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Mangoes – A case study of How Goa is losing globally precious
agrobiodiversity heritage…
A global call for saving Goan Mangoes from Extinction
Dr. Nandkumar M. Kamat
Asst. Professor, Dept. of Botany, Goa University
Taleigao, Goa, 403206
nandka...@gmail.com
It is called “king of fruits’ and “fruit of the kings”..
Which fruit of Goa has 7 % of global diversity?. Is not saving Mangoes of
Goa as important task as saving the Royal Bengal tigers?.
What we do if we lose this gene pool?.
I am alarmed by the rapid biodiversity erosion of Goan mango varieties.
Global Goan mango lovers need to petition the agriculture dept. of Goa and
the three MPs on this issue.
In the current International year of biodiversity-the slogan should be
“Save Goan Mangoes from extinction”.
“Sambaluya Goenchya amyache girest daiz”
MANGO (*Mangifera indica *L.) (Anacardiaceae) has origin in the Indo-Burma
region during the earlier period of the Cretaceous era. India has world’s
largest Mango gene pool. Mango spread from India to other countries.
Within India, Goa has the largest number of mango varieties.
Defining Goan mangoes:-
According to me>“Goan mangoes are the indigenous ‘mangoes of Goa’, either
one of the 100+ catalogued varieties or those traditionally proven cultivars
which have a definite origin in Goa and have a history of cultivation in
Goa mostly organically.”
Mango research:-
(Authentic work on Mango includes The mango: botany, production, and uses by
R E Litz, 1997, CABI, UK, 670 pp.. The first chapter –Introduction: Botany
and importance by S.K. Mukherjee of Calcutta University and R E Litz of
University of Florida is important. I found the superbly illustrated
monograph ‘Romance of the Mango’ by Kusum Budhwar (2004, Penguin India, 290
pp. ) a useful tome on Culural history of mango in India. Scientific studies
on mango cultivars e.g. Genetic diversity analysis of mango cultivars using
inter simple sequence repeat markers, by Pandit et al., (2007) can be found
at http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/oct252007/1135.pdf)
Uniqueness of Goan Mangoes
Goa has a rich diversity of 100-110 varieties of mango which represents
10-11 % of India’s mango diversity (with 1000 cultivars) and 7 % of global
mango diversity (1600 cultivars). This is remarkable for a small state. It
means that for every 34 sq. kms. geographical area Goa has a different,
unique mango cultivar. This was magic of classical grafting techniques. The
ICAR-Goa monograph records only 50-60 varieties. There are no dedicated
commercial plantations. Just about 3000 hectares of land is under Mango
cultivation. This means the cultivar density is very high -a large number
of different cultivars occupy a small cultivation area.
Thousands of mango trees have been cut in the villages without even
attempting new replantations. A 100 years old tree on Merces lake described
majestically by St. Cruz’s poet laureate Paulino Dias was cut mercilessly to
permit ever growing lakeside encroachments. A Mango tree on NH 17 A, which
survives near GMC bus stop, opposite Dental college complex, was saved from
slaughter due to my efforts 20 years ago. When Mango trees get slaughtered,
no biodiversity impact assessment is made to check whether any rare variety
gets lost. The village panchayats also have no record of the wealth of mango
cultivars. A globally rare Mango variety like ‘Ananas’ found only at
Cansaulim, Marmagoa taluka ( village of T.B.Cunha, Chandrkant Keni, Mathany
Saldanha and many others) might have been lost already. Only two trees were
reported in that village. These were the ONLY TWO LAST SURVIVING TREES OF
ANANAS MANGO VARIETY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.
If by chance, any more such trees are found in Cansaulim, it is duty of the
owners to conserve them and propagate the germplasm.
The peak season for Goan mangoes is from end of April to Middle of June.
Best mangoes are sold in May.
