Fragrance

1. K2K –00016

Flowery Fragrance

The soothing smell of the soil after the rain pour,

The milk smell of a new born baby,

The earthy smell of shikhai after the hair wash,

The heavy smell of mehndi after removing it,

The sweet smell of rose water,

Nature’s gift uses any of the five senses but humans possess six senses and not one is absolutely valued consciously.

Fragrances are Nousath’ s only weakness. His shelves were filled with cosmetics ranging from body sprays, deodorants, after shave lotion etc. His all time favorite was fog.

One day when Anu, his best friend and he travelled in bike, Anu’s dupatta caressed his face enclosed with helmet. He liked the fragrance immediately but felt shy to ask what the perfume name is.

Few days later, while working in the laboratory, an acid bottle dropped and Anu immediately hugged Nousath in fear. While she departed, his lab coat smelled of Anu’s perfume and he felt miserable.

Few days later, Anu didn’t appear for her practical exam, hence Nousath decided to check in at her place. There she was tying the tulsi leaves into garlands on account of Vaikunda egadesi.

Anu, why didn’t you turn up, he asked looking surprised at Anu who hasn’t revealed about her father’s occupation ever. Telling the co-workers to look after the shop, Anu walked out of the shop gradually. Appa’s right hand got paralyzed two days ago Nousath and I thought I must be here instead of appearing for my exam.

 Chemistry is your love, if you skip this exam, your gold medal and scholarship will go in vain, he spoke anxiously.

I know Nousath but this is the need now. I have a business idea. I am going to make attar out of these petals, she said smiling.

Attar what is it, he asked curiously.

Its perfume oil obtained when the petals are distilled in water using low heat and pressure. Approximately 2.78 million metric tons of flowers are sold a year, amongst it wedding decorations and temple retreats ranks the first followed by other occasions. Let me collect the used flowers and make attar out of it, and I can make a sustainable living out of it.

Are you serious, Nousath asked looking at her puzzled.  She took him to her mini laboratory where she has experimented 143 attar oil in specific.

Were you using this attar when the acid bottle broke, he questioned.  Yes, I used the lotus petals and a pinch of vanilla pods she replied back.

Did I smell like an ice-cream, she blushed.

Yes, you did, he replied back looking at her eyes.

Anu, you appear for the exams. I will get the HOD’ permission and arrange people for your shop. Then we take this project forward, together.

Okay, she whispered, her eyes wet now.

So you’re going to make oils!

Yes, she giggled.

How and where you got this crazy idea!

It’s you Nousath, your love for fragrances but did you realise how many bottles end up into the landfill.

I want to end this and also reuse the flowers which is been disposed easily after use.

Each flower has a unique fragrance and so are we,

We bloom beautifully,

But how much do we give back to the environment?

Anu, your love for environment is cute.

You too Nousath, she said handing him over a bunch of yellow and white roses, symbol of friendship and his favorite color respectively.

With Love

Amritha Prem

 

2. K2K-00028

WHEN SMELL TURNS INTO FRAGRANCE

It was a hot afternoon. The Sun was smiling with hot rays. I was busy discussing with my mom about my mid-day special meal as it was Sunday. The atmosphere was filled with high humidity and I started to sweat a lot. So, I decided to chill out sometime in a Starbucks coffee shop near the road. As I was walking near that store, I heard a big thud.

It was a manhole lid and a man emerged out of it. It was fully covered by sewage. He cried for help to lift him out of that manhole. But, no one, including me, was ready to help him. Then came a young man dressed similar to that of him to help him out. That moment, I felt very bad about myself.

People around me came, just to post a new story, about a young man who helped the man to climb out of that manhole. Then, the crowd disappeared in moments. I felt really embarrassed. I went near that man and asked him why he was in such a condition. I couldn’t even stand for a minute near him as he was drenched with sewage with that bad smell. The man just smiled at me.

He said, "Can you bear this smell for a minute? But I can bear it for Hours. It’s my duty to clean sewers and I am doing this for the past 6 years. Do you know why? It was not because of fate. It was all because of Love.”

