Aam ki khaas baat: Know more about the global journey of mango

Earlier in February we walked into a mango orchard in Malihabad near Lucknow Uttar Pradesh The trees had just started to blush with the first flush of panicles mdash those delicate pinkishwhite flower clusters that herald the coming fruit The scent was subtle but unmistakable a sweet prelude to summer The sleepy town is home to Kaleem Ullah Khan known as the ldquoMango Manrdquo of India who grafted over 300 mango varieties onto a single 120yearold tree in Uttar PradeshPiciStockHere we learnt of the mangorsquos journey from Myanmar to Malihabad mdash a rich narrative of how the mango evolved from a wild forest fruit into one of Indiarsquos most prized horticultural treasures Interestingly fossil records and ancient pottery pieces trace their roots back to the earliest civilisations of the Indian subcontinent Packed with trivia stories and crosscultural recipes this book in the Edible Series launched last year by Pan MacMillan Mango A Global History by Mary Newman Constance L Kirker takes the reader on a vibrant journey including Hindu epics Ghalibrsquos poetry and the travel accounts of Ibn Battuta among others300mango varieties grafted onto a single 120yearold tree in Uttar PradeshLetrsquos dive into the lsquojuicyrsquo details of this beloved fruitMangoes in Indian mythologyMango is deeply rooted in South Asian spirituality Buddha meditated under its shade and in Jataka tales it stands for selflessness and moral strength In Jainism itrsquos sacred to the goddess Ambika a symbol of fertility and motherhood who is shown holding the fruit beneath a mango tree In Hinduism the mango is as revered as the apple in Christianity representing knowledge prosperity and good fortune The tree is seen as a Kalpavriksha a wishfulfilling tree whose fruit is harvested only after ritual offerings Mango leaves adorn wedding spaces brides wear mango mala necklaces and tree marriages invoke fertility and enduring love In one heartwarming tale Ganesha wins a golden mango by circling his parents declaring them his universe mdash an ode to love and devotionThe Manggahan Festival in Guimaras the PhilippinesMango as a sensory experienceMangoes are more than just a fruit mdash theyrsquore a sensuous emotional and cultural experience From the heady scent that fills the air to the golden juice that trickles down the fingers eating a mango is an act of joy and surrender Their flavours range from honeysweet to sharp and piney and their textures span fibrous to silky For many in the diaspora searching for a favourite variety is a search for belonging mdash for a slice of childhood a connection to home Whether pickled powdered juiced or devoured whole mangoes are never consumed mdash theyrsquore remembered shared and deeply felt References to mangoes also bring to mind the ldquoexoticrdquo and ldquoeroticrdquo Well all fruits are sexy but mango is the only one that has a position in the Kama Sutra named for it mdash the ripe mango plumQueen Elizabeth II picks up a mango at a market in the British Virgin Islands 1977Mangorsquos colonial pastBritish royalty also had their own love affair with mangoes Queen Victoria perhaps not fond of the messiness of mangoes inspired the creation of mango forks Queen Elizabeth II made sure there were always mangoes in her palace fridge and colonial chutneys like Major Greyrsquos became a staple in kitchens across the Empire Mangoes even made their mark in the US where pickled mangoes graced the tables of the wealthy and appeared in tavern menus alike And across the Atlantic in Loango Bay Congo mango trees took root possibly planted in memory of the lives lost in the tragic history of slaveryJahangir welcoming Shah Abbas Mughal School c 1620 watercolour gold and ink on paperMango in literatureMango is the only fruit with its literary genre known somewhat derisively as ldquosarimangordquo literature Writers of the Indian diaspora and those who have left homes in Africa the Caribbean Mexico and the Philippines use mango imagery when referencing their nostalgia for the pleasures of their homelands that they most miss Even the mangorsquos linguistic journey is a reflection of its global reach The word ldquomangordquo evolved from the Tamil aamkaay to Malayalamrsquos maanga which was picked up by Portuguese traders and spread across the world carrying the fruitrsquos story The mangorsquos form from oval to heartshaped its skin in colours of saffron