Nagpur, my hometown in India is close to the well-known tiger reserves of Pench, Tadoba, and Navegaon. To go into a jungle, into the tiger's territory, is an unforgettable experience. Just the resounding roar is enough to make one feel the power of this magnificent animal. You come back from such journeys with a deep appreciation for our planet and its creatures.
For me, this was the hardest perfume to create. I wanted to capture the feel of summer, the woods, the smell of dry leaves, and the heat of central India. I used some jasmine sambac in this perfume because this amazing flower blooms in the early morning and cools the soul, ahead of the intense heat of the day. But I did not want this perfume to be floral.
Even after many trials I felt that the perfume needed je ne sais quoi.
I kept the perfume aside for a few days, and instead, in my mind, I went back to the region, the season, and the memory of the place, to see if it could give me some ideas.
I thought of the piercing cry of the Koel—the Indian cuckoo. The call of this bird is as sweet as the mangoes themselves. (Listen to the bird call here.) Perhaps I needed something sharp and sweet like that call.
My hometown, Nagpur, is also called 'Orange City', because this region is one of the biggest orange farming areas. So, the "sharp and sweet" was orange perhaps.
I added a hint orange. It lifted the deepness of the perfume.