A fragrant tale of Radha and Krishna’s Holi.
The festival of Holi is often thought of as symbolic of the triumph of good over evil, but nestled within its legends also lies a playful tale of love and equality.
Young Krishna, mischievous and full of spirit, often complained to his mother Yashoda about his dark complexion compared to the fair beauty of his beloved Radha. One spring morning, as the pair came to her with the same complaint, Yashoda picked up Gulal (powdered dried flowers) and, smearing it on their cheeks, said, ‘Now you are both the same.’ As the differences disappeared, they became one in colour, in laughter, in love – marking the beginning of Holi along with the joyous welcoming of spring.
NOTES
Grapefruit, Pink Pepper, Salt, Fennel Seeds, Orris, Dry Woods, Ambergris.
PERFUMER
Nicolas Bonneville (DSM-Firmenich)
HOW IT WEARS
Opening with a gentle squeeze of grapefruit, pink pepper and a salty mineral accord, at first, Gullal gives us visuals of dry colourful pigments being tossed in the air. As it begins to settle, the fragrance becomes more green, floral, and borderline vegetal, with the fennel and iris working together as an ode to Thandai, the signature drink of Holi. Incense and woods act as guiding threads throughout the fragrance’s journey, but also ground the lighter, brighter notes from the beginning. Ambergris elongates Gullal’s wear and scent throw, like a celebratory day that keeps going into the night.
LORE LOVES
For us, Gullal captures the romance of spring, but not in the stereotypical way you’d expect. The grapefruit and pink pepper provide brightness, a sense of joyousness, and actually stick around on the skin because of the way the fragrance is blended. The orris and fennel seeds lend their subtle floral facets to Gullal, but also add this dry, vegetal herbaceousness that while providing a base for the brighter top notes, doesn’t overpower them. Overall we would describe Gullal as a vibrant, soul-reviving scent that is certainly great for spring, but can be worn as a pick-me-up all year round.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.