*Reminiscences of Mango days*
Year 1969:- We feast on a basket of Malacorado mangoes. At a time we buy
100-150 mangoes. A certain supplier from Chorao delivers the mangoes. During
May we see 30-40 varieties of local mangoes in Market.
1979:- Mango prices increase with boom in tourism. But still we can afford
to buy the best local varieties. Totapuri, Neelam are not seen in market.
1989:- Very few varieties of local mangoes (15-20) are found in Markets.
Still good quality Malcorado, Fernandin , bemcurado are sold at affordable
rates.
1999:- Alphonso mangoes are marketed in Goa in large quantities. Neelam,
Totapuri also dominate the market. The number of local varieties goes down.
In Mapusa market, one could see 20-25 varieties.
2001:- In 21 st century Goa, mango prices go through the roof. In Panaji
market a local tribal woman refuses to tell me the price-“ Te mharog, tuka
te parvadache nat” (don’t ask the price, you would not be able to purchase
them). A new culture has developed. The Mango sellers can determine your
purchasing power (for mangoes). I tell the woman that I spend more money on
expensive apples. Best quality alphonso mangoes are sold for Rs. 200 per
dozen. Mango diversity is not seen in the market-only 10-15 varieties are
detected.
2009:-A bad year for local mangoes. Climate change also affects the
production. I fail to puchase any local mangoes-reasons-1. poor quality 2.
high prices. As for diversity, only 10-12 varieties are seen with Malges
dominating.
2010:-Reports indicate that local mangoes would be very expensive. The first
crops attract a premium price of Rs. 100 each- a record.
The future!?
2020:- Cheap , branded, Transgenic mangoes replace Goan mangoes.
Goa urgently needs a Mango Mission and a Global Movement to “Save Goan
Mangoes”. Otherwise by A.D. 2015-20, Goa would be left with only 10-15
varieties.
Here I reproduce my preface to a book of Mango recipes – A treasure trove
of Goan Mango dishes (Rajhauns, 1998) written by my sister Ms. Nilima, now
in second edition.
* *
* SOME BASIC FACTS ABOUT MANGO*
Family: Anacardiaceae
Scientific Name: Mangifera indica
Origin: South and Southeast Asia
Description
Mango is a large, deep-rooted, symmetrical evergreen tree growing to 20-30 m
high and 25-30 m wide. It has simple, alternate, lanceolate leaves 30cms to
40 cms long that are yellow-green, purple, or copper colored when young,
turning leathery, glossy, and deep green when mature. New leaves arise in
terminal growth flushes that occur several
times a year. The pyramidal flower panicles borne on mature terminal
branches contain several hundred pale pink to white flowers that are about
1/4 inch wide when open.
Most of the flowers function as males and provide pollen, but some are
bisexual and set fruit. Pollination is by flies, wasps, and bees. The fruit
weighs about 120 g to 1400 g. Fruit shape varies according to variety and
may be round, ovate, or obovate. The color of
immature fruit is green, gradually turning to yellow, orange, purple, red,
or combinations of these colors as the fruit matures. Mature fruit has a
characteristic fragrance and a smooth, thin, tough skin. The flesh of ripe
mangos is pale yellow to orange and is juicy, sweet, and sometimes fibrous.
The single seed usually is large and flattened and adheres to the flesh. The
seed contains one or more embryos, depending on variety or type.
Mangoes are commonly peeled and eaten fresh as a dessert fruit but are also
used in juice preparation and made into preserves, chutney, dried slices,
and pickles. The recipes in this book include many of these mouth-watering
preparations.
* INDIA’S MANGO HERITAGE*
Mango, scientifically known as *Mangifera indica * is known as king
of the fruits and the fruit of the kings. Mango has its’ interesting
mythology, folklore, culture and symbolism in Indian civilization. The magic
of mango has cast its’ spell on this country for at least 4000 years.
According to the eminent historian of Indian agriculture, Dr. M.S. Randhawa,
no other fruit is so closely associated with the Indian civilization as the
mango. The original home of mango is in Assam, Burma (Myanmar) and
Thailand. The word *manga* is of Malay origin.
