Mango Lust

A summer without mangoes is a summer wasted. Mangoes come as a relief to the scorching heat and make the sultry summers bearable with its flavourful bite.

To provide a tasty and juicy treat to the populace of the national Capital during the summer, Government of West Bengal launched the 4th edition of annual ‘Mango Mela’, exhibition cum sale on Thursday. The initiative supported by the Departments of Food Processing Industries & Horticulture, and inaugurated by RD Meena , is being held at the AC Hall, second floor of Handloom Haat, Janpath. 

One can savour various varieties and some rare species of the sumptuous fruit from Malda, Hooghly and Bankura district of West Bengal. Langra, Himsagar, and Amrapali are few of the varieties available at the festival. A visit to the fair will remind you the reason why mango is the king of all the tropical fruits. 

“As a district, Malda remains the largest producer of mangoes as it produces over 250 varieties of mangoes. But they remain confined to Bengal itself and are not able to reach to others. Mango Mela is one such initiative to make all the varieties reach to people,” said an official from Department of Horticulture invigilating the fair.

 Further, he told that Fazli, Himsagar, and Laxmanbhog have received the coveted registration under the Geographical Indication (GI) Index.  A’GI’ is a sign used on certain products which corresponds to a specific geographical location or origin, this name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness essentially attributable to the fact of its origin in that defined geographical locality.

Besides varieties of mangoes, the festival holds the sale of processed mango items like chutney, jam, mango pulp, mango juice, ‘aam papad’ and ‘aam panna’. A sale of handloom and handicrafts from Bengal has also been organised along with the mango mela. 

A cultural programme consisting of Chhau and Raibenshe folk dances and traditional music is will take place from June 18 to June 25 to bring out the vibrant, rich and living cultural heritage of Bengal.