green and even purpleblue adds to its allure Each variety whether the Manila Totapuri or the aromatic Kesar carries its own storyQueen Victoria a stickler for etiquette would probably have disapproved of mangoes whose juiciest varieties defy cutlery During her reign the British popularised lsquocivilisedrsquo table manners across their empiremdasheven creating a special mango forkMangorsquos royal affairIn ancient India kings like Ashoka and Harsha nurtured mango trees long before the Mughals turned mango cultivation into a royal art Akbarrsquos Lal Bagh with its 1000 mango trees was a marvel and innovations in grafting under Jahangir and Shah Jahan ensured that mango trees flourished across India Mangoes werenrsquot just food mdash they were tools of diplomacy symbols of imperial generosity and even sacred offerings This tradition continues today as mangoes are gifted across borders as a sign of goodwill and friendshipDeborah Griscom Passmore Mulgoba Mango 1907 watercolour illustration for the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection right Shaved ice Chinese dessert SingaporeMango in artThe mangorsquos allure extends beyond the kitchen It has been an artistic muse for centuries mdash from South Asian botanical illustrations in the 16th century to Gauguinrsquos sensual Tahitian paintings where mangoes were symbols of Edenrsquos forbidden fruit Artists like Frida Kahlo wove mangoes into their colourful market scenes in the Caribbean and Latin America while DH Lawrence captured their erotic symbolism in Under the Mango TreeThe paisley motif born from the shape of the mango spread globally through South Asian shawls and continues to influence fashion today And now in the modern world yoursquoll find shades like lsquoMango Mojitorsquo and lsquoMango Tangorsquo in everything from crayon boxes to wall paints making the mango a constant source of inspirationMangoes in a market in Phnom Penh Cambodia 2019Mango in the kitchenBeyond the fruit itself mangoes offer so much more The leaves flowers and seeds are all usable mdash infused into teas added to dishes or used to flavour mole sauce in Mexican cuisine Therersquos also a growing movement to minimise mango waste by using the kernels for oil and peels for fibrerich powders for snacks or being turned into vegan leather as seen in initiatives like Fruitleather Rotterdam mdash shyshya reminder of just how much this fruit continues to giveMango in powerThe mango is soft power cultural connection and trade tool From Thai tourism campaigns to the growing global market for premium mangoes the fruit has become a symbol of global connection Whether in the kitchen or the art world in international diplomacy or cultural celebrations the mango remains a fruit that ties us all together mdash a symbol of warmth history and endless possibility Today mango cultivation is extending beyond its traditional belt With climate change mangoes grow in places like Sicily Maacutelaga and even Californiarsquos deserts where farmers employ new techniques like microchipmonitored drip irrigation Global initiatives mdash from the Haiti Hope Project to UNbacked programs in Kenya and Cambodia mdash are empowering women farmers reducing waste and boosting exports These efforts are ensuring that the world continues to fall in love with the mango while the soul of its seasonal harvest remains intactDid you know1 Philippinesrsquo national fruit the Carabao mango holds the Guinness World Record for the sweetest mango2 Explorer David Livingstone relied on mangoes during his African expeditions His diary notes recovered using spectral imaging referenced mangoes as food sources for survival3 The prized Alphonso mango likely got its name from Afonso de Albuquerque or other figures like Nicolau Afonso or St Alphonsus Rodriguez reflecting Portuguese influence and Jesuit grafting efforts in Goa4 For the film Victoria and Abdulrsquos premier Vikas Khanna created a mango dessert5 In Bihar planting ten mango saplings at a girlrsquos birth helps finance her wedding dowry blending economic planning with symbolic reverence for daughters and nature6 Japan produces the worldrsquos most expensive mangoes the Taiyo no Tamago These are auctioned annually as prestige items Due to rising temperatures areas like Jeju and Gyeongnam now grow mangoes with government programmes supporting it leading to mangoes being featured in regional cuisine as wellatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params