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Sandalwood Oil - Kerala Shopping |
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Sandalwood OilSandalwood oil, otherwise called the "liquid gold" is a popular perfume of the land over the years. Extracted from the roots and wood of sandalwood (Santalum album), the oil is a costly item marketed at a few choosy outlets all over the state. Compared to the neighbouring states like Tamilnadu and Karnataka (especially the forests of Mysore), Kerala has less acres of sandalwood forests. We have it at Marayoor near Devikulam - a popular hillstation 149 km from Kottayam town - and a few forest areas in Wayanad hills. Marayoor is the only place in Kerala with natural sandalwood forests. The sandalwood factory run by the Forest Department is of tourist interest. Less rainfall is suitable for the growth of best sandalwood trees from which good quality oil can be extracted. An inevitable cosmetic of the elite, the sandal oil from the Karnataka Government gained a good market in Kerala over the years. Most of the government handicrafts emporium in Kerala have this item for sale. One such is the SMSM Institute, Thiruvananthapuram, where you can buy 50 ml oil for Rs.1243/-. Sandalwood oil produced by a few private agencies are also sold here, after testing its quality by the government's research cell.
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