What's Interesting About Indian Mangoes - Let's Explore Briefly - Stories, Stats and more

By Mohammad Anas Wahaj; MBA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000, USA; BS in Mechanical Engineering, Aligarh Muslim University, 1993, India
Dated: 31 December 2025

Mango was adopted as the national fruit of India in 1950 and 22 July is considered as the national mango day. Often times it is termed as the king of fruits. It's scientific name, Mangifera Indica, also signifies the fruit's close association with India as Indica refers to India.

The story of Indian mango is beyond just a popular and tasty fruit and its health and economic benefits. It is about emotions, community, relationships, religion and more. Many stories are woven around anecdotes related to important personalities such as politicians, royalty, poets etc that enhance mango's value.

History of mangoes in India goes back 5000 years, when it was believed to be first cultivated and was called 'Rasala' or 'Sahakara'. In ancient India it was considered as a symbol of love, fertility, and prosperity. Sanskrit poet Kalidasa praised mangoes in his classics when he described spring and nature.

While worshipping Saraswati, a goddess in Hindu religion, mango blossoms are used. During weddings and religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi use of mango leaves decorations are part of the tradition.

In embroidery, mango motifs and paisleys are prominently visible and are found in traditional clothes such as Kashmiri shawls, Kanchipuram and silk sarees. Indian state of Tamil Nadu considers mango as a royal fruit, along with banana and jackfruit and call them 'ma-pala-vazhai' and together as mukkai (three fruits).

Mango is tied to Indian psyche almost all the year round. But specifically starting from the month of march and goes till august. But the real frenzy starts when the unripe fruit hits the market and reaches its peak when the ripe fruit is available in plenty in the market. The smell of mangoes is everywhere. But it all depends on the region you are in - east, west, north and south. The harvesting seasons are different all across India. So the fruit is available almost 3/4th of the year as the regions are well connected with cold chains and better transport system.

During the season there are festivals, gettogethers, and parties with mango theme. People visit orchards and enjoy meals with family and friends. There is a whole mango trail that people with extra zeal cover to taste different types of mangoes as there are about thousand varieties in different regions that have unique taste, flavor, aroma, shape and look. Every region has different mango festivals and events. Local farmers and producers showcase the varieties and give visitors the opportunity to learn, taste and buy the mangoes.

From the kitchen to the stores to the restaurants, mango registers its presence in many forms all the year round. Mango, both raw and ripe, is used in many cuisines all over India and there is a whole range of food items linked to it, both in- and off-season. Sides - chutneys, pickles, salads, murabbas (fruit perserves), jams. Drinks - Aam panna, mango lassi, mango juice, mango milk shake, aam ras. Sweets - Muramba, ice cream, fruit bars. Condiment - Amchur, Khatai (dried mango slices).

Mango mania is now also visible globally due to Indian diaspora spreading their wings and planting themselves firmly in other countries. Mango is socialized by them in their circle of influence, resulting in picked up demand there. Moreover, improved export facilities and better supply chains in India are now efficiently fulfilling this ehnanced requirement.

Sohail Hashmi, Delhi-based historian and film-maker and founder of 'Delhi Heritage Walks', has tremendous knowledge about mangoes and takes people on visits to mango orchards at known mango places such as Rataul, Amroha and around Delhi. He says, 'The Mughals, in particular, were documented lovers of the mango, with Babur reportedly being lured into defeating Ibrahim Lodi by the promise of a crate of mangoes. Reportedly Babur's son Humayun, who spent most of his life in exile, demanded that mangoes be delivered to him wherever he was at the time. The Humayun Pasand, also known as Imam Pasand, was said to be named after him, and the Chausa, by Sher Shah Suri after the Suri dynasty defeated Humayun's armies in the Bihari village of the same name. Mughal Emperor Akbar took the mango craze to new heights. According to Mr. Hashmi, Akbar is supposed to have planted an orchard with 100000 mango trees, transforming the cultivation of mangoes into a full-time profession for a large number of gardeners.'

