Mango season doesn’t announce itself — it drifts in with the scent of minimize fruit, college holidays, and tales handed down in orchards.
A slice of summer season that takes us again to sticky fingers, yard timber, and the joys of recognizing the primary golden blush on inexperienced pores and skin. However past the much-hyped Alphonso lies a treasure trove of regional varieties, every with its personal story, style, and terroir — and so they’re lastly getting their due.
Right here’s a have a look at 9 GI-tagged mangoes from throughout India that deserve the highlight — not only for their flavour, however for the tales they carry.
1. Kuttiattoor (Kerala)
In Kerala’s Kannur district, the mango season begins unusually early. By mid-November, the Kuttiattoor timber start to flower — a full few months forward of their friends. What follows is a mango with easy, unblemished pores and skin and a creamy, mildly candy flavour that has turn out to be a neighborhood delicacy.
It’s grown with minimal intervention, typically in yard orchards, and is an ideal reminder that good issues develop in silence.
2. Banganapalle (Andhra Pradesh)
A traditional late bloomer, the banganapalle mangoes arrive simply when summer season feels insufferable — and supply much-needed reduction. With their skinny seed, beneficiant flesh, and juicy sweetness, they’ve earned the title of Andhra Pradesh’s official fruit. Grown extensively within the Kurnool area, these mangoes are exported worldwide and are a staple in Indian households, because of their lengthy shelf life and versatile flavour.
3. Malihabadi Dashehari (Uttar Pradesh)
In Malihabad, mango timber are handed down like heirlooms. The Dashehari mango, born right here within the 18th century, is compact but stuffed with character — easy, elongated, and dripping with nostalgia for a lot of in north India. It was as soon as cultivated in royal gardens, and its perfume is sufficient to transport anybody again to childhood summers. At this time, it stays a supply of pleasure — and livelihood — for generations of orchardists.
4. Kari Ishad (Karnataka)
Thick with juice, skinny on pores and skin — that’s the Kari Ishad for you. Grown alongside Karnataka’s coast, notably in Ankola and Karwar, this mango is consumed not only for its style but additionally for the way in which it’s eaten: complete, with the seed, by locals who know its value. Its pulp is lush and ample, making it a favorite for juices and desserts. But, its fame has remained largely native — a hidden gem of the Western Ghats.
5. Gir Kesar (Gujarat)
Vibrant, golden, and daring — the Gir Kesar mango is as distinct because the land it comes from. Cultivated close to the Gir forest, it will get its identify from its saffron-coloured pulp (‘Kesar’ means saffron). With an unmistakable beak-like tip and aroma that fills the room, it’s one of many few mangoes to be offered in auctions on the supply. Farmers deal with it like gold — and actually, so ought to we.
6. Mancurad (Goa)
Usually overshadowed by beachside cocktails, the Mancurad is Goa’s best-kept secret. Small, reddish-hued, and intensely flavoured, this mango brings a singular mix of sweetness and sourness. Its identify is believed to come back from the Portuguese phrase ‘malcorado’ (that means poorly colored), however that’s ironic — its hue is what units it aside. Ask any Goan, and so they’ll inform you: Mancurad is not only a mango. It’s a matter of state pleasure.
Image supply: Zeezest.com
7. Banarasi Langda (Uttar Pradesh)
Don’t be fooled by the identify — there’s nothing ‘limping’ about its legacy. The Banarasi Langda, initially found from a tree that grew from an opportunity seedling, is without doubt one of the most flavour-rich mangoes in India. With yellow pores and skin and a skinny rind, it balances sweetness and acidity with finesse. Grown in Varanasi’s fertile soil, it’s typically the mango of alternative for many who like slightly zing with their chew.
8. Bhagalpuri Zardalu (Bihar)
If mangoes might put on fragrance, the Zardalu would want no introduction. Grown in Bhagalpur, this selection is prized for its gentle yellow pores and skin and highly effective aroma that asserts its arrival earlier than you even minimize it. Historically reserved for elites — and now even utilized in state-level gifting — the Zardalu is Bihar’s aromatic reward to India’s mango lovers.
9. Khirsapati (Himsagar) – West Bengal
Ask any Bengali which mango guidelines all of them, and likelihood is you’ll hear “Himsagar”. Also called Khirsapati, this mango has no fibres, a melt-in-mouth texture, and golden flesh that’s excellent for desserts — or simply consuming straight from the seed. It’s cultivated primarily in Murshidabad and Malda, and although not extensively exported, its repute as considered one of India’s most interesting stays unchallenged.
So this season, enterprise past what’s acquainted. Ask your fruitwala for a Kari Ishad. Search out a Langda in Varanasi. Relish a Himsagar just like the treasure it’s. As a result of India’s mango range is as wealthy as its cultures — and it’s time we celebrated all of them.