He continued, “I have an ailing mom and a 4 year old daughter whose mom died because of cancer. I am doing this just to see the smile in my daughter’s face and to lift her so that he empowers everyone. Then she will turn the dirty smell of this land into a beautiful garden filled with fragrance.”

My heart melted after hearing this story. I gave all the money in my pocket, saying “This is not for your daughter. It’s for our future asset who will turn ashes into roses……….”

MORAL:

 Even a dirty smell turns into fragrance before true love.

-AKASH P

 

 

 

3. K2K00039

 

 Fragrance

Have you ever felt, the role of fragrance in our life?

Think about a delicious food...

It is the fragrance that drags us before even our tongue tastes it.

Our Eyes may fake, but beauty of fragrance is real

Now come along with me to travel with Ashik...

The college farewell is over. Literally done with everything. Ashik was about to leave his hostel. The room where he spent the three long years.... Long??? Well, not exactly... it went too fast.

The most happiest days of his life.

He was busy packing his things to vacate his room where he finds this thin transparent shawl. She left this for the one last time when they met.

For a minute he paused as he was emotionally struck.

Their hearts knew, no humans could handle them better than both of them... such was their understanding. But..... they knew the reality and decided not to bring a cold war in their life.

Only the four walls knew the millions of secret memories they had. The funny chats, silly possessive fights, crunchy-munchy foods they had, the peer-peer teaching, life histories all these makes them laugh many a times.... And the love and care they shared is what made them shed tears when they left college.

He can still visualize her last kiss on his forehead...

Memories he could hold for the lifetime.

For the one last time he felt her fragrance from the transparent shawl he had. A fragrance which comforted him soo much...

He has never parted from his family ever before but the only thing which kept him lively during these three years was she and her fragrance of love.

Is this love or friendship? He doesn’t want to know this deep, remembering it might lead to a cold war.

Carrying this comfort of fragrance, he vacated the hostel.

Comment: A life without fragrance adds no flavour to life.

-#Aish#

 

 

 

4. K2K00060

Fragrance of life

For some people life is filled with fragrance of happiness and love.

For some it is filled with foul smell of sorrow and betrayal.

Our story revolves around two people one who has faced all the fragrance and foulness of life and other who was surrounded with fragrance and suddenly thrown into a disaster

Ramlal a pious old man in his early 90s runs an attar shop in town. His wife left him few years back and children does not care about him. He only got this attar shop as a mode of income. One fine day when Ramlal shop was filled with customers young man entered hesitated with his wife.

The man wife seems to be incredibly happy and was elated to see all the attar bottles and was going through them. Since the shop was filled with customers Ramlal did not give much care to this couple. Still Ramlal thought why is this man in so much tension.

After everyone left the couples did not leave.

The lady was still going through the attar flavours and tension in man's face increased.

Ramlal slowly went near the lady and asked How may I help you mam?

The lady did not reply still gazing at the attar with a smile.

Ramlal again repeated his question loudly.

The man came forward and said "Hello sir this is my wife, she is very much fond of perfumes and attar" 

Ramlal became incredibly happy.

But still the man was in state of tension. Upon curiosity Ramlal asked why are you in state of tension young man.

The man hesitated first but later he replied

Sir, me and my wife got married few months ago, after marriage my wife wanted lots of perfumes as gift but she got spasmenagaliaphobia(Fear of broken glass) and whenever we go to attar shops she encounters with broken glass and panics.

She takes days to get cured.

Am not sad that she got such a phobia but am tensed Because am not able to fulfil her desire and buy her favourite perfumes.

The old man replied me, and my wife were married for 60years she also had the same phobia.

For her i made sure there were not glass bottles or things made of glass in this shop and made all the bottles in aluminum and steel.

 

Hearing this the young man felt very happy and bought lots of perfumes for in wife.

The couple's visited the shop often and they had a good bond with old man. In reality the attar bottles were all made of glass, the fear and tension only cause the glasses to break.

The old man words gave relief to the couple thus the women did not break any glasses and never had to panic.

