Talking with Perfumes

Fragrances have always been enthralling me. Incidents in my life, are governed by fact, time, people, relationship and fragrance ! I greatly believe that fragrances have with them, the unseen key to tamper the mystical winding's of our memory lanes.

It was a sunny afternoon and I was engrossed in repelling the lizards, cockroaches, spiders and cob webs while cleaning my room’s loft. The little creatures drifted away hastily due to the sudden interruption.  My hands went twitchy as they opened an old decorative wooden box, rather “Treasure Box”.

A small square shaped bit of news paper well preserved in a shiny plastic cover.  My memories went spiral. Tears dripped down my cheeks. I was hardly 6 years when my grandfather gave me peppermints wrapped in this news paper sheet. It made me so joyful to eat and smell the peppermints for the first time in my life. I felt the chillness of peppermint in my throat and the joy it brought on my grandpa’s face.

Hey!..the Lavender and White plastic pencil box! My cherished treasure since I was 7.  It had cuts and stains as its decoration.  Carved on its top were me and my friend’s name. I carefully slid opened it and found empty incense sticks and camphor covers - The most economical, no harm perfumes that were sure to be found in all household cupboards. It was then the first time, I started having the urge to make perfume as an identity of my personality. I remember us both sharing growing friendship in exchange to our parents shouting at the quickly emptying camphor and incense sticks at home J !

Few silverfishes escaped, as my hands went full with smooth pebbles. At 10, they were gold to me. I used to close my eyes and gently caress them against my tender cheeks. And I always looked down while walking, praying that I gather more pebbles that day.  It made me think that each day, the garden, the lawn and my school ground were all seen by me for the first time, afresh! I used to hold together couple of pebbles, chanting secret mantras, believing that it would bring new aroma every time, when separated. And we all friends involved in the pebbles search, agreed that they did bring a new smell only for those who are “truly“good among us! J . Surprisingly my collection also won the price under the category “Not so common hobbies” that time!!

I heard the jingling sound stop as my son 9 year old son grabbed a rounded iron coin with a hole in its middle that slipped off my palm, on to the floor. He was completely curious and climbed the steps to the loft. His eyes shone in eagerness with his grapes like eye balls.

“Amma, what is this and what are you doing here?”.

“ Yes dear, this is the first coin in my first piggy bank”.

“First coin?!!”, he laughed.

“Yes, this was coin in practice which my great grand parents used. And you know this is lucky treasure to me till today that if I smell it once, think something big and keep it safe, what I wished for happens!”

His eyes were wonder struck and asked me, “Amma, Can you share more ?”

I took him to a trip down my memory lane and told him how the newspaper preserved, reminds me that love is no costly and can transparently be expressed through simple gifts. While the Lavender box reinstates innocence and bonding that we lose over years. And how a simple hobby if done with passion could even win hearts and get awards.

I asked my son,” Dear, tell me what do you treasure most ? And what perfume would you like to preserve?”

“Amma, he called out as he hugged me. “I don’t know if I would have a box like you. But all that I can tell you is I like you so much and you always smell good; the perfume which is always with me and that requires no preservation….”.

I broke down in bliss. The one answer that made me discover a treasure that I would cherish across births!