Modi, Mallika add charm to aam event at Dilli Haat

New Delhi: Intrigued by her children's chatter about the 700 varieties of mango on show at Dilli Haat in Janakpuri, Savita, brimming with curiosity, decided to explore the festival first-hand. She later exclaimed to TOI, "I was taken aback because I had thought there couldn’t be too many apart from the ones I’ve grown up with in Delhi, but there were countless mangoes as far as I could see, each with a different name label."
And since the pulpy fruit is meant for eating, the 33rd Mango Festival buzzed with excitement over its signature event: the mango eating competition.Enthusiastic participants took up the challenge of consuming 3kg of mango pulp in a mere three minutes. It was a race against time and taste buds.
There were mangoes of every imaginable shape, colour and size — from tiny-as-grapes type to massive-as-papaya variety. Among the unique varieties were Neelam, Kalmi, Amrapali, Barfila, Chatterjee, Himsagar, Husnara, Gulab Jamun and Nawab Pasand. Visitors were particularly drawn to the quirky and amusing names given to some of those on show: Modi Mango and Mallika, Sensation and Barfila, among others. These added to the festival's charm.
Dr Kanhaiya Singh, scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa Road, shared with TOI the story behind his lifelong commitment to studying mangoes. "Growing up in Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, I developed a deep fondness for Langra mangoes,” he said. “I always yearned to unravel the mysteries of their cultivation and delve into the intricate science behind each unique mango variety. Now, after more than three decades in this field, I can honestly say I did find my calling. I am privileged to pursue my passion for mangoes, studying what I have loved since childhood and turning it into my life's work."
The mangoes on display had arrived from across India: Dussehri from Lucknow, Alphonso from Maharashtra, Totapuri from Karnataka, Kesar from Gujarat, and Bombay Green, Langra and Chausa from different regions of Uttar Pradesh. There were hundreds of others too.
Javed Amin, a farmer from Malda in West Bengal, has been farming for 25 years. He shared, "This Chatterjee mango you see here is named after Vishwanath Chatterjee, who researched and created it. Every single mango here has a story. I've been showcasing my mangoes in agricultural exhibitions across India, competing for awards and proudly showing off the honours I have received to fellow mango growers at home."
There were also competitions among mango sellers featuring categories such as biggest mango, heaviest mango and other superlative aspects.