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“ My Jonaki ”
It was the scent of all the beautiful white flowers of Bangladesh the Beli, Rajanigandha ( tuberose ), Shiuli, Gandhoraj and White Lily that stayed in my mind since childhood.
My parents had a beautiful house up in the hills and the front of the green lawn seemed like Infinity with all these exclusive flowers right in front of my eyes. My memory of Jonaki visiting our garden in hundreds at night was like Christmas lights in the dark.
So unforgettable was this panoramic view. A sight we don’t get to see these days.
3 years ago when I decided to diversify my Interior Design business with the inclusion of Fragrances and beauty products, I pondered about a brand name.
It came so naturally to me that Jonaki should be our brand. “A sense of belonging from my past and venturing into the future”. Jonaki has a story. It evokes romance, freedom as this tiny luminescent creature prides in its strength and most self reliant amidst other nature loving insets. Fragrance is a product of flowers and other natural ingredients.
Jonaki is evocative and connects in the same way as it evoked my childhood memories. Jonaki is romantic, it glitters at night and gives hope and energy to illuminate our lives.
Thus Jonaki became the brand for our beauty product lines.
We decided to establish a Jonaki Foundation for nature to protect the natural beauty of Bangladesh. It is my dream that many of us will enjoy the presence of Jonaki in our lives ever today to watch its glory and its freedom to fly around, to touch flowers,
gardens, lakes and forests etc after sunset. This foundation will contribute saving Jonaki from extinction caused by environmental pollution. We therefore set aside a portion of our sales to protect Jonaki.
My Jonaki is a “ Joy of Light ”.
At the start of my journey in 2017 with Jonaki Fragrance I was curious to read and gather knowledge on Jonaki and fireflies everywhere. While searching on Wikipedia I discovered this delightful story of Jonaki in Assam.
The Assamese literary society decided to publish a monthly magazine and named it Jonaki (Moonlight). Mr. Chandra Kumar Agarwal who belonged to a rich business family came forward to finance the magazine Jonaki. Mr. Agarwala was a FA student in Presidency College in Calcutta who was a member of the literary society. I was really interested to read further as my father Mr. Delwar Hossain also studied at the Presidency college.
Mr. Agarwala was the first editor of the Jonaki magazine who put forward two conditions that each member of this literary society must take care of Jonaki (the magazine) and write an article for Jonaki.
In Assamese literature Jonaki was marked as the dawn of Romanticism that lived to spark light on the darkness to bring together the Assamese society and strengthen their bond for the welfare of the nation. The first romantic poem Bon Kunwori (The Wood Nymph) by Chandra Kumar Agarwala and the first sonnet Priyotomar Sithi (Letter from the beloved) by Hemchandra Goswami were published in the magazine.
The Jonaki Era or the romantic age achieved the poetic grandeur in Assamese literature by poets of the Jonaki group and their contemporaries. Jonaki translates as Moonlight in Assamese.
First issue of Jonaki magazine was published in 09 February 1889 and the final issue on 1903.
The Assamese literary society named Oxomiya Bhaxa Unnati Xadhini Xobha was based in Calcutta and the language of the magazine in Assamese. For me Jonaki evokes romanticism and it is amazing that the Assamese felt the same.
There seem a strong connection with me and the poem ”Wood Nymph“ as I Designed so many art pieces hand crafted in wood by skilled crafts persons for over two and half decades. Objects made by hand reflect out thoughts on the Heritage Art of Bengal. The carving is done with passion and energy to capture the beauty of nature our muse and inspiration. Our Jonaki loves nature !
”Moonlight” and our tagline for Jonaki fragrance ”The Joy of Light” has an uncanny connection to give Joy and light to darkness.
It is almost 117 years after the last publication of Jonaki magazine in 1903 that our fragrance was inaugurated on 28 February 2020. I never knew the month February would be destined to launch Jonaki Fragrance in Bangladesh.
JONAKI FRAGRANCE BRAND
Jonaki is the magical firefly from Bangladesh. It is the story of light that illuminated the dark and dazzles us with its magical presence. Jonaki sparkles at night like a string of Christmas lights as in a luminous ballet. The name Jonaki was selected as a brand for the new fragrance line be came it evokes youthfulness, freedom of individuality, express happiness and confidence in one’s own personality. Jonaki inspired poets and writers like world famous Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore to compose songs on this luminous creature. He wrote ”Oh Jonaki you’ve made your life complete with your own light” Jonaki is a Joy of Light to inspire our world.
JONAKI RESIDES IN ALL OF US
We all have some characteristics of Jonaki in us. The ability to dream, freedom of individuality youthful at every age. The desire to fly and feel complete with our own effort is beautiful.
The need to be self reliant is an example we have learnt from this tiny luminescent creature. To feel proud of not being indebted to anyone and be self sufficient and to be free to do what we want. Jonaki is vibrant and romantic and glitters in moonlight like Christmas lights. We as Bengalees have much in common with Jonaki celebrating a full moon night, with music
and romanticism in our hearts to enjoy a moonlit evening.
It is the energy inspired by Jonaki that makes us feel youthful,
restless, impulsive and joyful in our lives.
Website – https//jonakifoundation.com
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