2017-03-22 Wed

Increasing temperatures can mean only one thing…Mangoes are on their way! This fruit is yummiest amongst all, but we only get it during summers…

Known as the king of fruits, ‘Mangoes’ are full of nutrition and have various health benefits.

Mangoes have been planted in India from about 4000 years. Earlier in Ancient India, it was known as Amra Phal. In Vedic texts, it is referred as Rasala and Sahakara. When Portuguese came to India they were in love with this yellowish orange golden looking fruit and introduced to the world as we so call ‘Mango’.

Meghasthenes and Hsiun Tsang describe: ‘mangoes were planted on the sides of the roads during the Mauryan times’, in their travelogue. Alauddin Khilji, Babur, Humayun, Shah Jahan and many others also fell in love with the yummy mangoes and could not resist themselves!

There is one very beautiful Sutta in the Buddhist Pali literature known as ‘Ambapali Gatha’, where she is known as the most beautiful women during those times. In the Sutta, her beauty is compared with nature. The tale explains the teachings of the Lord Buddha. br>
To celebrate the Mango fest the India Post issued a stamp on Mangoes in 1967 of 50 Paisa.

Mango is just not a fruit, it’s a festival that India celebrates in summers!