The different names for mango include - In Sanskrit- *
amra* or *am* (the word am for mango seems to resemble the old tamil *omai *or
*ma*: it could be of southern origin); In Gujarathi -*amri*; marathi:- *Amba,
*in Kannada *mavin hannu, *and in* *Konkani:-* ambo.*
Portuguese called it manga from the tamil man-kay or
man-gay. The genus *Mangifera* has 41 valid species. All edible species
belong to *M. indica*. Mango tree attains an age of hundred years or more.
India has more than 1000 cultivars (different types) of mango. The small
western coastal state of Goa itself boasts more than 100 cultivars.
Basically mangoes can be divided in two types -the sucking and the table
type. The sucking type has thin juice and more fructose. Commercial table
types have thick pulp and more sucrose. Mango is indeed the king of fruits
because it occupies the first place in India in terms of the area and
production among all the fruits. India has 11.16 lakh hactres under the
mango crop with a production of 92.23 lakh tones and a productivity of 8.11
metric tons (MT)/hactre. With better cultivation practices this could be
raised to 15MT. Mango as a major horticultural crop has established a
sustainable economy. Mango cultivation, production, marketing, processing
employs about 50 million people countrywide. More mango production will
create more employment opportunities. And if you have more production of
delicious mangoes and their easy availability then you will be able to do
real justice to all the recipes in this book.
The diversity of mango varieties in India is truly amazing. In
Uttar Pradesh you get *dusheri, safeda, fazri, chausa, taumuria, Langra *and
in Bihar *hemsagar, krishnabhog, sindurai, sukra* are popular. The
land of Gurudev
Tagore ,West Bengal is famous for* murshidabadi *and* fazli malda*. In
Andhra pradesh they prefer *rumani, neelam, benishan, totapuri, malgoa
*and*goabunder
* varieties whereas in Karnataka they cultivate *maddappa, peter
*and *fernandin.
* Originally Goan, the *alfonso* variety is popular in Maharashtra. By no
means this list is complete.
* *
*The Amraveda or the Mango-lore of India:-*
Mango was probably not known to the Vedic aryans because there
are no notices of mango in *Rigveda*. The noted food historian K T Achaya is
rather surprised that it is only as late as the *Samhitas *and
*Brahmanas*of the
*Yajurveda *that the fruits are first mentioned. The reference to *Amra *first
occurs in the* Satpatha brahmanas*. References to mango occur in
*Ramayana*(2.49.9),
*Mahabharata* (3.158.44), Patanjali’s *Mahabhashya*, Panini’s
*ashtadhyai *(8.4.5)
and in the Buddhist and Jain literature, Charak and Sushruta samhitas.
The *Brihadaranyakopanishada
*(4.3.36) compares the death of the person to separation of the ripe mango
from its’ stalk. The use of mango juice appears to be as old as Buddhism.
The *Abhantar jataka* tells the story of king Kosala who plucks ripe mangoes
from his orchard and prepares a sweetened mango juice. It cures his stomach
ailment. The fruit beverages allowed by buddha for the monks were of eight
kinds which included the juice of ripe mangoes to be drunk in the evening.
Kautilya’s* arthashastra* mentions a kind of liquor called *Sahakarsura *made
from Mango juice. The emperors imposed a tax on mango-asava (wines) during
the Mauryan period. Kautilya in his *arthashastra* advices the citizens to
plant mango trees near the wells. Varahamihira comments on the custom of
planting mango trees to demarcate property boundaries. During his
expedition to India, Alexander the great was impressed by the mango gardens
in Sindh in 327 BC.
