SOAP - Which is Your Favourite Brand of Soap

My Favorite Brand of Soap - Mysore Sandal Soap

A REFRESHING BATH and A LINGERING FRAGRANCE

By

VIKRAM KARVE

I am feeling good. 

It is the peak of Summer in Pune. It's been a sultry hot day - terrible, very humid and sweaty. 

Yet I am feeling good. 

That's because I have just had a bath with Mysore Sandal Soap. I feel clean, refreshed and smell nice with the lingering spicy smell of Sandalwood.

I clearly remember my first tryst with Mysore Sandal Soap. 

Way back in the 1960s, we used to travel twice a year from the “upcountry” to Pune for our vacations. 

There were no direct trains to Pune then and we had to travel via Mumbai. 

So we came down from the upcountry by famous trains, like the Frontier Mail, the Howrah Mail, the Calcutta Mail or the Punjab Mail, feeling all scruffy and weary, covered with coal dust, got off Dadar in the morning and went to my grand-aunt’s house in Hindu Colony nearby.

The old-style house had a huge spotlessly clean tiled bathroom and it was there that I first discovered Mysore Sandal Soap.

It was a leisurely relaxed bathing experience, the soothing lather of Mysore Sandal Soap softening my skin, and I would emerge fully refreshed exuding the tantalizing yet subtle lingering fragrance of sandalwood.

Then, after a sumptuous breakfast, we would board a bus from Dadar TT or a local from the station to South Mumbai, spend the day loafing, window shopping, browsing books, a movie and a meal and then head to CST [then known as Bombay VT] to catch the Deccan Queen to Pune.

Since then Mysore Sandal Soap is my all time favourite and I truly enjoy the luxurious bathing experience every morning, and in the evenings too. 

Being an “old timer” I prefer the subtle lingering natural fragrance of sandalwood rather than the overpowering synthetic scent of present day deodorants. 

Those days the focus was on cleanliness and hygiene rather than masking your body odour by copiously spraying strong smelling deodorants all over your body.

A nice soothing bath, skin feeling soft and nourished, feeling clean, refreshed, smelling natural, gently exuding the lingering gentle comforting fresh fragrance of sandalwood - that’s what makes me feel good, rather than the present day practice of profusely deodorizing one’s body till one reeks of artificial overpowering standardized perfume all day.

If you haven’t tried out Mysore Sandal Soap yet, you must do so soon. Do have a tantalizing bathing experience with Mysore Sandal Soap, especially on a hot summer day, and tell us how you liked it.

Morning and evening, on a hot summer day, have a bath with Mysore Sandal Soap. You’ll feel good - you can take my word for it.

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012

Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

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About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
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Email: vikramkarve@sify.com      
vikramkarve@gmail.com

© vikram karve., all rights reserved.