No story about Indian mangoes in 2025 is complete without mentioning a well researched book 'Mangifera Indica - A Biography of the Mango' by Sopan Joshi. In the prologue of the book, he writes, 'The mango is a unit of measuring relationships in India. Just a mention of it triggers nostalgia. People go into raptures, retelling stories of emotional connections...Many deities old and new are linked to the mango. None more so than Kamadeva, the ancient god of desire and love, of sex and procreation...The mango is a luxury, not a necessity. India has numerous other fruits, sweets, decadent foods. But no other comestible fuels such an elaborate culture, business, and hysteria. Our passion for mangoes has turned an indulgence into a requirement...A 'human interest story' is a much abused term in journalism. If you make a pyramid of what comprises 'human interest' in India, the mango is right on top.'

Mango's importance is also visible on the basis of the media coverage it gets during the season. Journalists are eager to write a piece and travel around India to get the latest stories about it. Sopan Joshi says, 'People want to bask in the glory of the mango, to feel special by association, but the mango itself is ordinary, rooted in nature and wilderness in stark contrast to its contemporary and international portrayal.'

SOME STORIES - History, Culture, Literature, Religion, People

Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions have mention of mango and it is revered, with significant importance given to fruit, flowers, leaves and the tree itself. The mango tree is believed to be kalpa-vraksha, meaning a wish fulfilling tree. It is depicted as a symbol of wealth, desire and luxury.

Buddha meditated under the mango tree. Ganesha won a mango as a prize for outsmarting his brother. Flower of mango is considered as symbol of love. Kamadeva laced his arrows with mango blossom oil.

The Jain goddess Ambika is traditionally represented as sitting under a mango tree and holding a mango branch in her right hand.

Story of Amrapali in Buddhist Jatakas depict significance of mangoes in ancient India. Her name consists of two sanskrit words - amra meaning mango and pallawa meaning young leaves or sprouts. She was said to be born around 500 BC at the foot of a mango tree in one of the royal gardens. She became the royal courtesan in Vaishali but later renounced the worldly life and converted to a nun after listening to Buddha's teachings. Buddha also stayed at her mango grove which she later donated to a Buddhist order.

The Mauryan emperor Ashoka mentions the planting of trees along imperial roads - 'On the roads banyan-trees were caused to be planted by me, (in order that) they might afford shade to cattle and men, (and) mango-groves were caused to be planted.'

In medieval India, the Indo-Persian poet Amir Khusrau termed the mango 'Naghza Tarin Mewa Hindustan' (the fairest fruit of India)'. He also called mango as 'Fakhr-e-Gulshan' (Pride of the Garden) and the verses from the collection of his poetry 'In the Bazaar of Love' metaphorically describes mango as: He visits my town once a year. He fills my mouth with kisses and nectar. I spend all my money on him. Who, girl, your man? No, a mango.

Mangoes were enjoyed at the court of the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khijli. He once organized a mango party in Sivama Fort and after devouring a plenty he had an amorous night with his wife. This story associates him with a belief that mango is an aphrodisiac.

During the Mughal empire mangoes got the boost in many ways both in terms of the systematic horticultural expansion and culinary experimentation. Babur praises the mango in his Babarnameh. After victory over Humayun, Sher Shah Suri named a mango 'Chausa', a village by the same name in Buxar district of Bihar, and registered it as a new variety still famous in both India and Pakistan. Akbar was very fond of horticultural produce and his period was known for organized horticulture and trading of fruits. Even export of mangoes is mentioned during this period. Mughal kings - Jahangir and Shah Jahan - awarded the chefs that created aam panna, aam ka lauj and aam ka meetha pulao.

India sent Alphonso mango to Britain as gift in 1937 for the coronation of King George VI. India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru would often gift mangoes to political leaders and foreign dignitaries and also provided knowledge on the ways of eating mangoes. Moreover, Alphonso became the go item for export as it is more sturdy and would not perish during transport as other varieties do.

The mango has also been popular in book titles: 'Tryst with Mangoes - Retrospect, Aspects, Prospects' (Om Prakash, Novel, 2005); 'The Vicks Mango Tree' (Anees Salim, Novel, 2012); . 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' (Mohammed Hanif, Novel, 2008); 'The House of Blue Mangoes' (David Davidar, Novel, 2002); ; 'Climbing the Mango Trees' (Madhur Jaffrey, Memoir, 2005); 'The Mango Season (Amulya Malladi, Novel, 2003)

Salman Rushdie, while receiving the lifetime achievement award from the Asian American Writers Workshop in 2013, said, 'I have a rule that I offer to young writers. There must be no tropical fruits in the title. No mangoes. No guavas. None of those...'

