Desi Smells

I work in healthcare and frequently see folks from Indian community. If there is one distinctive feature, it is the smell that accompanies them! No, don't get me wrong, I'm not being racist here... I'm not saying they smell good or bad. But there's something as I enter the exam room that screams 'KITCHEN'!
Why do we not use any deoderant/perfume - esp women? You know, when I was growing up, in Chennai, the black market was all about the perfumes from Singapore or Dubai - besides a few electronic items, which everyone was afraid to touch, because the rule was 'if you touched it, you own it'. I was subject to this ridiculous rule in Moore Market when I was 12, but, that's another story for another day!