by: Naheed Shoukat Ali
Your scent enchants me
Every time I get close to you
Oh beloved Jasmine.
A time in our lives comes when we fall in love and everything feels beautiful. But this probably is not the first time of our life and love stepped in even before so... Recall the day, when as a child, you saw the rainbow and smelled flowers for the first time. What did you feel? The stars shone in your eyes to see the magnificent colours of the spectrum and a voice came from your heart: "I wish I could touch it." The longing to touch the rainbow had just started to bloom, then you encountered flowers and a sniff took you to the sparkling world of beautiful dreams, and to be with it forever, you plucked a flower.
So this is where you first fell in love and this shows that our love with fragrances and colours is not just a beginning; rather, it’s a long story to be told. Come to think of it, we talk about fragrances in various innovative ways and this springs to my mind: Why not add FRAGRANCES and their ASSOCIATION WITH CULTURES? Yes, you must have got the idea from my amateurish haiku what you are all going to read about? YES...
Just like its name which is so feminine, romantic, luminious and so exquisite, Jasmine is a love at first sniff. In Arabic and Persian it is called Yasmin which means "gift from God" and so does my mother share her name with it. There isn’t a corner on this globe where this majestic flower is not known, but despite its global familiarity, let me introduce to you all again. Jasmine (or call it Chambeli in our local language) is a national flower of Pakistan. Hence, being reared and nurtured in our land, it has a very special place in our hearts. Think of any occasion and you can smell its presence long before it catches your eyes. As part of tradition, just a day before her big day clad in yellow, the bride is adorned with earrings and bangles of Moghra also known as Jasmine sambac.
Jasmine Sambac
The garland she wears around her neck is specially made with jasmine and roses and she smells divine with this pure and sensual combination of red and white. To make their big day more fragrant and memorable, both the bride and the groom are given the garlands intricately decorated with roses and jasmine. This is not only in my country but throughout the world Jasmine is used in various ceremonies and the one that tops all is the wedding. In past years, women also used to ornament their hair with jasmine, but now it is no more a trend. I remember as a child that whenever I saw vendors selling jasmine on the streets, I insisted my mother to buy me one and I carefully kept it with me, hiding it from sisters’ eyes.
The garland she wears around her neck is specially made with jasmine and roses and she smells divine with this pure and sensual combination of red and white. To make their big day more fragrant and memorable, both the bride and the groom are given the garlands intricately decorated with roses and jasmine. This is not only in my country but throughout the world Jasmine is used in various ceremonies and the one that tops all is the wedding. In past years, women also used to ornament their hair with jasmine, but now it is no more a trend. I remember as a child that whenever I saw vendors selling jasmine on the streets, I insisted my mother to buy me one and I carefully kept it with me, hiding it from sisters’ eyes.
Florist by Sistak
Besides wedings and decorations, garlands of jasmine ornamented with roses are presented to the pilgrims who leave to perform their pilgrimage to the holy city of Mekkah. Throwing more light on religious ceremonies, when a child starts his first lesson of the Quran, his parents and relatives present him bunches of jasmine and roses as a gesture of appreciation and good luck. Tthe same is done when he completes his education of the Quran. On a bit sad note, when one departs this world, it is laid next to his body as a final farewell gift of purity.
Besides wedings and decorations, garlands of jasmine ornamented with roses are presented to the pilgrims who leave to perform their pilgrimage to the holy city of Mekkah. Throwing more light on religious ceremonies, when a child starts his first lesson of the Quran, his parents and relatives present him bunches of jasmine and roses as a gesture of appreciation and good luck. Tthe same is done when he completes his education of the Quran. On a bit sad note, when one departs this world, it is laid next to his body as a final farewell gift of purity.
Moving from Pakistan, let’s have a look at some other parts of world. It is interesting to learn that Jasmine is also the national flower of the Philippines where it is known as Sampaguita and is usually strung on garlands which are then used to adorn the religious images. Being the national flower of Indonesia, Jasmin sambac is considered the most important flower in wedding ceremonies for ethnic Indonesians, especially in the island of Java. In Syria, it is the symbolic flower of Damuscus, which is called the "city of jasmines." And in Thailand, jasmine is used as the symbol of mother. Europeans first used the flower as an ingredient in French perfumes in the early 16th century.
Jasmine in Tailand by evershade
Before going further, you might like to add some Jasmine fragrances to your list. For sophisticated, rich and dark Jasmine,Bvlgari’s Jasmin Noir is perfect while Donna Karan’s Essence Jasmine will treat you with a more naturalistic one. And you would also like Nasomatto’s Nuda.As it is my neighbouring country and having my ancestral roots there, I can’t forget to mention India. Jasmine vendors are a common scene on the streets, temples and the bus stand areas. Women wear Jasmine in their hair and I have never seen such a beautiful adornment of flowers ever. It is considered a symbol of beauty and love for them.
Givenchy’s Organza Indian Jasmine joins in with her silky, smooth and tender touch. For Creed’s Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie, I would like to share a small part of melia’s review that says “A big jasmine-sandalwood fragrance. It smells exactely like an indian shop, filled with that typical indian incense/oil aroma (they often use jasmine and sandalwood smells). An indian shop it is, but one with quality and class.’’ It is very interesting to learn how flowers hold special meanings in different cultures and so does Jasmine. Indian jasmine, or white jasmine, is symbolic of the notions of attachment and sensuality. Particularly in the East, gifts of jasmine flowers represent the idea that the presenter is saying "I attach myself" to the recipient. The sweet scent of jasmine flowers often invokes feelings of sensuality.
Flowers worn in hair by mckaysavage
The Spanish jasmine is a yellow jasmine which is often associated with grace and elegance. The jasmine also holds strong spiritual and religious significance, as it has been a constant symbol of divinity and hope. With its special meanings, you would want to try Annick Goutal’s Le Jasmin which is spicy, green and raw.
The Spanish jasmine is a yellow jasmine which is often associated with grace and elegance. The jasmine also holds strong spiritual and religious significance, as it has been a constant symbol of divinity and hope. With its special meanings, you would want to try Annick Goutal’s Le Jasmin which is spicy, green and raw.
Chinese use the Jasmine plant as a cleansing remedy and jasmine tea is a favourite among people from China. And I join in to share with you all that jasmine tea is a must try…yummylicious! With my cup of Jasmine tea, I would love to spritz some Pacifica’s Tunisian Jasmin.
And oh! Here’s a word about my cat, he loves the smell of jasmine flower and he finds the fragrance so scrumptious that after sniffing it he eats it up. All you cat owners, if you have a jasmine plant in your garden and find the flowers missing every day, don’t blame it on naughty kids because it’s none other than your cat.
And oh! Here’s a word about my cat, he loves the smell of jasmine flower and he finds the fragrance so scrumptious that after sniffing it he eats it up. All you cat owners, if you have a jasmine plant in your garden and find the flowers missing every day, don’t blame it on naughty kids because it’s none other than your cat.
Jasmine tea
Here are some more recommendations:
With Fleurs de Nuit Badgly Mischka has created delicate jasmine and so has Guerlain done on Les Voyges Olfactifs 03 Paris-Tokyo. You will probably start to long forLord’s Jester’s Anthea after reading these lines from Krmarich’s review: “This is the jasmine that Cleopatra scented the sails of her barge to travel down the Nile! This is the jasmine that blossoms at night in the Imperial gardens of China. This is the jasmine that the classic Geisha scented her hair with.’’
Cleopatra by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1883)
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