Recently I discovered that smells influence my mind more than I thought.
For example the fresh smell of the new pot pourrie that I have kept in the wide mouthed vase on my bedside table soothens me when I settle myself in bed with a book at the end of a long day.
Or the fragrance of sandalwood incense sticks in the house arouses a pure and clean feeling. I can almost hear the sound of conch shells from our little "thakur ghor" (small temple in the house) at home in the evenings.
I love the smell of wet earth. It is the identity of the elements, of Mother Nature. Nowadays the same smell makes me miss India. For some reason I cannot associate that smell with any other land.
The aroma of a freshly baked cake, right out of the oven reminds me of childhood birthdays with family.
The smell of strong, freshly brewed coffee links to concentration, late nights and deadlines.
The crisp smell of the pages of a new book excites me. I associate it with adventure, wisdom and collection.
The smell of washed and ironed linen transports me to the hospital bed where I had stayed for 4 days during my surgery last year.
The smell of petrol, I associate with the Iraq war somehow.
There are several other smells that mean more than just a smell to me.
Of course I will write only about fragrances.
2 comments:
you talk of two things - memory linkages and associations.
Of all the senses, smells has the strongest linkages with memory- a single smell can evoke memories of the last time you smelled it, even from a very long time ago.
pardon me for being sexist, but i guess it takes a women to have so many specific associations of smells...
The other mental reactions I can think of are either pleasure or repulsion.
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I dont know whether this is a special characteristic of a woman or it is a particular trait in some people(of any sex). Though smell is not as important a sense as sight or hearing (deaf and blind are common terms but how many of us have heard of Anosmiacs?), I think it completes a feeling.
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