More precious than gold? This rare wood is said to cost Rs 85 lakh for just 10 grams

Gold is expensive, but there's a rare wood that could make it look almost ordinary. Just 10 grams of this extraordinary material is said to cost around Rs 85 lakh. Known as kynam, this exceptionally rare form of agarwood is prized for its fragrance and is often called the “wood of the gods”.

Found in parts of South and Southeast Asia, including India and China, agarwood gets its distinctive fragrance from a resin that develops inside the tree under certain conditions. Fungal infections and other forms of stress can trigger this process, but the formation of valuable resin is complex and does not happen in every tree.

Kynam is considered one of the rarest and most sought-after forms of agarwood. There are reports that a 16-kg piece, said to have come from a 600-year-old tree, fetched a staggering Rs 171 crore.

The secret behind agarwood's value lies in its fragrant resin, which can take years to develop. The resin-rich wood is highly prized in the perfume and incense industries, particularly for making oud, a fragrance with a strong following in the Middle East.

In parts of the Gulf, burning oud at home is a cherished tradition, especially when welcoming guests. The fragrant smoke helps fill the home with a rich, distinctive aroma. Agarwood also has cultural and spiritual significance in parts of Asia, although its specific uses vary from place to place.

In India, Assam is an important centre for agarwood cultivation, with farmers growing the trees for commercial purposes. But what makes kynam so fascinating is its rarity: not every agarwood tree develops the kind of resin that can make a small piece extraordinarily valuable.