Ariana Grande, in the summer of 2019 tweeted about her favourite fruit mango quoting the verses from Amir Khusrau's collection titled 'In the Bazaar of Love' that was mentioned earlier - He visits my town once a year...

Pakistani singer Meesha Shafi, in her 2021 single, 'Hot Mango Chutney Sauce', says that she is paying tribute to the desi (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi) culture.

India and Pakistan used mangoes as the tool of diplomacy to normalize relations in 1981 when Pakistani president Zia ul Haq sent Anwar Rataul mangoes to prime minister of India Indira Gandhi. Then the debate ensued related to the origin of Rataul mango as Rataul is a city in India where the variety was originally grown. India and Pakistan further exchanged the mango in 1997 and 2002 and tried to pursue peace through it. Pakistan newspaper Dawn in 2002 expressed hope that 'one day, perhaps they will come to a common conclusion: both Pakistanis and Indians, as much as their mangoes, are good in their common as well as different ways.'

India's neighbouring countries - Pakistan, China, and Bangladesh - also give significant attention to mangoes. It is the national fruit of Pakistan. Mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh. Mango cult (Mángguo Chóngbài) developed in China during the Cultural Revolution when on August 5, 1968, Mao Zedong gave a box of Sindhri mangoes, given to him by the Pakistani Foreign Minister Mian Arshad Hussain, to the 'Worker-Peasant Mao Zedong Thought Propaganda Team' stationed at Tsinghua University. After this, mangoes became a symbol of Mao's affection. The mangoes were preserved in formaldehyde, or sealed in wax for veneration Mao's gift of mangoes to the workers and the rise of the mango craze coincided with a turn in the Cultural Revolution, as the working class began to lead it.

Arvind Kejriwal's Tihar Jail episode regarding mango and the media coverage it got also indicates how mango is a big news attractor and can become a political issue. He was getting mangoes and sweets from his family in jail. He was also reportedly denied insulin and his sugar level increased. This led to debate on mangoes and the sugar content in them. Experts in news channel discussed mango consumption and health effects. Indeed mango got all the attraction.

It is interesting to know how some popular varieties of Indian mangoes got their names - Alphonso got its name from a 15th century Portuguese General Alphonse de Albuquerque; The story about Langda aam is associated with a hard working farmer who had a limp (meaning langda in Hindi/Urdu) and the trees he planted gave langda aam; Dussehri or Dasheri got its name from Dasheri village near Lucknow where it was first grown in the Nawab of Luchnow's royal garden; Chausa or Chaunsa got its name from Sher Shah Suri's victory over Humayun at the Battle of Chausa. He gave this name to a variety grown around Chausa, a village in Buxar region of Bihar; Badami got its name from its buttery taste similar to almonds (badam in hindi/urdu).

Indian literature is full of poetry, letters, stories, sayings etc on mangoes signifying its association and significance with traditional Indian culture. Particulary Urdu literature gives a special place to mango with many mentions in poems and stories.

Famous Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib was very fond of mangoes. He provided literary significance to it through his anecdotes, letters and stories. Once he said, 'There are only two essential points to mangoes - they should be sweet, and they should be available in plenty.'

One humorous story goes like this - Ghalib was sitting and enjoying mangoes with his friends that also included Hakim Raziuddin Khan. Hakim (doctor) sahab noticed that a donkey was sifting through a pile of garbage that included leftover peels and seeds of the mangoes. But the donkey didn't show any interest in it and turned the other way. As Hakim sahab was not very fond of mangoes, he said sarcastically that even donkeys don't like mangoes. But Ghalib wittingly replied that yes only donkeys don't like mangoes.

In a letter to someone in Kolkata he wrote, 'Not only am I a slave to my stomach, I am a weak person as well. I desire that my table be adorned and that my soul be comforted. The wise ones know that both of these can be satisfied by mangoes.'

Even in old age, around 60 years, he wrote in a letter that he can't eat more than 10 or 12 at one sitting and if they are large ones then only 6 or 7.

In another situation where Ghalib was sitting in a gathering that was discussing qualities of mangoes when asked about it Ghalib said that for him only two things matter about mangoes, one that they should be sweet and other they should be in plenty.

