Delhi celebrates mango season as fruit markets overflow with diverse varieties

Time of India

a day ago

New Delhi: Delhi's summer has a golden lining — the succulent mango. Fruit stalls across the city have exploded in yellow and green hues and the tongues roll over names like Dussehri, Langda, Safeda, Totapuri, Chausa and other evocative nomenclature.
The fragrance of mango, hailed everywhere as the king of fruits, hangs in the air, pleasuring both the sense of taste and smell.
For nearly five months, mangos are not just a seasonal delight but an obsession. By June, the mango takes over every street corner, cart and kitchen in Delhi and across the country. At the height of the mango season, Delhi-NCR consumes an estimated 2,500 tonnes of the fruit every single day. This obsession is fuelled by India's incredible diversity of mangoes.
The country is home to around 1,500 varieties, each with its own unique flavour, texture, and aroma.
Most are named for their place of origin, distinctive shape, taste or other defining features.
At Azadpur Mandi, traders report a mixed season as far as supply is concerned. While some regions sent in a good supply, others were hit due to insufficient rainfall. "Our wholesale rates are much lower than in the market," said Suresh Arora, a wholesale mango dealer.
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"You will get the most common varieties for ₹40-60 per kg. The 'golden' varieties are expensive. These mangoes have a better colour as they are wrapped in paper when they are ripening and transported.
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INA Market too is painted in shades of yellow. The mangoes gleaming under tarpaulin canopies are slightly costlier but the quality too is higher, claim the sellers. Safeda is selling for ₹180-200, Langra for ₹200, Chausa for ₹250 and Hamam for ₹400.
"The rates this year are lower than last year for some varieties because of increased supply," said Ramesh Bhutani, chairman, INA Market Traders' Association. "People buy mangoes according to their taste, but as Safeda comes in the early part of the season, it sells a lot.
Apart from that, Dussehri is also popular and it is cheaper this time."
At Okhla Mandi, sellers claimed the supply is down from last season. "Langda, Dussehri, Chausa, Dinga and Safeda have the most takers," said Mohammad Zahid.
"Their prices range from ₹80 to ₹100. Chausa is a little expensive at ₹180. Dussehri has two varieties, the golden one is for ₹120 per kg and the regular one, ₹80 a kilo."
Just as happy as the markets and the exhibitions. At Janpath, a special mango fair has added zing to the season with varieties from different districts of West Bengal on show. The event features 44,000 kg of mangoes, including GI-tagged favourites like Malda Laxmanbhog, Malda Khirsapati (Himsagar) and Malda Fazli, brought in from six districts of the state.
Visitors can also indulge in a range of mango-based sweets and delicacies.
"We have brought mangoes from Hooghly district," said Indrajit Chakrabarty, a seller at the fair. "Himsagar is the most sought-after and has very high demand. Langda is also always in demand. Besides that, we have Fazli, Amrapali and Mallika varieties. Each has a distinct flavour. We are selling Himsagar for ₹120-130 per kg, while this variety of Langda is ₹100 a kilo.
Most of these are in the ₹90-130 range."
No matter where you buy them or which variety you prefer, one thing remains unchanged: mangoes are deeply woven into Delhi's summer rituals. They're enjoyed in countless forms — as raw slices, aam panna, pickles, shakes, ice cream and anything that requires a fragrant, sweet and creamy ingredient.
For many residents, it's a personal infatuation. "I eagerly await the mango season. It is my favourite fruit and I can have it in any form," said Deepali Raina of Saket. "If you open my refrigerator, you will find everything from mango kulfi to mango lassi. And it is my daily dessert after dinner. So much so that I even purchased mangoes for ₹400–₹500 when it was kind of off season."
From mandis to markets, festivals to fridges, summer means the reign of the king of fruits.