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National Fruit
Mango- National Fruit of India
Being most widely grown fruit in countries observing tropical weather condition, mango is an important fruit in India for it being country’s national fruit. It is cultivated in each and every corner of India except in the hilly areas where it doesn’t get favorable condition for cultivation. As a rich source of different types of Vitamins from A, C and D this fruit is cultivated in India where its multiple varieties are found. Usually mangoes vary in terms of color, shape & size and taste. Cultivation of mangoes in India is since several centuries. Mythological references and history of India explain about mangoes so does eminent poet of ancient era Kalidasa praise mangoes in songs he wrote. Its praises and discussions are also found in Alexander the Great and Hieun Tsang who expressed views after tasting mango. It was in modern Bihar’s Darbhnaga where Great Mughal king, Akbar had planted more than 100,000 mango trees. Used to prepare pickles and or eaten ripe mangoes have many attributes.
Regarded national fruit of India, mango is commonly cultivated in almost all parts of country for several centuries. Sacred Vedas describe this fruit "Food of the Gods" so is it famous in each and every corner of country except in the hilly areas where it isn’t cultivated. The fruit is commonly found in summertime. With more than 100 varieties of mangos present in India, variations are in terms of shape, size, color and taste et al. Some commonest categories and names denoted to mangoes are Mangot, Manga or Mangou et al. It is still not known how its name mango was developed. As believed it could be from Portuguese word 'manga' which is also ‘manga’ from the Malayalam literature.
History of India has reference of mangoes. It can be best assessed through reading the songs of ancient poet Kalidasa who would have praised this fruit on several occasions. Other famous dignitaries of past era from the ancient Greek King Alexander the Great to Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang would have enjoyed the taste of this fruit. Eminent Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great had planted more than 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga region in the modern day Bihar which the history explains a great leap and as was it named Lakhibagh then. Rich with several Vitamins from A, C and D, the sweetness of mangoes is often tasted through juices worldwide.
Being India’s national fruit makes mango important in the Indian subcontinent so annual International Mango Festival is organized in Delhi to showcase too many mango varieties cultivated traditionally as Indian mangoes. This festival also emphasizes on the developments, researches and findings on mangoes happening to enjoying more of this fruit through taste for better health. Visitors enjoy too many mango varieties and often buy tree for personal fruit gardens so do they increase knowledge on cultivation. Its seed can be small or big in size and isn’t edible but its usage is common in various medicine preparations.
Description
The size and varieties of mangoes differ but usually they range from 10 to 25 cm in length while width is usually between 7 to 12 cm. If counted on weight then it is seen that a single mango may even be of 2.5 kg in some cases. There are too many colors of this fruit but green, red and yellow are commonest ones. In most cases the colors are in combination too. Central portion of the fruit carries its flat and rectangle seed which sweet pulp covers from around. A thin layer of skin covers the pulp. It is peeled off to eat the fruit for taste. Once fully ripe even unpeeled mango offers distinguished and viscous sweet smell to feel.
Varieties
India has too many mango varieties. Some of the common mango varieties are Alphonso or Hapoos; Amrapali; Bangalora; Banganapalli or Benishaan; Bombay or Bombay Green; Chausa; Chinna Rasalu; Dashaheri or Daseri; Fazli; Fernandian; Gulabkhas; Himayath or Imam Pasand; Himsagar; Jehangir; Kesar; Kishen Bhog; Lalbaug; Langda or Langra; Mallika; Mankurad; Mulgoa; Neelam; Pairi; Pedda Rasalu; Rajapuri; Safeda; Suvarnarekha; Totapuri; Vanraj and Zardalu amongst others.
Cultivation
To grow mangoes well it is necessary to have frost-free climatic condition. Mango flowers or the fruits already grown on the tree might die in case temperatures drop below 40° F for certain time period. That is why warm and dry weather is necessary for best possible mango cultivation. Such environment is only in the summer period which remains best suitable time for mangoes to grow. They can be kept in the greenhouses too. As mango trees are shady their growth is faster and might be of maximum 65 ft. if get best climatic condition. Mango trees have long life and as it has been investigated in researches some trees may remain alive for 300 years and continue fruiting even in such age.
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