As soon as the summer season begins, the first thought that comes to mind is mango. Ask for mango, the name of which makes your mouth water. Such a fruit is not only found in India but all over the world. But for us Indians, mango is not just a fruit but a feeling. Childhood memories, mother's handmade mango pickle, cold mango in the fridge or eating roti with Chupa's mango pickle, everything is broken by mango.
The taste of mango is something else. When the heat is at its peak, the sweetness of mango cools the heart and as soon as the first mango is seen in the market, the heart fills with joy in June everyone wants the sweetest and juiciest mango to come to their home. When the first mango is eaten, its fragrance itself creates an atmosphere of love in every home. It seems as if there is a sweet warmth in every blood amidst the burning heat.
There are many varieties of mangoes available in India like Dussehri to Langda, Himsagar, each has its own taste and fan following. Just like any celebrity, each mango has a different identity. Some are crazy about Langda, some are crazy about the name of the mango!One is ready to sacrifice his life for the office and the best part is that the mango of every region is special in its own way. From the note to the 100 rupee and from there to the West, mangoes are sold everywhere and everyone has their own favourites.
I remember in childhood we used to wait for holidays only because mango season comes and going to grandmother's house, climbing mango tree, plucking raw mangoes and eating them with salt and pepper it feels like a heaven . All these things give a different kind of peace. Then in the evening drinking mango juice mixed with cold water, eating mango bharta with roti or making mango kulfi and shekh. All this had become a routine. Every day was a new experience with mango.
My mom used to make Pickle and trust me it is the tastiest item in the world and its fragrance is enough to make you feel hungry. When it was kept immersed in a ceramic mortar, it was felt that the khajni was being taken care of. Harsh was forbidden to eat it but we children used to quietly pick one out of it and eat it with great pleasure. That taste, that fun and that pleasure of eating silently is still remembered and brings a smile.
Without mango, the summer season seems incomplete and when mangoes are not available, it feels like something is missing and the mango season is like a celebration everyone posts photos of their mango dishes on social media. My person favourite things are Mango lassi, mango ice cream, mango cake, mango smoothie, mango tea is everywhere and that is why mango is called the king of fruits because its taste is royal and its craze is also different from all others.
Mango is not just beneficial for taste but also for health. It contains vitamin A, C, fibre and anti-Anatolia antioxidants which are essential for our body; skin glows, digestion improves and immunity becomes strong. In childhood, when we used to play, we wanted to eat mango but we did not feel like eating it. She used to say, eat it son, it is good for health and anyway, when something is tasty as well as healthy then how is it possible not to love it. The season of mango is one term happiness. It is a guest for three to four months. Therefore, till it lasts, you want to live on it to the fullest.
Buying mangoes, cutting them, keeping them in the fridge and eating them cold has become a daily routine in every household. In childhood, we used to puff up our mouths after eating mangoes and our mother used to say. Now you look like a mango and to be honest, those days were also something and some people love mangoes so much during the mango season that they have mangoes in every meal. Mango pickle for breakfast, mango kulfi in the evening and mango juice at night, meaning mango is life and there is also a mango festival where people taste different varieties. There are competitions and mango product fairs are held. Seeing all this, it seems that mango has become not just a fruit but a colour.
Now and when the mango season is over, the heart becomes a little sad. As if someone close has gone away. Then we think that we will wait for the next summer. Again the same taste, the same illusion, the same excitement like childhood will be felt. Mango comes every year but every year brings new moments with it. Each one brings not just new memories, not just recipes but smiles. Maybe that is why everyone has a soft corner for mangoes in their hearts.
There are certain things in life that are important but mangoes have their own charm - the mango grown at home, the raw mango picked from the roadside or the packaged Alphonso from the market - each mango is worth eating. Each mango brings a smile. Perhaps that is why mangoes are not just called mangoes but are considered special from the heart. When mangoes are available, each day seems like a festival. The taste of a celebration, a nostalgia of childhood and a gift of summer.
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