Brass Dhupauro - Nepali Incense Burner

The dhupauro is the vessel that carries fire and fragrance through a Nepali puja. Charcoal or a dhup cone goes into the footed bowl, the pierced dome is closed over it, and the smoke rises through the latticework in a thin steady column rather than a gust. The long side handle is the point of the design: it stays cool enough to hold, so the burner can be lifted and circled before the deity during aarti, then carried from room to room so the smoke reaches the whole house, which is how most Nepali households begin the day. Cast in brass and finished by hand, with a hinged lid that opens fully for lighting and loading, a lattice of pierced diamonds around the dome, a band of scrollwork at its rim, and a weighted foot on the handle so it sits level on an altar or a table. Brass is the traditional metal for puja vessels: it takes heat without warping, it does not taint the incense, and it darkens slowly with use into the deeper tone you see on an old family piece. For Nepali and Hindu households in Canada, a dhupauro is what makes a home puja space feel complete, and it is a natural gift for a housewarming, a wedding or Dashain and Tihar.