From the Mauryan age onwards the emperors keenly
promoted mango cultivation in India. The Moghul emperor Akbar planted one
lakh mango trees at Darbhanga-Bihar at a place which later came to be known
as *lakshabaga.*
* *
*Mango in Mythology*
The Puranas refer to the lord of Kanchi as “ ekamparanatha”
meaning the lord of the mango tree. It was in the form of Amreshwara - a
mango tree that Lord Shiva gave shelter to the sage Markandeya at the time
of the great deluge. In* Bhavishottara purana* it is said that he who plants
at least five mango trees will never see hell. *Brihatsamhita *mentions the
use of mango wood for making images of gods. The Tamil classic *
Silappadikaram*-(200-500A.D.), mentions mango as a major fruit of the
region.
* *
*Indian mango impresses foreign travellers*:
Foreign travellers to India have not ignored the magic of mango in
their travel accounts. Chinese pilgrims Fa hien (405-411 A.D.) and Hien
Tsang (630-645 A.D.) mention mangoes in their account. Ibn Haukal (950 a.d.)
an Arab geographer from Baghdad stated that Mangoes were produced in great
abundance round Cambay in Gujarat. The Moroccan geographer Al Idrisi (1080
ad) mentions of mango so also Ibn batuta (1340A.D.). Ma-huan (1406 A.D.) was
an interpreter in the huge party of 30,000 led by Cheng Ho, which was sent
abroad in 62 ships by the Chinese emperor—he mentions about the abundance
of mangoes in Bengal. Italian traveller Ludovico de varthema
(1503-1508) reports
on mango.
* *
*Mango in art, literature and rituals:-*
Mango tree, fruit-bearing branches, leaves, blossom and fruits
have influenced Indian art and literature. Sculptures at Barhut show mango
tree. Mango was a favourite fruit and apart from trees, the fruit bearing
branches are also depicted both at Barhut and Sanchi in Madhya pradesh.. The
Yakshi standing under a fruiting mango-tree which decorates a gateway to
Stupa I at Sanchi is a masterpiece of Indian sculpture. In their classic
book, Indian art historians, Marshall and Foucher comment on the beauty of
this sculpture “ Swaying gracefully from a branch of mango-tree, the *vrikshaka
*is singularly beautiful. Holding with both hands to the arching bough of
the mango-tree, the *salabhanjika* “curves the woodbine of her body” in an
attitude which brings out her breasts “like urns of gold”. The sculptural
type represents a pleasing compromise between the court lady and the woman
of the woods. The mango frequently occurs among the sculptures of Barhut. In
the relief showing presentation of Jetavana monastery a mango tree is shown.
A Sunga period work at Barhut depicts mango tree and fruits in bas relief.
Mango motif is used as ornamentation in jewellery and textiles.
Poets like Kalidasa use the beauty of mango trees, orchards,
blossoms in their works. The Sanskrit poetic names show the romance of the
Indian poets with mango. Mango is variously called as *Vasantaduta *(messenger
of spring), *Madhudata* (giver of honey), *Kamang* (cupids’
embodiment), *Kokilvasa
*( abode of cuckoos) or *Kamavallabha* (amorous).One of the Kamadeva’s
floral arrows is that of *amra-manjiri* (mango blossoms). Amir Khusro the
medieval turkoman poet saint- praised mango in his Persian works.
Mango dominates the Indian folk-rituals. Mango
leaves are prominently used in rituals to ward off evils. The *
Mangala-kalasha* ( Holy urn) is decorated with mango leaves. Mango tree and
fruit are considered as symbols of fertility and prosperity. During the
Hindu female festival of *Vata-Poornima* women distribute mango as *prasad*.
During the month of Chaitra, tribals farmers in Chhatisgarh and Nagpura
perform the ceremony of worshipping the first mango fruit. Some tribals
first perform mock wedding of mango tree and then eat the fruits. In some
tribals there is a custom of marrying the bridegroom first with mango
tree and then the bride. Markam tribals have mango as totem. There are some
strange beliefs associated with mango- for example the Gadaba and Konda
tribals relate mango to male testicles.
