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The Pinnacle Of Intoxication – Part Iii

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by jskls, Oct 14, 2016.

  1. jskls

    jskls IL Hall of Fame

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    As per @parineetha Neetu's request sharing this. Neetu, using the same title as it will be a series.

    Beauty of the Nature makes one ecstatic while the beauty of the Fragrance makes one Romantic. Nature has created a wide variety of unique fragrances that captivates the soul as smell and taste of things remain fresh in mind forever.

    On a tired day even the smell of hot brewing coffee would lift my (being a coffee lover) spirits up. On an auspicious day burning incense sticks brings the pooja mood in the surroundings. Somehow we associate thoughts, feelings, emotions and incidents to certain distinct fragrances that leaves a good memory in our minds.

    The smell of the mud before the first rain drop, fresh smell of the leaves after the rain, smell of the apple orchard in the fall, smell of the peaches (especially saturn peaches) at my favorite store, smell of the different varieties of roses in the botanical garden, smell of the fruit trees, smell of the hot apple cider at the local farm, smell of the butterfly bush that attracts humming birds and so many other fragrances stay fresh in my mind.

    Sharing some of my favorite smell that brings nostalgic memories.

    Paarijaatham flower (1st image)
    2535077585_5ebaef3611_z.jpg
    I was younger than 10 when we used to live in Delhi. The house we lived had Paarijatham tree in front of the house. I used to collect it bring it home make it a garland and offer it to lord before going to school... In those days, we had time to do this in the mornings... Even today if I close my eyes and remember the flower, I would still remember the smell of the beautiful star shaped small flower.

    White Sampangi (magnolia Champaca white)
    images-14.jpeg
    oh the smell I love it so much that it reminds me of my trips to Pondy bazaar ... So many garlands tied and hanging in rows with those white flowers and roses. Though those garlands are too heavy it is full of fragrance. Especially at weddings to see the bride and groom in those garlands was more prettier too. Somehow, Hyacinths also have a similar smell.

    Marikozhunthu (botanical name :
    Davana.jpg
    Artemisia Pallens/ Dhavanam) - An aromatic herb/flower will be in kadambam garland... wow the smell would transport me to different world... especially the place I moved to from Delhi had a flower market and of all the flowers this one has a distinct smell. The smell of these flowers would stay fresh even the next day .. madura marikozhunthu vaasam song always brings me back the memories of marikozhunthu and Madurai too.

    This one is special - Dhaniya - coriander seeds ; my grandma used to make excellent bisibela bath and the dhaniya smell reminds me of that. Have never tasted one like that ... The powder she makes is using stone tools like mortar and pestle and nothing comes close to that smell of sambar powder. Her cooking would stay fresh in my memory even after she is long gone!

    There are more and more lovely smells/fragrances that brings good memories ... list will be endless...I love the Lavendar smell too! Not sure if Lavendar fields in France would smell the same. I always take a moment to smell any flower or fruit I come across. It's a momentary heaven and leaves me in bliss for few minutes. A breeze that brings the Smell and Fragrances of sweet flowers or fruits lingers on even after the flowers/fruits are long gone!
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2016
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  2. jskls

    jskls IL Hall of Fame

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    I did type the header correctly inspite when posted it automatically changed the the uppercase to lowercase 'i' s
     
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  3. GoogleGlass

    GoogleGlass IL Hall of Fame

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    Wow super aroma of fragrances ls. Neetu has mesmerised you it seems.

    But the difference is she goes behind OC fragrances right from her balcony :)

    Now I remember that flower which I mentioned earlier after seeing the paarijaatham picture. That one is makizham poo - have the flower in hand and think of any fruit and smell the flower, you will smell the fruit - amazing one that is.

    Very nice fragomatic writeup ls.
     
    Last edited: Oct 14, 2016
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  4. Rihana

    Rihana Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    A header in any other case will smell as sweet : ) Yes, that happens in this new software. Some things you type in uppercase get converted to lowercase. I think I typed U.S. once, it became U.s.

