india: 12 posts

Neela Vermeire Creations has recently presented its new fragrance Ashoka. Inspired by one of India’s greatest emperors, perfume was created by Bertrand Duchaufour. It is “a tribute to an emperor who was conquered by his own compassion at the moment his victory was assured. He converted to Buddhism and devoted the rest of his life to spreading the Buddha’s teachings, to truth, to justice and to compassion for all living creatures beneath the sun…. His own evolution from ruthless conqueror to benevolent emperor is reflected in Ashoka’s journey from the fierce opening to a softly floral heart & the gentle embrace of its richly complex drydown.”

Ashoka includes notes of fig leaves, leather, white and pink lotus, mimosa, fig milk, osmanthus, rose, water hyacinth, vetiver, styrax, incense, sandalwood, myrrh, tonka bean, and fir balsam. Ashoka will be available in select stores from early autumn 2013.

In other news, Mohur will be released in a higher extrait de parfum concentration. Its amethyst glass flacon and other bottles from Neela Vermeire’s collection were recently re-designed by Pierre Dinand, a renowned bottle artist. Via press release (the image of King Ashoka via wiki-images, some rights reserved).

Shimmering silk saris, henna curlicues, rose scented Indian sweets… I was ready to experience it all as I sprayed Etro Rajasthan on my wrist. Inspired by a state in the western part of India, this perfume from the Italian fashion house, promised to take me away from my routine to someplace faraway and exciting.

It takes me a few moments to realize that Rajasthan doesn’t transport me further than the local beauty counter. It smells uncannily like a rose and violet scented lipstick, but admittedly, it’s a pleasant scent. Its rich composition is based on rose and amber with a jammy accent of violets and gardenia. The rose is creamy and warm, while the marshmallow sweetness of orange blossom gives it a gourmand finish. As the perfume unfolds on your skin, it becomes soft and powdery, with fluffy vanilla rounding out all edges. It has a big presence, noticeable sillage, and a retro chic character.

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Etro will add another travel inspired perfume to its collection this March. Rajasthan pays homage to India and includes notes of lemon blossom, damascus rose, pink pepper, labdanum, amber, and white musk.

“Rajasthan, the new fragrance by Etro suggests heightened nomadic and yearning femininity, the hypnotic dance of eternal desire, a wild gypsy poetry set in colorful jeweled Maharajaha’s cities which are eternal like the breathing of the earth and the energy of the desert. A poetic and seductive fragrance that suggests an impatient prophecy, the fresh aroma of a winter lemon flower combined with the sweetness of the strong damask rose and the languor of mimosa. The skilled sensuality of amber and white musk are enlivened by a strong pink pepper bite, which gradually gives way to the delicate notes of labdanum which then turn to the magnificence of sweet acacia. A fragrance that promises another summer enclosed in the yellow corollas which are as velvety as talc and as sweet as honey.”

100 ml Eau de Parfum/£112. Via cosmoty.de

My first taste of India was completely different from what I anticipated. I arrived at my friend’s apartment in Delhi, my head still aching from jet lag and the kaleidoscopic array of new sensory impressions. “You must be hungry,” said Swati, as she went into the kitchen. It was close to midnight, but the air was still hot and humid, and my shirt stuck to my back. I wasn’t hungry at all, but I still politely ate a bit of the vegetable pilaf she put in front of me. I expected it to be spicy and hot, but instead it was tart and refreshing, reminiscent more of Mediterranean tastes than anything I’ve previously experienced with Indian food. Poha was the start of my love affair with Indian layered flavors.

Poha is the name for flattened rice (sometimes also referred to as beaten rice) that has been parboiled, rolled, flattened, and dried to produce easy-to-cook, nutritious flakes. It’s a Western Indian version of muesli, and it’s a common breakfast dish. Since poha is already cooked, it only requires a brief soaking to turn the thin flakes into plump grains. It absorbs liquids and flavors easily, and poha works well in soups, pilafs, salads, and even desserts. You can use it in any dish in which you would have used couscous, adjusting the cooking times accordingly.

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Neela Vermeire Mohur is a modern interpretation of a classical theme in Middle Eastern perfumery—the combination of rose with oud. It is one of a debut trio from the Neela Vermeire Creations line.  Ms. Vermeire is an Indian woman living in Paris who weaves the heritage of her native country around personal history to create perfume narratives.

Mohur takes its name from a gold coin minted during the Mogul era in Indian history. It is influenced by the story of the empress Nur Jahan, who not-so-secretly became the power behind the throne of her opium-addicted second husband.  After her husband’s death, Nur Jahan took up the art of perfumery while under what amounted to a house arrest.  Although the perfumes Nur Jahan created are lost to history, the story is not and it is this that Neela Vermeire has taken as inspiration.

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