These days with so much pollution around, having a sharp nose seems to be more of a bane than boon. But nevertheless good smell can make you happy, nostalgic, heal your mind and body. The bad smell can annoy you, spoil your mood and damage your relationship!!

Let me start with the good ones.

The best smell which gives me the most happiness is the smell that comes from mud when first drops of rain fall on it. You cannot experience this smell if it is raining every day. Either it should be first rain of the season, or when it rains during one or two days in summer. Once the soil is wet, we no longer get the privilege to feel that smell, the aroma of Mud when kissed by first drops of rain.

The smell of wet mud during the first rain takes me through different feelings. You feel happy that finally the rain has arrived. Especially in the summer heat of Hyderabad, first rain is definitely nothing less than God. We can really feel Rain as god and thank him with full heart for showering his blessings on us!

It makes me feel fresh, feel like sitting outside watch the rain and inhale the smell as much as I can. It takes me back to the college days in Mysore. I loved rain so much that I prefer to walk in the rain. I used to make the pretext of washing terrace and used to carry broom to the terrace and sweep the terrace, as I wanted to get wet in rain. The smell of rain combined with the smell of leaves and trees takes me to my Grand parents house in Somavarasanthe village of Shimoga.

So when it rains heavily the smell of mud is no longer there, but now, if you smell anything like samosa or green chilli bajji, then? Blessed are the ones who have some one to make some Pakoda and coffee when it is raining outside! After marriage, all this privilege has vanished, I have to go to kitchen and make it, 😦

Another smell I love is the Mysore Sandal Soap. I must have used this soap for at least fifteen years since my birth. After that I had changed to Ponds soap, which is not available now. Now rarely I do buy Mysore Sandal soap, and it takes me back to child hood, Mysore and Shimoga 🙂

Then the Jasmines, especially the ‘Mysore mallige’ ( mallige means jasmine) ; the smell of jasmine really makes me feel fresh, gives a festive mood. Even though we used to decorate our plats with the jasmines on regular basis, they were a must on Festivals. They are a must on festivals. So I really miss my long plat as I am not able to wear long maala ( garland) of jasmine on my hair these days.

The smell of Sooji mallige makes me remember my best friend Smitha. They had that creeper in their house, and during season she regularly wore that. It really had strong smell. I would get head ache if I wore it for full day. The creeper had touched their terrace, so we had to get onto their terrace from neighbor’s terrace and pluck the flowers.

Smell of my mother’s saree, smell of sister’s cream, smell of brother’s perfume, each one is unique!! Now smell of husband’s T – Shirts or daughter’s hair!!!!!

I can smell when milk boils, so I immediately go and switch off the stove, but my husband cannot! Sometimes each and every bad smell is so annoying, and if your partner is not able to feel it, it is all the more annoying!! why so?

Sometimes I feel the power to smell has made my life hell! Here in Nizampet Hyderabad, sometimes the smell coming from factories is so bad, I keep my windows shut all the time. Early mornings I go for walk on terrace and due to smell I come home, close the doors and sit inside!!  I find it difficult to travel in Train because of the bad smell of either Toilets or the bad smell in stations, when train stops for hours.

Some times how ever close a person be, if he/ she does not smell good. If their house does not smell good, I find it very difficult to talk to them, or visit their home… Thus a sensitive nose might make you no so social person!!

And to make sure you do not lose friends and visitors because of this reason, keep a perfume or an ambipur. These days I keep a perfume spray handy so that when ever I feel bad smell I can just spray it.

My mother often used Amrutanjan while travelling to get rid of bad smells!! She even kept a hand kerchief with lot of ponds powder poured into it and folded!

Smell of asafoetida ( Ingu) sprayed on hot oil while seasoning makes me hungry!!

Well there is so much to smell……

Thanks to Indiblogger and Ambipur for giving this topic; Looks like I will come back and write more on this. Do check the link
www.facebook.com/AmbiPurIndia to make your house smell good.