For the love of trips....: July 2014

The mango is the pride of the garden, the choicest fruit of Hindustan, Other fruits we are content to eat when ripe but Mango is good in all stages of growth – "Amir Khushrau"

Mangoes are an inseparable part of Indian culture. From cuisine to ceremonies, mango plays an important role. Auspicious, fragrant and full of flavour, mango is undoubtedly one of the reason to look forward to in summers. It is the king of all the tropical fruits. This is an extraordinary fruit which makes our summer delicious, deserves to be celebrated. So let’s have a visit to the famous Mango Festival and enjoy the delicious mangoes with the sense of vision.

It has been 25 years since 1988 when first Mango festival was organized in Delhi by Delhi Tourism. Since then it has been celebrated annually in the summers. It is two day festival showcasing Mangoes. At present this event is organised by the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC) in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, the National Horticultural Board and the New Delhi Municipal Council. This event has become a prominent feature of Delhi’s event. The venue of this event got shifted many times. From the orchards of Saharanpur, where the festival was first organized, the annual event was shifted to Talkatora stadium in 1991, and then in 2010 to Dilli Haat, Pritampura.

Every year summer knocks the door and makes us to remember the yummy mangoes. Mango (‘Mangifera Indica’) is native to India. It has appeared in our art, literature and mythology since time immemorial. Mangoes find a place in Jain and Buddhist text. Alexander the great christened it as “King of all fruits”. The Mughal emperor Babur called it “Fairest fruit of Hindustan”. The mango tree has a religious significance among Hindus. Mango leaves are used to decorate entrances to space where auspicious functions are held. Mango wood is used in havan and pooja. Mango motif, the auspicious symbol that signifies fertility is used on bridal wear and wedding decoration.

Thousands of eager visitors, passionate and talented cultivators and food processing professionals get together every year to interact with each other, exchange knowledge and views and most importantly to relish sumptuous mangoes. With around hundreds of varieties of mangoes on display by renowned cultivators from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Uttarakhand, West Bengal sharing their knowledge and expertise. The festival is unique opportunity to know and understand the mangoes. Apart from this, festival gives us an opportunity to purchase fresh mangoes and mango based products. We can enjoy eating, drinking, shopping, entertaining activities like mango quiz, mango eating competition, slogan writing, mango carving and judging, cultural programmes and many more.

Please visit our facebook page Journey-of-India for more information about coming mango festival. Let’s enjoy varieties of mangoes and plan to have a visit to mango mela next year.