    The snippet itself - lovely. Had me taking a quick trip down nostalgia lane, but a tempered with happiness one, not one to induce a longing for the past.. which is a bad note to start weekend on!

    Flowers - I can close my eyes and visualize the three kinds of "jasmine" plants/bush/creeper we had. Two by the windows of two rooms, and another in the center of the backyard. Three or four times, they used to bloom so much that white covered the green leaves. A few photos in the precious roll of color camera were spent for clicking them. And to the amusement of neighbors, without people in the photo -- what then looked like wastage. Neighbors had their own specialties and prides of the gardens - green sampangi.. Artabotrys hexapetalus?

    And fruit trees - favorite was the guava trees every alternate house had. I am now in touch with some friends on FB whom I last saw hanging like monkeys from these trees : ) Can still recall the smell of crushed leaves from this tree.

    Then there is the smell of rice cooking. For the longest time, the family matriarch in native place, used that smell as a sign of a DIL being pregnant! If one morning one declared that she couldn't stand the smell, she was declared "expecting" and excused from kitchen duties. : )

    And the not so natural smells, that are yet a precious part of my childhood - the smell from various soap wrappers: Lux, Pears, Margo, Shikakai, and yes even Lifebuoy and Rin!
     
  5. PavithraS

    PavithraS Platinum IL'ite

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    How poetic ! Thank you, Lakshmi for such a fragrant post that triggers similar nostalgia in me. I always associate Paarijaatham with those long walks I had with my grandfather. We used to cross one particular house in our street with a huge tree of that flower which used to bloom with fragrance spreading all over ! Now that tree is gone, just like my thaaththaa, leaving its fragrance and the memory of chillness that is felt while touching those soft little petals ,in my mind forever.
     
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  6. Amica

    Amica IL Hall of Fame

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    @jskls by an odd coincidence, I was thinking of nostalgia and the smells of childhood earlier today. I love your post — I relate to it completely. Every smell is connected to a memory and the faintest whiff can instantly transport me to another time.

    BTDT :) My BFF in India still mocks me for some of the pics I took. :D

    I have a big smile plastered on my face and my heart is singing happily. @jskls, thanks for writing this. [​IMG]

    .
     
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  7. parineetha

    parineetha IL Hall of Fame

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    @jskls - thanks! I loved it the first time itself, this one seems extra special. Just like a bejewelled flower basket intricately adorned in ferns, pearls and ivory laces with a cute gift card flashing 'lots of love' written bold over it.
    Before I could languish in pleasant flowery fragrance, you walk me thro the memory lanes of monsoon rains and pipping hot bowl of maggi noodles. Something I relish even now is to dig a pot of slurpy noodles, my fav book in all time perefect balcony setup plus the morning drizzles..total bliss.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2016
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  8. parineetha

    parineetha IL Hall of Fame

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    Jasmine flowers always..always reminds me of summer vacations in our ancestral home.

    They traditionally call it ettukettu house with a huge nadumuttam (central courtyard). It had a huge cemented pot of full booming jasmine flowers in the centre, creeping and sprawling across the roof as well.
    Wow! The ambience and the whiff of jasmine scent filled the entire place that nadumuttam always saw kids running around playing hide n seek, the elders & neighbours flocking the evenings in friendly banter, the heavy rainy days, the sultry summers, heard high decibels of full packed homes and even empty nesting grandparents sulking in solitude.

    It just stood there no matter Wat...been part of every gathering...every celebration the house witnessed. For a very long time the name 'the ettukettu nithya malli house' was so popular :)
     
  9. Suparni

    Suparni Platinum IL'ite

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    I agree.........My mood is better after taking in the fragrance from flowers.........
    I have a Plumeria plant outside office and everyday I smell it once to feel better..........Known as Nela sampangi in Tamil and Champa in Hindi.......Photo below.............

    White Plumeria.jpg
     
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  10. Suparni

    Suparni Platinum IL'ite

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    The Champak Flower or Shenbagam flower is expensive but it has its strong scent......
    Senbagam.jpg
     
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