Ata in Bengal and Seetaphal in most other parts of India, the Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa) is one of the most popular fruits in India.
ANNONA: Annona is named in arabic (keshta) or in common arabic (Eshta) meaning the flesh texture looks like the white cream of milk. SQUAMOSA: Scaly Today, India boasts the most acreage in the world for production although it can also be found growing in the wild in many parts of India. The Portuguese have been duly credited by historians for bringing Sugar Apple, among other things, into India from Brazil around the beginning of the 16th century. Until Mrs. Shakti M. Gupta wrote her book. Indologist and Ethnobotanist of Delhi University, Mrs. Shakti M. Gupta confirms the presence of Maize and at least five (5) other New World plants in Pre-Columbian temple sculptures in India in her book, PLANTS IN INDIAN TEMPLE ART B.R. Publishing Corp, New Delhi, 1996. Ms. Gupta found definitive Sugar Apple sculptures at temples at, (1) Bharhut, 2nd century B.C., (2) Kakatiya, Karnataka, 12th century A.D. (pp. 19-20). SO, THEN WHO BROUGHT SUGAR APPLE TO INDIA? The impact of this discovery is so enormous that historians are still trying to assess the prospective monumental task of re-writing history. Here are 2 of my photos of Sugar Apples growing here in Florida: A common type: http://www.geocities.com/bohuroopi/SApple71ASIT A Red type: http://www.geocities.com/bohuroopi/SAred35ASIT ---------------------------------------------------- Asit K. Ghosh Rockledge, Florida, USA Tuesday - 4:40am __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! SiteBuilder - Free, easy-to-use web site design software http://sitebuilder.yahoo.com ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
