Smell-A-Memory

Have you ever come across a familiar smell that reminds you of a special someone or transports you back in time to a fond childhood memory? They say that most of the memories we cherish have more to do with the way we feel at the moment that experience was recorded in our brains rather than what we saw, heard or smelled. Think of it this way, you may have had the fortune of seeing the Niagara Falls, but what would you associate with that memory? Is it the size of the water fall, amount of water gushing or the mist in the air? Or is it the way you felt dwarfed by its massive size, the chill that you felt when you dipped your feet in the water or the way you felt when the cool mist brushed against your cheeks? Memories are always more vivid when there are fond feelings associated with them.

As I sat in a subway car on a hot day, I readied myself for the onslaught my senses were about to face. Rush hour in a train on a hot summer day is definitely not a pleasant experience, smelling some one’s perspiration in an encapsulated space is even more not so. That is why I was pleasantly surprised when I smelled a hint of camphor waft through the air very briefly. That smell although subtle triggered a very clear and strong memory from my childhood. That is when I decided to make a small list of smells and people/events in my life they remind me of.

Camphor – Tulsi Pooja after Diwali, with my paternal grandparents, Mom, Dad and uncle surrounding the Tulsi and me beating hard on a small gong to drive away the ‘negative forces’.

Fresh Dalitoy – Saturday Afternoons when I was in the 8th grade, when my Sister and I got home, after a half-day of school, to freshly prepared hot food. On the other days the food was packed in lunch boxes, so Saturday allowed me to enjoy a hot lunch on a school day.

Ripe Mangoes – This reminds me of summer holidays spent with my maternal grandparents by the beach; it also reminds me of my Mom as she is very fond of this fruit ... almost a ‘Mango Freak’!

Mothballs – my Grandma’s beloved closet which she very rarely allowed me to see. I always was intrigued when she did give me a glimpse of its contents. I remember being hit by a cool crisp mothballish scent whenever she opened those closet doors.

Old spice – This is a very distinct smell and reminds me of my Dad when I was in kindergarten. Also associated with this are memories of me emptying bottles of Old Spice into little swimming pools that I etched out of Thermocol for my Barbies.

There are several other smells that trigger memories but these are few of the ones that I can recall off the top of my head. As I read through my list I notice it mostly consists of memories with my family; there are several other scents/smells that remind me of people, places and even situations I’ve been in but those smells are hard to describe [ for example: The warm muddy damp smell just after it has rained ] and those memories vague unless triggered. There are a whole list of smells that remind me of unpleasant places and situations, but we’ll save that for another post, shall we?

So, the next time you come across a familiar scent/smell/aroma take a minute and try to remember who or what it reminds you of…. You’ll give your olfactory membranes a well deserved work-out and in the process may unearth a forgotten memory as well.