Presenting The King of Fruits!

- Swarnendu Biswas

Mango is the favourite fruit of a great multitude among us. But not many among us know enough about this healthy and tasty seasonal fruit, which often comes with great fragrance too. This juicy stone fruit or drupe belongs to the genus Mangifera. Its scientific name is Mangifera Indica. Though mango is native to South Asia, its taste has gained worldwide fame over the millennia. More precisely speaking, mango’s origins can be traced to areas in north-east India, Burma and Andaman Islands.

Background

Mango grows on mango tree, which grows in tropics and grow, on an average from 35-40 m. The external colours of mangoes can be green, greenish-yellow, yellow, orange, red and even purple. However, its juicy flesh or its mesocarp is either yellow or orange or orange-yellow in colour. A mango fruit generally has a length varying between 5 to 15 cm and width ranging between 4 to10 cm. The taste and texture of mangoes varies across cultivars; its most predominant taste is sweet with a mild tartness.

Mangoes were cultivated in South Asia since time immemorial; from South Asia the fame of mangoes travelled to East Asia during the 4th-5th century BC. Thereafter there was a long long gap, as far as the travel of mangoes’ global fame is concerned. Thanks to Persian traders, middle-east and Africa got introduced to the heavenly tastes of mangoes. By the 10th century AD, the cultivation of mangoes began in East Africa. From there the fragrance of mangoes spread to Brazil and Mexico. Mangoes entered European lexicon since the early 16th century. Cultivation of mangoes in the US began in the late 19th century.

The Indian Connection

In India, mango is widely cultivated and it is known as the ‘King of Fruits.’ It is one of the most cultivated fruits in the tropics. Mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan and the Philippines.