The Power of Scent

The motia has come undone but her heady fragrance still lingers in the air.

I’ve always wondered about the mystical powers of scent and how they go on to affect our memories. Even the slightest smell wafting in the air has the ability to transport you. For some of us, these associations are attached with spices, herbs and food while for others, it could be a familiar perfume or a scent. They can remind us of a time long ago, of things that we have left behind and then there’s those that remind of us of people.

For me, it’s undoubtedly Motia or the mogra flower. it’s the scent of these tiny but beautiful white flowers. They remind me of my Papaji (my grandfather) who would wake up everyday at the crack of dawn to go to the flower market followed by the gurudwara and would often bring home some flowers for our Dadi.

Since then, I’ve worn these as bracelets, I’ve worn them around my neck and in my hair. I thought that by wearing them on my wedding day, I would be able to honour him in our little way and share his love for flowers since my husband never had a chance to meet him but I know they would have really gotten along.

I’ve even picked up a few bottles of motia (jasmine) ittar from Kochi over the years and I use a tiny bit every now and then on my clothes and around the house.

I would buy these gajras often and sometimes, my husband would buy them for me. It was a beautiful way to remember Papaji and it would take just a few flowers to make the house smell sweet.

This Motia feels like a familiar song. It feels like a warm hug. It reminds me of the power of scent and how at once, this whiff is all it took to make me feel comforted albeit for a moment????