PILGRIMAGE ° EXTRAIT DE PARFUM

I created this perfume while writing my book In Sensorium, during lockdown, and it is meant to summon the Ganges River journey, from its source in the Himalayas to its end at the Bay of Bengal. Perfume is a borderless substance, one that erases our divisions and honors our interconnected lineages. This perfume is made with rare botanical attars sourced from Kannauj, one of the stops on this river journey, and features a mélange of olfactory notes that evoke the infinite landscapes of South Asia.

“Losing my sense of smell terrified me, threatening my livelihood and what brought me so much pleasure. When I regained my strength and nose, I went to my perfume studio to work on a commissioned fragrance. Bay of Bengal saltwater accord, dirtied drop by drop with the murky notes of patchouli, seaweed absolute, and red Buddha wood, reminiscent of river pollution, pyre ashes, aquatic funk. Mitti attar accord sourced from Kannauj, remnants of worship flowers, carnation, rose, and marigold, bright and spicy florals punctuated by cardamom and the nutmeg at its heart. Perfume would be my pilgrimage.”

—from In Sensorium: Notes For My People by Tanaïs