6 Interesting Mango Facts even the non mango lovers would enjoy!
1. Mango is one of the oldest fruits known to India. Legends claim that they were first grown in India over 5,000 years ago. It is often said that the hills of north-eastern India adjoining Myanmar are likely centre of origin of mango.
2. Mangoes are of huge importance for Buddhists. They consider it sacred because the Buddha was accustomed to rest in the lush mango groves. Mangoes were also considered one of the best gifts to be exchanged amongst one another. Buddhists monks would also carry a few mangoes with them on their long expeditions, popularising the fruit.
3. It is said that the rich and pulp flavour of the fruit also caught the fancy of Alexander the Great, who upon his return to Greece, carried enough mangoes along.
4.In South India, mangoes were referred to as aam-kaay in Tamil, which became maam-kaay owing to the many local dialects down south. Somewhere along the line, it started getting referred to as maanga. It was the Portuguese who finally gave it its present name 'mango,' and popularised it everywhere.
5. Hindu scriptures are filled with folklores and legends surrounding mangoes. In one of the oldest myths, mango is said to be the daughter of Sun God Surya. One day upon falling on ground from a mango tree. The mango turned into the beautiful princess Surya Bai. Charmed by her beauty and grace a king falls in love with her and vows to marry her. On seeing the newly wedded couple, the king's first wife curses and turns the princess into ashes. It is said that out of the ashes rose another magnificent mango tree. And, when one of the fruits fall on the ground, the princess reincarnated. The King also recognises the princess as his bride from the previous birth and the couple reunites.
6. According to the book, 'A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food', mango grafting was first used by Portuguese and yielded the famous varieties like Frenandin. The sea-faring Portuguese were so lured with the mangoes that they took the fruit and its seeds and introduced it to many other countries who had never tasted the fruit.
2. Mangoes are of huge importance for Buddhists. They consider it sacred because the Buddha was accustomed to rest in the lush mango groves. Mangoes were also considered one of the best gifts to be exchanged amongst one another. Buddhists monks would also carry a few mangoes with them on their long expeditions, popularising the fruit.
3. It is said that the rich and pulp flavour of the fruit also caught the fancy of Alexander the Great, who upon his return to Greece, carried enough mangoes along.
4.In South India, mangoes were referred to as aam-kaay in Tamil, which became maam-kaay owing to the many local dialects down south. Somewhere along the line, it started getting referred to as maanga. It was the Portuguese who finally gave it its present name 'mango,' and popularised it everywhere.
5. Hindu scriptures are filled with folklores and legends surrounding mangoes. In one of the oldest myths, mango is said to be the daughter of Sun God Surya. One day upon falling on ground from a mango tree. The mango turned into the beautiful princess Surya Bai. Charmed by her beauty and grace a king falls in love with her and vows to marry her. On seeing the newly wedded couple, the king's first wife curses and turns the princess into ashes. It is said that out of the ashes rose another magnificent mango tree. And, when one of the fruits fall on the ground, the princess reincarnated. The King also recognises the princess as his bride from the previous birth and the couple reunites.
6. According to the book, 'A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food', mango grafting was first used by Portuguese and yielded the famous varieties like Frenandin. The sea-faring Portuguese were so lured with the mangoes that they took the fruit and its seeds and introduced it to many other countries who had never tasted the fruit.