Ghalib also composed a masnavi (a form of urdu poem in rhythmic couplets) about mangoes, entitled 'Dar sifat e ambaah' that goes like this:
Mujhse poochho, tumhen khabar kya hai
Aam kea agey neyshakar kya hai
Ya ye hoga ke fart-e rafa'at se
Baagh baanon ne baagh e Jannat se
Angabeen ke, ba hukm-e rabb-in-naas
Bhar ke bheje hain sar ba mohar gilaas
Translation
Ask me! for what do you know?
a mango is far sweeter than sugarcane
perhaps from the great heights above
the gardeners of heaven’s orchards
have sent, by the order of God
wine filled in sealed glasses

When urdu poet Akbar Allahabadi sent a box of Langda/Langra (langda in urdu means lame) variety of mangoes to poet Allama Iqbal in Lahore, he replied in a form of couplet:
Asar hai teri aijaz e masihaee ka ae Akbar
Allahabad se Langra chala Lahore tak pahuncha.
Translation
Akbar, this is the miracle of your Jesus like healing powers. The lame traveled from Allahabad and has reached Lahore

Moreover, there is a whole poem of Akbar Allahabadi titled 'Aam Nama' on mangoes in which he request a friend to send mangoes to Allahabad:
Nama na koi yaar ka paigham bhejiye
Is fasl main jon bhejiye bas aam bhejiye
Aisa zaroor ho ke unhen rakh ke kha sakun
Pukhta agar bees to das khaam bhejiye
Maloom hi hai aap ko bandey ka address
Sedhey Allahabad merey naam bhejiye
Aisa no ho kea ap ye likhen jawab main
Tameel hogi pahley magar daam bhejiye
Translation
O beloved do not send any messages
This season if you want to send just send mangoes
I should be able to keep them and eat
If twenty are ripe ten should be raw
You know the address of yours truly
Send them directly to my address at Allahabad
It should not so happen that you reply
That you will follow my order but first I should send the money

Modern urdu poet Munawwar Rana also has a take on mangoes. In the form of poetry he explains how he doesn't eat sweets in mango season:
Insaan ke hathon ki banayi nahin khatey
Hum aam ke Mausam main mithai nahin khatey
Translation
I do not eat what is made by mere mortals
In the season of mango, I do not eat sweets

In other poetic couplets Munawwar Rana compares his love for mangoes to that of Ghalib:
Allah jaanta hai mohabbat hamin ne ki
Ghalib ke baad aamon ki izzat hamin ne ki
Translation
Allah knows that only I fulfilled the conditions of love
After Ghalib, its me who gave honour to mango

Akhtar Shirani has written a whole poem on mango. He has described life of an exile away from home who is missing mango in its season:
O des se aaney waley bata
Kya aam ke unchey pedon par
Ab bhi wo papihey boltey hain
Sakhon ke hariri pardon main
Naghmon ke khazaney gholtey hain
Sawan ke rasiley giton se
Talab main amras gholtey hain
O des se aaney waley bata
Translation
O the one who has come from home tell
On the tall trees of mango
Does the cuckoo still croons
Does the magic of song melts?
In the silken curtains of the branches
Do the songs of rainy season still
Melt like the sweetness of mango in the pond
O the one who has come from home tell

According to Saghar Khayyami, the poet of humour:
Aam teri ye khush nasibi hai
Warna lagnron pe kaun marta hai
Translation
Mango it is your good luck
Otherwise who loves a lame

A new trend has been coming into play with the Indian diaspora, that of side-business opportunity related to mangoes from India. One such example is Jay Prakash 'JP' Gola, an Indian-born US citizen, who works as technology and business manager for a mortgage company and lives in Northern Virginia now and moderates a group on Whatsapp 'DC Indian Mangoes'. Every year during the mango season he imports and distributes varieties of Indian mangoes in the Washington DC-Maryland-Virginia region. Moreover, to expand and supply to other regions of the US he has partnered with subcontractors who get direct supply of Indian mangoes and sell them to their local customers.

His business is not without regulatory challenges and also competition from Mexican mangoes who are available in US stores all the year round at cheaper rates. But what keeps his business going are loyal customers with a bit of nostalgia and affection for their home country India and their friends.

Another Indian diaspora and mango related story is about a digital creator Rashi Agarwal Favier who lives in Netherlands and got her Dutch friends fascinated with the taste of Indian mangoes. The story went viral on Instagram with Rashi and her Dutch friend's reacting to Indian mangoes and netizens having a field day with their comments on the post.

SOME STATISTICS - Agriculture and Economic