Sandalwood (Chandan) stick is a sacred ingredient in Hindu rituals, prepared by mixing it with water or milk to create a paste for applying to idols, creating a forehead tilak, and using in ceremonies like pujas and havans. The paste's sweet, woody fragrance promotes calm, enhances spiritual focus, creates positive vibrations, and is believed to purify spaces and connect individuals to divine energies. How to Use Sandalwood Powder in Rituals 1. Prepare the Paste: Combine a small amount of sandalwood powder with a few drops of water, rose water, or raw milk to form a smooth, consistent paste. 2. Anoint Deities: Apply the sandalwood paste to the images or idols of deities during worship as an act of reverence. 3. Apply as a Tilak: After praying, devotees can apply a dot of the paste to their forehead, typically between the eyebrows, to focus the mind and promote spiritual energy. 4. Incorporate into Ceremonies: The powder can be offered during daily pujas and incorporated into fire offerings (havans). 5. Cleanse Sacred Items: The paste can also be used to cleanse sacred objects, such as yantras (sacred diagrams), and is used in the ritual bathing of idols (abhishekam). Spiritual and Energetic Benefits Purity and Sacredness: Sandalwood is considered a sacred substance, symbolizing purity and divine energy. Calming and Cooling: The paste provides a calming and cooling effect on the body and mind, helping to balance energy and relieve stress. Focus and Spiritual Energy: Applying sandalwood to the forehead is believed to enhance spiritual focus, concentration, and alignment. Positive Vibrations: Its divine fragrance creates a positive and devotional atmosphere, inviting positive vibrations into the ritual space and connecting to divine energies. Protective Shield: In some traditions, Chandan Tika is believed to act as a protective barrier against negative energies.