MORAL

LIFE IS SOMETIMES LIKE ROSES FULL OF BEAUTY AND FRAGRANCE BUT ALSO LIKE THRONES OF ROSE WHICH CAUSE PAIN AND AGONY.

BY

AISHWARYA

 

 5. K2K00070

 

ESSENCE

Vikas, a sous chef was returning home after work at night. Suddenly the brakes of his car failed, he lost control over his car and he hit a wall fence. The windshield broke into pieces and pierced his body. Some people saw him on the road and took him the hospital. Vikas' wife Anjana came to the hospital. Her feet were not stable, she was worried about him. She came and started crying near his bed.

Doctor told Anjana that Vikas had lost his eyesight, his optic nerve was damaged due to the accident. Anjana was very much upset then too she looked after him, gave him all the love and care. She was with him always.

After discharge he was resting at home. Few days later he went back to the Hotel, but the owner-Ramesh denied to give him his job back, he couldnt allow Vikas to enter the kitchen in that condition. Ramesh told him that he would help him financially if Vikas wanted but wont risk Vikas' life.

For Vikas it was not a job it was his passion. He couldnt just accept the fact that he was blind. He went to a lot of restaurants for job but no one gave him a job.

He came back to home. He seemed dull. Anjana kept talking to him but he didnt replied anything to her and went upstairs. He couldnt handle the stress. He brought a rope with him, he tied it to the ceiling and was just about to hang himself then suddenly Anjana came and stopped him. She hugged him and started crying saying, “Suicide is not the solution dear. Don’t you ever do this to me again. I love you so much. We will start again. I will be with you forever ".He was comforted by her hug and pleasant voice. Her fragrance reminded him all the good times and memories they've been together. Her love made him realize that how wrong he was.

Anjana supported him, made him face the odds. She motivated him for a new start. Vikas was already skilled in chopping vegetables blind folded. It all came through his experience. So he started working on sensing the ingrediants via touch and smell. He went on an aromatic ride of- pungent smell of Spices, aroma of coffee, intense refreshing smell of Herbs, citrusy aroma of Lime and Oranges, sweet-tangy smell of Tomatoes.

Vikas mastered to identify the key ingredients via smell and touch. Anjana and Vikas started their own restaurant and named it,"Cielo Aromatico". Vikas started his culinary journey once again.

Moral: You can forget many things but not the smell of food. It stays within you just like a soul.

Written by Harshvardhan

 

6. K2K00074

 

 ANOSMIA

     It was midnight. Rakesh suddenly woke up. The sweating smell emanated from his body. His heart was beating fast, as he felt guilty of what had happened in his life  recently.

    He married Rita four years ago. They enjoyed their nuptial life as if they were made for each other. Rita liked the fragrance of flowers  and no day passed without flowers decorating her braid. It had become a habit of Rakesh to return home with some variety of flowers and its perfume spread the entire house. Everything was moving nicely till one evening when Rita became a victim of fire accident in the kitchen.        

At that time Rakesh was very much present in the hall, watching a light music program on the TV. He could not even dream that his lovely angel would succumb to fire accident. When he went to the kitchen after a song was over, he was shocked to see that the fire that caught her dupatta unexpectedly engulfed her leading to her demise in the hospital.          

The Sub Inspector who took up the investigation of the case suspected that Rakesh had enacted the scene. His doubt originated from the circumstantial inference that though Rakesh could not hear the screams of Rita, as he had immersed himself in the volume of music and singing on the TV, he should have smelt the fire in the adjacent kitchen and rescued his wife. Why had he not done so? Did it mean that he himself murdered his wife by plotting the fire accident?        

On enquiry, it came to light that Rakesh suffered from the congenital anosmia. He had the loss of smell by birth and no treatment could cure it. He never enjoyed any shades of fragrance, including his bodily odour. His wife alone enjoyed the fragrance of flowers ….            

Moral: Anosmia, a physical challenge that is unnoticed unless disclosed, denies the sense of fragrance of life leading to personal disasters.

-R. Arunachalam