padmanabha
14th August 2006, 10:24 PM
[tscii:52df2b1421]Are you mango mad?
How can one say no to the magnificent, juicy, drippy, somewhat messy, yet irresistibly delicious, fruit?
Do you know that Indian myths, legends and history are replete with lovely stories and incidents connected with mango? No. Then read on.
Valmiki, in Ramayana pours out his tender love for mangoes in peerless verses. Kalidasa has described the mango blossom as one of the darts of Mnamadha the God of Love. He says that that the fragrance of a mango flowers is a torture to lovelorn hearts. Charaka in his Charaka samhita has described the medicinal properties of its frits and leaves. According to legend, when Dwaraka Muni had the vision of Lord Vishnu he plucked a raw mango and offered it to HIM. Even today salted mango is offered to the Lord Padmanabha.
We have a number of recorded incidents related to mango. Fa-Hein and Sung Yung the Buddhist pilgrims have recorded in their travelogues that a mango grove was presented by Amaradarika to Buddha so that he might use it as a resting place. Huen Tsang and Ibn Batuta, who visited India, have made frequent mention of the mango trees. The Sanchi Stupa has various sculpture patterns of the tree and the fruit.
In the name of mangoes the relationship between Shajahan and his son Aurangazeb went sour. The son did not pay attention in ensuring that his father got the Deccani variety of mango on time. Aurangazeb was the viceroy of Deccan then.
Once the Chinese President Mao Tse Tung, was presented a basket of mangoes by his Pakistani counter part. A sole mango reached one of the factories. And it was welcomed by its Board of Directors. They ceremoniously displayed it. They considered it as symbol of the President’s appreciation of their effort to develop China. Days passed. Mango started decaying. A botanist was summoned to inject certain chemicals to preserve the mango for a few more days.
Nehru’s passion for mangoes is popular. He had even decreed that only Alphonse from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra should be sent to foreign VIPs but never gave them on government expense. Once he asked JRD Tata the then chairman of Air India, to send a separate bill Tata said, it was a privilege for AI to carry mangoes for the PM of India.
The following is a recent incident. Benazir Bhutto visited Bangladesh in the 80s. She met a Pir known for his predictions. When will Zia-ul-Haq, the assassin of my father die? The Pir answered:”when the mangoes fly.” Years later it so happened that the baskets of mangoes kept in Gen. Zia’s aircraft exploded.
The stalls in the market are now saturated with the musky scent of mangoes. The mango mad is busy slurping the fleshy juice with delight. Next time when you eat a piece of mango, you will have enough mango thoughts.
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How can one say no to the magnificent, juicy, drippy, somewhat messy, yet irresistibly delicious, fruit?
Do you know that Indian myths, legends and history are replete with lovely stories and incidents connected with mango? No. Then read on.
Valmiki, in Ramayana pours out his tender love for mangoes in peerless verses. Kalidasa has described the mango blossom as one of the darts of Mnamadha the God of Love. He says that that the fragrance of a mango flowers is a torture to lovelorn hearts. Charaka in his Charaka samhita has described the medicinal properties of its frits and leaves. According to legend, when Dwaraka Muni had the vision of Lord Vishnu he plucked a raw mango and offered it to HIM. Even today salted mango is offered to the Lord Padmanabha.
We have a number of recorded incidents related to mango. Fa-Hein and Sung Yung the Buddhist pilgrims have recorded in their travelogues that a mango grove was presented by Amaradarika to Buddha so that he might use it as a resting place. Huen Tsang and Ibn Batuta, who visited India, have made frequent mention of the mango trees. The Sanchi Stupa has various sculpture patterns of the tree and the fruit.
In the name of mangoes the relationship between Shajahan and his son Aurangazeb went sour. The son did not pay attention in ensuring that his father got the Deccani variety of mango on time. Aurangazeb was the viceroy of Deccan then.
Once the Chinese President Mao Tse Tung, was presented a basket of mangoes by his Pakistani counter part. A sole mango reached one of the factories. And it was welcomed by its Board of Directors. They ceremoniously displayed it. They considered it as symbol of the President’s appreciation of their effort to develop China. Days passed. Mango started decaying. A botanist was summoned to inject certain chemicals to preserve the mango for a few more days.
Nehru’s passion for mangoes is popular. He had even decreed that only Alphonse from Ratnagiri in Maharashtra should be sent to foreign VIPs but never gave them on government expense. Once he asked JRD Tata the then chairman of Air India, to send a separate bill Tata said, it was a privilege for AI to carry mangoes for the PM of India.
The following is a recent incident. Benazir Bhutto visited Bangladesh in the 80s. She met a Pir known for his predictions. When will Zia-ul-Haq, the assassin of my father die? The Pir answered:”when the mangoes fly.” Years later it so happened that the baskets of mangoes kept in Gen. Zia’s aircraft exploded.
The stalls in the market are now saturated with the musky scent of mangoes. The mango mad is busy slurping the fleshy juice with delight. Next time when you eat a piece of mango, you will have enough mango thoughts.
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