One thing that I have always been denied in my childhood is Perfume. My mother always used to tell me that perfume is the student’s worst enemy. It robs the urge to study and makes the mind wander. And I couldn’t say much! So I used to satisfy myself by using Lux. In fact I used to rub it hard! Twice, thrice..at least some fragrance should come out! Till class VIII things went fine but soon it got difficult for me to resist the urge of wearing some kind of perfume. Most of my friends used it. I dreamed of perfume day and night! Rose, sandal, lavendarm…jasmine…When will my day come? In class IX when I went to my Grandpa’s place during my Puja vacation, I got myself a bottle of Agaru. I did not buy this. Neither can you call ‘Agaru’ a perfume. It is basically a kind of Holy perfume used in various Pujas, specially Durga puja. My grandfather who was a priest had ample stock of these Agaru bottles. The smell was more or less ‘Temple’ like – something similar to the Panchavati incense stick mixed with something else. I cannot explain. All I can say is it was different. Something which had enough punch to make you stand out in the crowd.
I started using this. My friends laughed at me smelling this ‘holy’ smell. Luckily the smell was there for an hour or so. Unfortunately I got caught. I was such a fool that I used to keep this bottle in my school bag. And one day the bag fell from the table and the bottle broke. And soon the entire flat became the abode of ‘holy’ smell. And the source of this smell was split wide open. Strangely my mother did not scold me. Neither my father. My father who at the slightest pretext liked twisting my ears let go of this wonderful opportunity. What’s wrong guys! My mother told me politely not to use ‘perfume’. Everything comes at a time. And when I grow up I can use lots of perfume. Nobody will stop me. Then she told something interesting from Rabindranath Tagore’s childhood. Rabindranath was born in a rich Zamindar family. But unfortunately all throughout his childhood he was denied pockets! I mean his pants didn’t have pockets. His father instructed their home tailor not to make any pocket in his children’s trousers. He felt that pockets are wastage of clothes. It’s simply not required! The values of frugality was imbibed deep within little Rabindranath from an early age. I put my hands inside my pockets. I will not allow anyone to deny me my pockets! I didn’t get the finer point. I lacked intellect.
Like a Cat, soon I forgot all the ‘gyans’ from my parents. I started using my father’s after shave lotion as perfume. And this time when I got caught my father twisted my ears. Both the ears. At highschool I finally mustered enough courage to buy a small bottle of Minimax perfume for Rs 5. Again I got caught. But this time nobody told me anything strict. Mother just told me to wait till the time comes. Till I get established and start leading my own life. She didn’t take the bottle away. I don’t know what happened to me but I never used any perfume after that. I still have the little ‘Minimax’ bottle with me. In 2005 when I came to Delhi for my first job, I got the bottle with me. I applied it once only to find that this perfume is not at all suitable in this megacity. People kept staring at me at my very first day at office! Thanks to Minimax! The smell was too strong. It was more like ‘Ittar’ than a proper perfume. I tried experimenting a bit. Got some cheap stuff from the local market. But realized they are not the ‘in’ thing. Unfortunately there was no one to guide me to the world of perfumes. It was simple trial and error method. Soon I got introduced to the thing called ‘body spray’. And I got an ‘Axe’. I liked the smell but not a single girl got attracted. The ‘Axe’ advertisement claimed something similar. Then I moved on to Park Avenue. Then to Lomami…finally settled for Playboy.
Today after five years I have almost a collection. Nothing too expensive but I have enough of varieties in my stock. But the bottle of that Rs 5 ‘Minimax’ remains! Its smell makes me remember my childhood, my hometown, my school, and everything that accompanied me lovingly towards my transition to adulthood.
