(Kastooree Tilakam Lalaat pale, Vakshasthale Kaustubham..."

This is the famous Stuti (prayer) from Shree Gopaal Sahastra Naam. Kastooree is used as an object in many of the Taantrik practices. The original Kastooree carries a POD with white wheat shape seeds. They have hairy projections. This is inside the pod. Most of the Kastooree sold by tribal people are fake. A recent beautiful fake is made of original deer skin which is filled with some black colored powder. The ending of the skin is tucked with some kind of glue and it is then rubbed (with sand paper) to make it even. Currently Nepal is the biggest distributor of fake Kastooree. The fakes look so real like that unless you break them open you cannot determine the reality of the thing.

One more interesting fact about Kastooree - a farmer in Raajasthaan has come out with a discovery of new plant called Musk. This is grown in Raajasthaan and it fetches a very handsome amount in International market. The most wonderful thing is that the fragrance of the musk plant is exactly the same as real musk.

This is a good alternative as a legally sold Musk pod can cost you US$ 45,000 per pod. Botanical name of the musk plant commonly used in perfumery is :  Abelmoschus moschatus, (Family : Malvaceae). Seeds of the above plant have high export value. The plant is from the family of a common vegetable Ladies Finger in English or Okaraa or Bhindee in Hindee, Bhendi (Marathi).

This comes from a gland or an object that is found outside the deer's body as a part of its physical anatomy. Unknowing the reality that the fragrance is coming from this object, the deer keeps running here and there in search of the object that is giving him the fragrance and its lifelong chase or run finds no results as the reality is within. sages give this allegory to teach how God is within.

Medicinally Kastooree contains small black grain type things within which are used to be given as pills to children who are not so active (especially those infants and kids who do not walk or stand on their own) so that they stand up and walk and run like a deer after using this. Three decades ago (during 1970s), most parts of this country used to get these pills but as each animal is becoming extinct, this item too has become unavailable.

In many Vaishnav temples, they used to place a Kastooree inside the sanctum sanctorum so that it can spread natural fragrance around the temple as the Agarbattee give fragrance only for a limited time and it is a natural sacred object gives fragrance forever.

These deer are found in India, Paakistan, Nepaal, Mangolia, Tibbat, China and Siberia. Kastooree is found in their gland between his back and anus. To take out Kastooree, the deer is killed, his musk pod is removed and dried in sun on a hot stone or in hot oil. Remains a reddish brown black substance. After drying, it changes into black granules. The aroma of the tincture becomes more intense during storage and after it is considerably diluted. Good musk is of dark purplish color, dry, and smooth on touch. It will distinctly scent for millions of cubic feet of air. The best quality of musk, Tonkin musk, is from China and Tibbat, next come India (Aasaam) and Nepaal. To obtain 2.2 pounds of musk, between 30 to 50 deer have to be killed. In the beginning of 19th century, Tonkin musk was of twice the cost of gold.

Musk glands are not found only in deer, but also in other animals - like a rodent Maskrat in North America, musk duck from Southern Australia, musk fox, musk shrew, musk beetle, African civet, musk turtle, alligators of Central America and many other animals - crocodiles, snakes.

Kastooree in Atharv Ved
Kastooree is like a deer horn (not the long horns seen on the head) but is at the naval of a deer. this is so mystic that even the deer which possesses it finds it eluding.

Kastooree is also part of the Asht Gandh powder used to write various Yantra. Kastooree is a naturally fragrant sacred object which used to be almost a must have for all Vaishnavaites earlier but has now become rare. There goes a famous Shlok in praise of Lord Krishn that starts with "Kastooree Tilakam" and the same is applied to Lord Balaji at Tirumala. Possessing Kastooree in the altar of a Vaishnavite is considered auspicious.

Atharv Ved, first volume, third chapter, third Sookt, Shlok 402 and 403 say as follows:--
Bhrigyangira: rishi: Harino devataa: mantrokt devataa: anushtup chhanda:
(seer Bhrigu, Harin the deer)

harinasya raghushyadodhi seershani bheshajam
sa kshetriyam vishanayaa visuchinmaninasat

anutva harino vrisha padbhischaturbhirak rameet
vishane vishya gushpitam yadasya kshetriyam hridi

The narration or interpretation says that the Kastooree (deer horn) is kept at home to remove various diseases. Kastooree contains natural pills within which were given to infants who are inactive so that they become active like a deer and start walking etc.