via Daily Prompt: Fragrance
She was walking down a supermarket aisle, shopping cart loaded with groceries and other home necessities. She was almost done. Only the cleaning supplies were left to be picked up.
She stopped before a display of detergents and automatically reached for the same detergent she had been using for years, when her hand stopped and her eyes fell on the lone packet of Nirma, tucked far away into a corner. It had gathered dust for no one used that brand anymore. But to her that brand meant a lot of things.
What was it, that jingle that made the brand famous? She racked her brain to remember the tune and the words. It had been years since that jingle played on the TV or on the radio. Then she remembered,
‘Washing powder Nirma, washing powder Nirma…
Doodh si safedi, Nirma se aaye,
Rangeen kapda bhi khil, khil, jaaye.
Sabki pasand Nirmaaaa…
Washing powder Nirma, washing powder Nirma…’
She stood at the spot transfixed, her synapses transmitting those lost memories of childhood. Her mother, the laundry, the way her tender hands would soak, scrub and wring out bucket loads of clothes, bedsheets and linens like they weighed nothing. There were no washing machines back then. Women had to do the laundry by hand. Her Mother was always at the courtyard of their home in the mornings, wringing out the bucket loads of laundry she had washed.
How she missed her. It had been twenty years now.
The detergent and her Mother had a special connection. Her Mother’s clothes always wore the faint fragrance of the detergent – clean, lemony, motherly. Her nostrils flared at the memory of that fragrance she associated with affection and security, and longing hit her like a physical thing.
She knew she shouldn’t but she ripped open the packet, and as the first strong waft of the detergent’s perfume hit her nose, memories of her Mother crashed into her like tidal waves.
She didn’t know how long she stood there just smelling the detergent. She must have looked funny because someone broke her reverie, “Ma’am, I’m afraid you’ll have to buy that now.”
She smiled at the Stock boy. “How many of these do you have? I’d like to buy them all”.
In response to the Daily Prompt: Fragrance
Copyright ©2017 Pradita Kapahi.
All rights reserved.
Image Credits: The Country Farm Home
Loved it Pradita. Impressions of senses be it smell, sound or sights are very strong and takes us back along with those hard bound associated memories.
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Absolutely Sir. I’m glad you liked it. Such jungles remind me too of childhood. Do you have such memories too, triggered by odd things?
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yes, old jingles and songs also take me back in time…
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Yes absolutely ☺️
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How many of these do you have, I would like to buy them all. ,,👌👌 Nostalgia
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Yes. Funny how the most mundane of things reminds us of the past. Like I always associate the scent of pine with my Nanihal in the mountains. Do you have such triggers as well?
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Yup as you said nanihal, I have also something like that. Actually here jute cultivation crop is very popular and in that there is a process in which cut plants have to keep in knee deep waters for several days. That water generally accumulates in rainy season in road side pits. So when cut plants are kept in waters they used to rot.. and a very peculiar rotten water smell comes when you cross. But believe me that smell doesn’t offend your mood. So whenever a rotten water smell touches my nose buds I almost travel to those wet lands of my nanihal which is very near to nepal border in jogbani, bihar.
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Wow! Odd how such things linger in you and form fond memories. Like the fragrance of sugarcane being processed to form sugar in factories. It gives off a very peculiar smell that I never liked back then, but now a whiff of it transports me back in time. Thank you so much for sharing that memory with us here. Have a great day 😊
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Thank you pradita. Yuup it do happens you associate yourself with so many things, like wise some songs as well. whenever I listen to this song “didi tera dewar divana” I almost get lost in my childhood memories although this song has nothing to do with any special incident..
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I wrote the third and last part of my travel blog safarnama I hope you would like that
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Oh great! Will check it out asap. Going through a crazy phase right now. Have a happy weekend 😁
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He hey what so special about this crazy phase. ,😉😉
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Family here for a vacation. I’m the host. I think you’ll get the rest 😁😁😁
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I remember that jingle, hema, rekha, jaya aur sushma, sabki pasand nirma ..Fragrant Nostalgic memories came flashing by…Nice read.👍
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Yes! That’s the whole jingle 😁😁😁 I too have very fond memories of this ad. It was such an iconic ad, just like Laxman Sylvania, or Bajaj advertisements. Glad you liked it 😊
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Yes I do. 👍 Thanks for flooding us with memories of yester years ☺️
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You’re most welcome. 😊 😊 😊
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Lovely finish to this nostalgic post?story?memoir?
You evoked a sharp sense of home here. Kudos!
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Did I? Awwwwww! Same here… I mean the ad reminds me of bachpan and DD. I’m sure everyone from back then can relate to Nirma 😊
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Yeah, most of us can. With the various actress names. 😊
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Lol! Yep. True that. Glad it made you happy 😊
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Wow …that song brings the smell of nirma detergent to me right now!! 🙂 Beautiful post.
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Hai na? Ha ha! Glad you liked it 😊 😊
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Yess really! I smelled it again haha!
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Glad you liked it 😊
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🙂
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Yes Pradita when listen the name ofNirma remembered the memories of childhood when watching a TV.
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I know. I bet everyone born before 2000 would recall this ad.
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Recently you usen nirma washing powder
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Wow! Brought back memories I bet. I don’t even see it in stores anymore. Where did you find it?
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Now i did not see Nirma. In childhood saw in advertisements
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Ah I see.
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Nostalgic, I love that song.
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Glad you liked it. Thanks 🙂
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Sometimes, nostalgia makes you do (or buy in this case) crazy things, Pradita. 😀
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That is so true. I remember doing that with Uncle Chips. Do you have such crazy memories too? 😁
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😅
I must have but I hardly can recollect any.
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😂 that’s ok.
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Fragrance of the detergent!!
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Thanks a lot for reading and for the follow. Drop in more often and have a great day 🙂
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Sure I will. Take care
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Love the way you weaved this prompt, expressing what many of us middle-class children felt and with the strong perfume piercing our nostril and bringing this fragrance of life. Love the end, Pradita. This ad about Nirma always comes to the mind on DD!
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I know Vishal. There were so many similar ads that always remind us of our childhood days in India. LAxman Sylvania, Bajaj, Dhara, Amul… I could go on an on. Thank you and I’m glad it make you take a trip down memory lane 🙂
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Beautiful story !
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Thanks a lot ji 🙂 Kahan ho aaj kal?
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Good morning didi !
In my own world
If I ask same question ?
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Good morning ji. Mehman-nawazi chal rahi hai ji. My house is full of relatives. Has kep me away from blogging and reading. Tumhara kya chal rah hai?
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Haan tbhi m soch RHA Tha didi ajkal gayab kyun chl rhi Hain 😀😀
Mera kuch Ni weekend Mila Hai to ek do poems likh li aur Sath m aptitude preparation CHL rhi Hai written exam k liye
CLG bhi start ho gye ab to
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Oh. Full work mode oh hai tab toh. All the best. As soon as my house guests have left I’ll read your blog. All the best for the new semester 🙂
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Hnn work mode on krne Mei maza Hai
Khali baithke Kya krenge !
Thank you so much di 🙏
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You’re most welcome 😊
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Sometimes the smallest of details can take us down the memory lane… Beautiful story, my dear.
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That is so true Shweta. I have so many of such instances. Do you? Thanks for reading 😊 😊
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Ohh yes! Certain things and places have the ability to bring back old memories! 💕😊
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☺️☺️☺️
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