Cometh the Summer, feeleth the desperation for that exhilarating breath of fresh air
with a whiff of refreshing spray of fragrance, which would render your senses
revitalized in its bliss. To satiate this irrepressible urge, the distinctive league of Dixit
Artisan’s Perito Moreno line of ‘eau de parfum’, ushers in, with its neo bouquet named
‘Culture’.
And that we assure you is just the beginning attribute of the redolence of ‘Culture’, as it
is indeed a summoning up of the soul of God’s own land, Kerala, with every note that it
gradually unravels, akin to each step, performed through the venerated storytelling art
of the divine dance form of ‘Kathakali’.
The top notes of ‘Culture’ emerge, opening the curtains on a viridescent garden, just
after the rains have offered the turfs a nice shower. These parallel the hand eye
coordination and nimbleness of the feet of a Kathakali dancer, with the rose leaves
evoking the delicate sinuous wave and brush of the performing artist’s hands, the
jasmine sambac reflecting whisperingly the speedy, nuanced footwork; and the rose
bud, blooming, as the mystical, expressive eyes of the artist are revealed to the world.
As the ‘cultured’ top notes segue into the core central theme with the mid notes
unfolding, one can sense the transition in context to be matching the portrayal of the
Kathakali genre, assuming more depth at this juncture, with the execution of the mudra
(gestures) getting more intricate. These middle notes comprise of Champaka; its velvety
and enamouring fragrance symbolizing the impeccably optimum variations of a
Kathakali dancer, with Auriculatum and Grandiflora, from the infinite range of jasmines,
signifying the divergent meaningful layers contained in each mudra. At the crux,
Tuberose, with its power to open the crest ‘chakra’, intoxicates and envelopes the
senses, with its balmy scent, as apparent from the steadfastly intense concentration that
can be seen on the performer’s countenance. The artist achieving the ultimate by
touching the core spiritual dimension of Kathakali, is represented by the whiff of the
sanctified Brahmakamal. Even as the dance achieves great spiritual elevation, the dancer
constantly remains rather grounded, maintaining an association with the stage and the
audience, personified by the earthy fragrance of the herbal Patchouli.
The foundational, base notes of ‘Culture’ that linger and stay with you form the back
story against which the lasting impressions are made, embodied in the ultimate
theatrical posture of a performance of Kathakali. Among these base notes, the ones
which anchor the perfume with their depth and woody traction are Sandalwood and
Cedarwood, as firm and solid as the rhythmic confidence of the dancer’s feet. Just lying
below these is the Musk, providing the animalic dimension to the fragrance, as it is seen
to bring out the element of primal features and expressions in the dance. The conveying
of emotions and turning it into artistic representation with flair is denoted by the Warm
Amber and the Sacred Pink Lotus that amalgamate absolutely. The final touch of the
enduring impression in the perfume is stamped by the tobacco leaves, as witnessed in
the Kathakali tradition’s perennial bequest.
The genre of Kathakali in full display is impeccably paralleled by Dixit Artisan’s ‘Culture’,
through the synergy generated by the interplay of all the notes, as exhibited through the
nuanced narrative set up with the help of vivacious outfits, the grand, impactful
make-up, and execution of dynamic poses. The refreshing waft in the air silently
pervades, elevating the atmosphere around it, turning it into a scene of merriment, a
culture-fest indeed.
‘Culture’ stays with you.