Mangoes of India – Tracing the king offruits-FORWARD- PART1 byShabari Shankar | Posted on March 11,2023
Respectedfriends, Whilegoing through Quora QA, I came across this article. The article was foundinformative one and interesting to read. The article comes to more than 31pages and I will be posting it as three parts. This is first part of theposting Gopalakrishnan19-5-2023. India is home to a variety of tropical fruitsand vegetables, among which the golden fruit is mango. It stands out from the bountiful harvest ofour country. It’s a fruitthat can be eaten when it’s ripe or raw, sweet or sour, pulpy or firm, butalways a treat for your taste-buds. Mangoeshave a long and rich history in India. It is believed that mangoes were first cultivated inIndia more than 5,000 years ago. The ancient Indian scriptures,including the Vedas and the Puranas, mention the mango fruit as a symbol oflove, fertility, and prosperity. During ancient times, it was called “Rasala” or “Sahakara”. The mango was considered a royal fruit inancient India and was often served at the court of kings and nobles. Indianemperors, such as Akbar and Jahangir, were known to be great admirers ofmangoes,and they even developed new varieties of mangoes through cross-breeding. Duringthe medieval period, mangoes became a popular trade item, and they were exported to othercountries, including Persia, Arabia, and East Africa. The Portuguese introduced the mangoto the West, and it soon became popular in Europe and the Americas. TheMalayalam word for this delicious fruit is “Maanga” but when the Portuguesecame to Kerala, it became “Maango”. Today, India is the world’s largestproducer of mangoes, accounting for more than 40% of global production. Mango festivals are a common occurrence inmany parts of India, where people gather to celebrate the arrival of the mangoseason. Theannual Mango Festival in Delhiis a popular event that showcases over 500 varieties of mangoes from acrossIndia. The best way to celebrate mangoes and relish their scrumptiousness is bybooking a cab to Delhi to the annual Mango Festival, which takes place in 2023on July 22. The juicy and sumptuous fruit, which is native to India, oftencomes in different hues that vary from golden to saffron to tender green. Mangoes trail in India Alphonso mangoes Sadabahar Mangoes and the Black Mango Raspuri & Badami mangoes Banganapalli Malgova/Mulgoba Mangoes Lakshmanbhog Mangoes Chausa Mangoes Dudhiya Malda Dasheri Langra Amrapali The Mango trail – Exploring thedrool-worthy varieties of the ‘king of fruits’ Themango trail of India Thereare hundreds of varieties of mangoes grown in India, each with its own uniqueflavour and texture. Indian mangoes are cherished across the world and peopleeagerly wait for the arrival of the season every year. Here’s a quick look at some ofthe most popular mango varieties found in India and the region they belong to. Alphonsomangoes – “King of mangoes”, rich and sweet in taste. Alphonsomangoes, also known as Hapus,are considered one of the most premium varieties of mangoes in India. Thesemangoes are primarily grown in the western state of Maharashtra, particularly in the Ratnagiri,Raigad, and Konkan regions. Alphonsomangoes are known for their rich, creamy, and juicy texture with a sweet andaromatic flavour that is unique to them. They are oval-shaped and medium-sized with a brightyellow-orange skin and a small seed. They have a thin skin and athick, juicy pulp with very few fibres, which makes them ideal for eating freshor using in desserts, smoothies, and shakes. Alphonso mangoes Alphonsomangoes have a short season from March to June and are in high demand both in India andabroad. They are also exported to several countries, including the US, UK, andMiddle East. Alphonso mangoes have received several internationalawards for their taste, flavour, and quality, making them one of the mostsought-after mango varieties in the world. Location: Maharashtra Alphonsomangoes are a popular variety of mangoes that are primarily grown in the Konkanregion of Maharashtra. Here are some places in Maharashtra where you can findAlphonso mangoes: Ratnagiri – Ratnagiri district is known forits Alphonsomangoes and is one of the major producers of the fruit. You can find them inlocal markets and fruit stalls. Devgad – Devgad taluka in Sindhudurgdistrict isanother major producer of Alphonso mangoes. You can find them in local marketsand fruit stalls. Raigad – Raigad district is also known forits Alphonsomangoes. You can find them in local markets and fruit stalls. Fernandes Wadi – This is a farm located inDevgad that growsAlphonso mangoes using organic farming methods. Navsari