Odeurs that linger


Driving back home one evening, after a long day at work; a deep breath to inhale the wonderful earthy smell of Bangalore. Sometimes the beauty of this place makes me send up a silent prayer for all that we have and have been given.

It takes me back to other places and other smells, fragrances, feelings, thoughts and oh so seemingly tangible memories.

My throat swells with emotion as I write this....we leave our past behind, yes otherwise there is no moving forward, but sometimes when I visit those spots, those spaces, i feel comforted. After all who I am is a whole bunch of memories!!

Incense, agarbhati and dhoop....any Tam Bram household you know wakes up to these smells. Mine was no different. The pooja room with its distinct odour, morning and evening wafting its gentle fragrance into the house. Now we have Aroma Therapy, but back then, that was a part of our daily routine. I do it now too...light agarbhati morning and evening, and I swear when I come back home the first smell that assails me is the incense and I love it!
Not just home, but the temples with their distinct smells, incense mixed with Jasmine; the woody smell of the sacred fire, lamps burning out in the greasy oil and camphor soaked water drizzled into our palm.(I always smell the water before I place it in my mouth, the camphor that is added has a bittersweet taste that leaves me craving for more...!!)

Gokul Santol powder...divine. I battle internally with deo versus powder, but Gokul is pure heaven I can tell you. Powders of course transport me to Baby days...Johnson baby powder breathed in from soft cuddly, innocent cheeks. Is there any other heaven on Earth; I say??!

Cool crisp night air

Earthy rain soaked soil

Freshly brewed coffee (and suprabatham on air:)

Clean washed bedsheets dried crisp in the hot sun

Musty books in dingy libraries

Ah, I forget my own wonderful Sea, salty,tangy, sandy smell

Rasam in its last boil, just after adding the coriander leaves

The smell of sweat on myself after a a tiring walk/ jog...oh so long long ago...

many many more....odours that linger in my memories...


Comments

  1. Anuradha ShankarOctober 2, 2011 at 8:50 PM

    nice one, sowmya!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 3, 2011 at 1:49 AM

    all of the above + the smell of ghee in hot fluffy rice with paruppu... yes, i have to think of food:)

    ReplyDelete

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