Mango mania: 5 must-read books that celebrate the King of Fruits

Indian Express

12-05-2025

Few fruits stir passion, poetry, and politics quite like the mango. In South Asia, it's more than just a seasonal delicacy—it's a symbol of abundance, heritage, and even seduction. Revered by ancient poets, worshipped by the gods, and dissected by food writers, the mango holds a mirror to the subcontinent's culture and cuisine. Here's a handpicked list of five must-read books that celebrate the mango in all its juicy glory:
1. Mango: A Global History by Constance L Kirker and Mary Newman
A scholarly yet accessible passport to mango devotion worldwide
Mango: A Global History, Reaktion, 2024, Rs 437 (paperback) A part of the Edible Series, this beautifully illustrated book serves up the mango's journey from sacred symbol to global commodity. It explores the fruit's mythological roots in Hindu and Buddhist lore—Kama's flower-tipped arrow, anyone?—and unpacks how Western commercialization has turned mangoes into shelf-stable shadows of their true selves. A delicious primer for global gourmands and cultural historians alike.
2. Climbing the Mango Trees: A Memoir of a Childhood in India by Madhur Jaffrey
A sensory, savory portrait of a Delhi childhood through mango-scented memories
Jaffrey, the doyenne of Indian cooking, writes a coming-of-age tale wrapped in the aromas of spiced poori and sweet mangoes. Whether sneaking mangoes with salt and chili from the orchard or reliving family picnics, her narrative blends nostalgia with the Partition's harsh undertones. Bonus: the book ends with thirty heirloom recipes that bring mango memories to your kitchen.
3. The Good Indian Child's Guide to Eating Mangoes by Natasha Sharma
A hilarious, irreverent romp through mango-mad Indian childhoods
Who knew eating a mango came with so many rules? Sharma's delightfully cheeky book for children (and nostalgic adults) asks: Are you a slice-and-scoop type, or a peel-and-suck purist? With character quizzes, messy illustrations, and mango math, this guide turns tradition into comedy—and makes mango season even more fun.
4. Mangifera indica: A Biography of the Mango by Sopan Joshi
The definitive cultural, ecological, and historical biography of mangoes in India
This lush new release digs deep—into Vedic rituals, Mughal orchards, colonial trade routes, and modern diplomacy—to map the mango's evolution. Joshi artfully merges science with storytelling, giving readers a panoramic view of how mangoes shaped Indian identity. A mango tree's tale has never been told with such rigor and richness.
5. Shakuntala by Kalidasa
A classical detour: where mango blossoms pierce hearts like Cupid's arrows
India's classical playwright Kalidasa uses the mango flower in Shakuntala as a symbol of love's awakening. In this fourth-century Sanskrit drama, the mango blossom appears not just as ornamentation but as a weapon of desire wielded by Kama himself. A reminder that mangoes have always been about more than just sweetness—they're about longing, too.