Agricultural University -This is auniversitylocated in Navsari, Gujarat, that has a research station in Dapoli,Maharashtra, where they conduct research on mango cultivation, includingAlphonso mangoes. Pawas Agritourism Farm – This is a farmlocated inRatnagiri that offers agritourism activities and grows Alphonso mangoes usingnatural farming practices. Pleasenote that availability may vary depending on the season and location, so it’salways a good idea to check with the farm or local market before visiting. SadabaharMangoes and the Black Mango – Rare and expensive Sadabaharmango is a lesser-known variety of mango that is grown in the state of UttarPradesh in India. The word“Sadabahar” means “everlasting” in Hindi, and the name is given to thismango variety because of its long shelf life. Sadabaharmangoes are medium-sized with an oblong shape and greenish-yellow skin whenunripe. The flesh of this mango is firm, sweet, and fibrous, with a rich flavour that isoften compared to honey. This mango is available from June toAugust. Theexotic Black Mango is rare and extremely expensive because it has dark violetskin with red pulp.This mango also contains very little sugar and has a more acidic flavour,making it an excellent choicefor diabetics. Some experts believe this is the same as the Vanrajvariety of mango found in India. Location: Uttar Pradesh Hereare some places where you may find Sadabahar mangoes, along with a few farmsthat grow them: Lucknow – Lucknow in Uttar Pradeshiswhere Sadabaharmangoes are available in local markets and fruit stalls. Mango Mandi, Saharanpur – This is awholesalemarket located in Saharanpur district where you can find a variety of mangoesincluding Sadabahar, Langra, and Dasheri. Jaimal Singh Nursery, Malihabad – Thisis a nurserylocated in Malihabad, near Lucknow, that grows a variety of mangoes includingSadabahar, Langra, and Dussehri. Anwar Ratol Mango Farm, Lucknow – Thisis a farmlocated in Lucknow that grows Sadabahar mangoes along with other varieties suchas Alphonso and Malihabad Safeda. Badshah Bagh, Lucknow – This is anotherfarm located inLucknow that grows a variety of mangoes including Sadabahar, Langra, andDussehri. Raspuri & Badami mangoes – “Alphonso ofKarnataka”, sweet and flavoursome Raspuri mangoes are primarily grown inthe state of Karnatakaand are known for their sweet and juicy flavour with delicate aroma. Thesemangoes are small to medium in size with an oval shape and thin skin. The fleshof the Raspuri mango is fibreless, making it ideal for eating fresh, makingsmoothies or juices, and using in desserts. Badami mangoes, also known as Alphonso of Karnataka, are primarily grownin the state of Karnataka and are similar to the Alphonso mangoes in terms oftexture and flavour. These mangoes are small to medium in size with an ovalshape and golden-yellow skin with a tinge of pink. The flesh of the Badamimango is smooth and creamy with a sweet and rich flavour. BothRaspuri and Badami mangoes are in season from April to June and are widelyavailable in India during this time. They are also exported to several countries, including theUS, UK, and Middle East. These mango varieties are considered to beamong the best mangoes in India, and they have a loyal following of fans whoeagerly await their arrival every year. Location: Karnataka Hereare some places in Karnataka where you can find Raspuri and Badami mangoes: Bengaluru – You can find Raspuri and Badami mangoes in local markets andfruit stalls in Bengaluru. Mysuru – Mysuru is a city in Karnatakaknown for itsjuicy Raspuri and Badami mangoes. You can find them in local markets and fruitstalls. Mandya – Mandya is a district in Karnatakathat isfamous for its Raspuri mangoes. You can find them in local markets and fruitstalls. Mango Mela, Lalbagh, Bengaluru – This is anannual mangofestival held in Lalbagh Botanical Garden in Bengaluru, where you can findvarious types of mangoes including Raspuri and Badami. Ravi Farms – This is a farm located inRamanagara,near Bengaluru, that grows Raspuri and Badami mangoes using organic farmingmethods. Pai Farm – This is a farm located in Mandyathat growshigh-quality Raspuri mangoes using natural farming practices. T.S. Mango Farm – This is a farm located in Channapatna, near Mysuru, thatgrows Badami mangoes along with other varieties such as Alphonso and Mallika. Pleasenote that availability may vary depending on the season and location, so it’salways a good idea to check with the farm or local market before visiting. I will continue with Tommy Atkins mangoesin the next posting. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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