Kush, Son of Vetiver

Did you know that the world of perfume is linked to Hindu mythology? Indeed, just as in many polytheistic religions venerating several deities, Hinduism is very connected to the plant world and to nature as a whole.

Certain myths and legends have inspired the world of perfume. If you follow the Master Parfums game on Instagram or Facebook, perhaps you have already seen the video on this question, which concerns an Indian legend.

In Hindu Mythology, How Is Kush, Son of Rama, Named?

Do you know the answer to this question? On this expert-level Master Parfums card, three alternatives are offered:

• The son of Sandalwood,
• The son of Vetiver,
• The son of Jasmine.

Discover without further delay the answer, along with the reference to a beautiful Indian legend, and discover many other questions within our Pocket Quiz and our Olfactory Game-Book.

Discover the Story of Kush, Son of Vetiver

While Sita, the wife of King Rama, was pregnant, she was forced into exile. She found refuge in the ashram of the sage Valmiki.

There she gave birth to a boy. A few years later, going into the forest to look for wood, she entrusted her child to Valmiki. But the young boy escaped, taking advantage of the inattention of Valmiki, who was saying his prayers, to find his mother in the forest.

Valmiki, realising the child’s absence, decided to grab vetiver roots, also called “kush grass,” to create a clone of the latter by chanting mantras.

Sita, having been rejoined by her son, returned to the sanctuary and there discovered the second boy. She decided to keep him and raise him as her own. His name, Kush, comes from the name of the grass that served to conceive him.

That is why Kush is also named “the son of Vetiver.” Had you found the right answer?

The Variant of This Indian Legend’s Story

As is often the case in the stories of Hindu mythology, there are variants. One of them recounts that Sita in fact gave birth to twins at Valmiki’s sanctuary.

To bless them, the latter reputedly grabbed a stalk of vetiver that he cut in two. One of the twins was blessed with the top of the leaf (Kush), and the second with the bottom of the leaf (Luv). This is what supposedly inspired their respective first names.

To find out more, discover our video on this subject!

Vetiver in Perfumery Today

Vetiver is a plant much used in the Hindu religion, and is very renowned in Ayurvedic medicine, notably for its healing properties. Even though it comes from India, vetiver also grows in several tropical regions of the world; the most renowned for perfumery vetiver are Haiti and Java, and to a lesser extent, the French island of Réunion.

Its long leaves are very recognisable and can reach up to 2 metres. They serve to feed livestock, and the straw to insulate houses. The roots, for their part, can reach 3 metres. This is why we speak of “excavation” when it comes to digging them up.

Vetiver in Perfumery

It is the vetiver roots, first dried, then distilled, that are used in perfumery.

It is a beautiful, noble, distinguished material, at once fresh and earthy, with multiple facets. Depending on its origin, its aromas can be fleshed out with more leathery nuances (Java), more citrus recalling grapefruit or rhubarb, or dried-fruit nuances evoking peanut or chestnut.

Vetiver in a perfume is considered a material with masculine tonalities, even though famous feminine perfumes have taken hold of it, like those perfumes of the Roaring Twenties such as Habanita by Henri Bénard for Molinard (its formula reputedly contains more than 30% vetiver!), in Chanel N°5 by Ernest Beaux or Arpège by Paul Vacher and André Fraysse for Lanvin.

Before that, world production represented only a single tonne.

At the end of the 1950s and then in the 1960s, vetiver was the trendy scent and almost all the great perfumery houses adopted it. A few feminine perfumes continue to use it, such as Calèche by Guy Robert for Hermès, but it is the first eaux de toilette for men that, after energising lavender, took by storm this material synonymous with elegance.

It is Carven that leads the dance in 1957 with its Vetiver de Carven by Edouard Hache, followed in 1959 by the timeless Vétiver by Guerlain by Jean-Paul Guerlain.

1970 was the year of its consecration, since 250 tonnes were produced.

Vetiver is today one of the emblematic smells among the woody perfumes found on the market.

While it is an iconic material much used in many so-called “mainstream” perfumes, some alternative (“niche”) perfumery brands showcase it as a signature material.

My little favourites are:

• Vétiver Extraordinaire by Dominique Ropion for Les Editions de Parfum Frédéric Malle
• Vétiver Oriental by Christopher Sheldrake for Serge Lutens
• Vétiver Overdrive by Flair Studio for L’Orchestre Parfum
• Vétiver Tonka by Jean-Claude Ellena for Hermès
• Vetiver Moloko by Guillaume Flavigny for Ex Nihilo, with a more gourmand treatment on these last two.

For a vetiver with fresher/cologne accents:

• Infusion de Vetiver by Daniela Andrier for Prada
• Mon Vétiver by Bruno Jovanovic for Essential Parfums.

Vetiver Essential Oil

Vetiver essential oil, in addition to being used in the world of perfumery, possesses virtues for physical and mental well-being.

Regarding its benefits on the body, vetiver essential oil is:

• Immunostimulant: ideal in winter to strengthen the organism,
• Rebalancing for the endocrine system: on the advice of an aromatherapist, it can help resolve hormonal problems,
• Phlebotonic: it tones the walls of the veins and activates blood circulation,
• Emmenagogue: it stimulates the supply of blood to the uterus and eases menstruation,
• Anti-inflammatory: it makes it possible to limit the effects that result from an inflammation.

On well-being, vetiver essential oil possesses the following properties:

• Calming: it soothes stress and the nervous system,
• Grounding aid: this essential oil is ideal to use during a meditation,
• Relaxing: as a complement to a massage, it can accentuate the feeling of serenity.

It was therefore impossible for Master Parfums not to evoke vetiver in one of its questions! If you too wish to test your knowledge of perfumery, discover without further delay our Master Parfums cultural and olfactory games.