandalwood. Responsible for an estimated 10,000 tonnes of illegally harvested sandalwood — worth around US$22 million — Veerappan was a major force in the illicit trade. Though the grim details are often best left behind, his story remains a significant and cautionary footnote in the complex history of this treasured resource.

Sandalwood as Diplomacy: Mysore Maharaja’s Gifts to Queen Victoria

Presenting sandalwood items was a common practice, as Mysore was known for its sandalwood trade. The Maharaja had sent sandalwood oil to dignitaries like Lord Valentia in 1804.

In 1861, as the first step toward petitioning for the restoration of Mysore’s administrative rule, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III sent gifts including sandalwood fans (pankhas) and walking sticks, among other gifts to Queen Victoria.

Mysore Sandal Soap: A Lasting Legacy

Mysore Sandal Soap is more than a product — it’s a sensory bridge to Karnataka’s heritage, blending sacred traditions, scientific ingenuity and economic strategy. From ancient rituals to modern markets, its story reflects Mysore’s enduring ability to transform challenges into opportunities, ensuring sandalwood’s fragrance lingers for generations.

KSDL: From Struggles to Success

Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), makers of the iconic Mysore Sandal Soap, has weathered tough times. A sharp drop in local sandalwood oil production — from 4,068 kg in 2020-21 to just 719 kg in the first half of 2023-24 — forced the company to import 90% of its oil from Australia last year.

But 2023-24 marked a strong revival. Monthly production crossed 4,100 tonnes in November, and annual turnover soared to Rs. 1,788 crore with Rs. 416 crore in net profit — its best in 40 years. KSDL is now modernising, with Rs. 54 crore invested in machinery and a new Bengaluru plant. Another unit is planned near Vijayapura, set to create 5,000 jobs over five years. The company is also expanding its product line — 21 new items were launched last year, and 2025 will see a Rs. 1,000 premium soap and transparent glycerine soaps.

[This article is a modified version of the paper presented at the International Conference on Sustainable Sandalwood during April 30 – May 1, 2025 at Infosys Campus, Mysuru. Visit: https://wsl.iiitb.ac.in/sustainable-sandalwood-workshop-2025]