* *
*Mango in Goa*
The Kadambas of Goa (1000-1350 A.D.) and later the governors of
Vijayanagara empire (1380-1472 A.D.) promoted mango orchards in Goa close to
temple complexes and in their capital cities. The local self-governed
village associations of Goa- the gaunkaris brought huge areas under mango
cultivation. Goa has over 100 cultivars of Mango grown over an area of 3700
hectares and yielding about 35-40,000 MT. The diversity of mango cultivars
reflects the years of efforts in grafting. Although crude methods of
grafting were known in India the Portuguese perfected the art of mango
grafting in Goa. Only the dominant and popular varieties enter the market.
These include *mankurad, hilario, salcete mussarat, bardez mussarat,
malgesh, nicolau afonso, xavier, udgo, culas, fernandin, goa alfonso, karel,
furtad, costa, sakri, rosa, bishop*. Mankurad is very popular as table
fruit.. Hilario is sweetest mango in India. Karel is prefered for pickles.
Mussarat is good for jams and jellies. The famous Portuguese doctor Garcia
de orta in his *Colloquios dos simplices and drogas e cousas medicinais da
India *(1567) devotes an entire chapter to Mango. He reports the medicinal
uses of mango. The baked mango seeds against congestion and the Bitter mango
kernel as intestinal deworming agent. A british traveller Dr.John fryer
(1673), East India company surgeon, praises the mango varieties found in
Goa. Captain Alexander Hamilton (1727) wrote “ The Goa mango is reckoned the
largest and most delicious to the taste of any in the world and the
wholesomest and best tasted of any fruit in the world”. The French doctor
Bernier (1765) after tasting the mango jam/jelly wrote “ there is no more
delicious jam or jelly in the world”.
*The Mango in diplomacy:-*
Mango diplomacy is something unheard of in India. But the documents in Goa
archives tell a different story. Renowned Indo-Portuguese historian Pandurang
Pissurlenkar has reported that During 16-17 th century alfonso mangoes were
sent to Delhi for obtaining the favours of the Moghul emperors and their
influential nawabs. The Bhonsules of Sawantwadi were also engaged in such
mango diplomacy. The Portuguese governors in Goa used to send baskets of Goan
alfonso and Fernandin mangoes to the Peshwas of Pune. Portuguese diplomat at
Pune, Vithalrao Valaulikar wrote in 1792 to the governor in Goa to ban all
private trade in mangoes from Goa to Deccan markets so as to increase the
novelty and value of Goan mango varieties.
The Portuguese introduced a system of special permits for private
traders to export prized varieties of mangoes from Goa.
*Goan mango grafts:-*
It is not known whether the permit system was applicable to Goan mango
grafts. The work done by the Portuguese missionaries and the Goan
cultivators popularized Goan mango grafts. The first reference to the
grafting of mango trees is to be found in 1710 publication by Jesuit priest
Francisco de souza. Father Clemente da ressureicao in his tratado de
agricultura (1872) describes grafting techniques. Bernardo francisco da
costa in his manual *practico do agricultor Indiano* (1872) writes on mango
cultivation methods.
He founded the first canning factory in India in 1882 and made a case for
exporting Goan mangoes in the shape of slices in syrup as well as jelly
form. Bernado da costa could be considered as pioneer in modern Mango
processing in India. Another Portuguese mango-lover, General Joao de Sampayo
(1902) in his booklet *A mangueira * lists 33 mango varieties in Goa. A
recent publication by ICAR-GOA centre lists more than 100 varieties. Mangoes
from Goa were exported to Brazil in 1811. The British took the Goa Pires
variety to Bombay. It came to be called as Bombay pairi. From Bombay mango
reached the islands of West Indies under the British control. Famous voyager
Captain Cook found mangoes in Jamaica in 1788. The Jamaican still call their
mangoes “ Bombay mangoes”.
Reference to Mango is found in Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novels.
--
Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
