Bengal Mango Festival in Delhi offers slices of Bengali culture, cuisine
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, June 15: The handloom haat at Janpath in the national capital is buzzing with footfalls of the lovers of the Bengali culture and cuisine. The ninth mango festival organized by the West Bengal government has gained overwhelming patronage from the people from the national capital region of Delhi.
Chicken mango curry may surprise the lovers of the non-vegetarian food and those who are not uninitiated in the Bengali cuisine. So is the mango mutton luchi.
King of mangoes – Langda – is the star attraction at the festival. With the aroma of mangoes spreading thick and wide on the first floor of the emporium, the sellers from West Bengal districts of Malda and Murshidabad are doing brisk businesses.
The GI tag mangoes are in huge demand from the fruit lovers, with the people buying even to gift their friends and relatives. Sujoy from Malda district said that the sizes of the mangoes are smaller this season because of the lack the rains. But, he said, the taste remains authentic Malda. Incidentally, the langda mango in West Bengal and Bihar is called Malda also.
The emporium also has a wide variety of mangoes, which also include ‘Chaterjee’, which was in short supply and only the initial visitors could have tasted it. ‘Kala Pathar’ is another variety of mango, which has dark yellow and black appearance, available at the place. The usual Bengali mangoes such as Krishnabhog, Himsagar and Chausa are also attracting customers.
On the ground flood, the traditional devotional song for Lord Krishna is sung by a woman and an instrumentalist adept in the folk music. The handloom haat is offering a full glimpse of the Bengali cuisine and culture.
A few snacks’ stalls offer authentic Bengali ‘Sanghara’, sweets made of ‘gur’. Also, Bengali GI tag rice varieties such as Govindbhog can also be bought at reasonable rates at the emporium. Besides, the authentic honey sourced from Sunderban is also available at the emporium.
The place also has several stalls from some of the districts in West Bengal who are showcasing their handicrafts. Bengali saree, women wears, mats, and decorative pieces are also available.
The emporium is in an inner lane on Janpath road, and can also be reached by the Metro. The festival is ending on June 19, and it opens at 11 AM and closes by 8 PM daily, while also being open on Sunday.
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