Wikipedia says that 'Vetiver' is derived from Tamil word "Vetti veru" which literally translates into a "root that is dug up".
Botanically, Vetiver is a perennial bunchgrass that grows very tall and has roots that grow vertically deep into the soil unlike other grass species which have roots spreading horizontally below the soil. Hence, Vetiver grass is a natural survivor against floods and adverse weather conditions. It is also pest resistant and its roots secrete a fragrant oil that is widely used in perfumery, cosmetics, herbal skincare and Ayurveda.
Being a Mallu the name "Ramacham" used in Kerala also sounded familiar as Ramacham roots are traditionally used in Kerala for health and wellness owing to its cooling property and earthy fragrance.
But it was the Hindi name for Vetiver that caught my attention - KHUS. Something that was always part of my childhood especially during the sizzling summers of Nagpur in Central India where I grew up.
Back in the 70s and early 80s every establishment (residential or commercial) in Central India would need Desert coolers small, medium or large depending on size of the area to be made inhabitable in 40+ degrees centigrade.
My home was no exception and in the month of March my father would ensure that the heavy duty fan and water pump were in perfect working condition, and the top and bottom water storage tanks supported by a metal frame were scrubbed clean and made ready for installation. A new wooden frame would take shape as the side panels and fresh bundles of Khus supported by a network of bamboo strips would find its way into these side panels.
Post Holi celebrations as the temperature outside would soar, our Desert cooler would be in mint condition for blowing fragrant cool air that would fill not only the living room but also the bedroom and dining area once all doors and windows insulated the indoors from the sizzling heat outside. Any person coming home after being roasted in the sun outside, would need to first acclimatize himself in the neutral zone for a few minutes before stepping into the chilled environs inside🙂
Entire summer vacations would be filled with the fragrance of Vetiver, though we never knew this English word back then😄.
The Desert cooler doubled up as a refrigerator with its bottom tank full of chilled water serving as chiller tray for bottles of home made Orange Squash and weekend bottles of beer for the man who got the cooler installed🙂
Out on the streets, Khus panels could also be seen adorning the roof tops of Sarkari Ambassador cars making its way on deserted roads, with its tyres leaving a trail on the molten tar with a eerie slurpy sound. Airconditioning of Indian cars was something unheard of in the 70s😊
Lack of affordable airconditioning and more importantly frequent power cuts also ensured that Khus panels were essential part of every Government office during summers of the 70s and 80s.
Every Government office in Central India had a special budget for "Hot Weather Establishment" which covered the expenses incurred towards installation of large Khus panels on the doors and windows and for hiring casual labourers for manually sprinkling water on these panels throughout the day. Probably that was part of last vestiges of the British era.
But it ensured that the government employees could work or rest comfortably within their work place during the harsh summers😊
Be it home or at work, the cool air with hugely refreshing fragrance that Khus or Vetiver delivered was something which words cannot describe. The nearest literal equivalent for the amazing feeling would perhaps be the word "Petrichor" though I personally don't like the word for its pronunciation😅
Nevertheless, the fragrance is so much amazing that Vetiver or Khus is associated with Kannauj - the Perfume Capital of India since times immemorial. Wikipedia says that Emperor Harshavardhan had imposed a Vetiver tax back in the 6th century CE.
Now all that we get to see are small bottles of Vetiver perfume which can at best be a distant and dwarfed cousin of the humble and earthy Khus panels, which were part of every household in Central India during hot summers. Those Khus panels locally referred to as "Khus ki taati" not only cooled the air but also generously lent a refreshing fragrance for months together, at a fraction of the cost😊
While desert coolers are still used during summers in Central and North India, the Khus ki taatis have given way to synthetic fibres and the fragrance part is replaced by additives that resemble Khus fragrance.
And Khus as a flavour has found its way into green colored syrups that promise cooling effect of Vetiver though loaded with sugar and preservatives 😉
Meanwhile, for an olfactory driven person like me, this will definitely trigger the search for a perfume that can justify the sheer nostalgia for Khus or Vetiver or Ramacham in all its purity🙂
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