Fruits Info

NEW DELHI: Mango lovers in the national capital, assists by cool winds and rains to add to their joy, were in for a unique treat on Sunday as they got an chance to savor more than 550 varieties of the "king of fruits" put on show during a two-day festival here.

"The two-day 18th Annual Mango Festival that concluded Sunday at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium drew over 30,000 visitors and provided a package of interaction, education and entertainment to celebrate the mango," said Suman Sharma, chief manager (events) of Delhi Tourism.

"More than 50 mango growers from across the country, mainly from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Delhi, were given an interactive platform to present the "king of fruits," Sharma said.

"The visitors, who normally think mango has just five or six varieties, were educated through quizzes and competitions about the huge variety of the fruit grown and innumerable possibilities of using mango in cuisine. They also enjoyed colorful entertainment programmers’ of music and dance."

Sharma said the festival was intended at providing experience to the domestic mango industry and exporters.

"It is an informal and international platform with a two-fold approach, to promote tourism as well as mango export."

The varieties of mango on exhibit included Alphonso, Totapari, Mallika, Rataul, Himsagar, Amrapali, Mumbai Green, Kesar, Fazli and Banganpalli. There were also mangoes with camouflaging looks of other fruits like banana, guava and watermelon, but having the inherent taste of a mango.