Gandham is applied to lords’ photos and idols during pujas. By applying it we purify the image and impart to it divine fragrance. Symbolically gandha represents desires, attachments (vasanas), likes and dislikes, latent impressions, properties, qualities or gunas, pride and arrogance. By offering them to God we purify ourselves and stay free from evil influences.
We put a dot of it on the important and sacred points of an idol and then put a kumkum or pasupu dot over it. Apart from imparting fragrance, it also helps the kumkum stay in its place and not blow away.
We even put it on our foreheads because it cools us down with its effects and also calms our minds due to its amazing fragrance.
