350 for 1 HOWZATT

This article appeared in BTWmag in V A R I E T Y - c h a n d e r m a h a d e

350/1 howzat!



Sachin Tendulkar is here. So is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Padma Shri Kalimullah Khan has grafted and grown 350 varieties of mangoes on a single tree

Kalimullah Khan in his Mango orchard

Come summer and the mystic muse of Malihabad beckons the mango lover to soak in the distinct aromatic zing of the Dussehri aam. About 29kms from Lucknow on the Lucknow-Hardoi road resonates the mantra Go (man)go! This is not a prompt to egg on a marathon runner but a teaser to embark on a sojourn to experience the mango musings of Josh Malihabadi, the 18th century poet par excellence. And without further ado let us embark on a journey that would aptly sum up Avadh’s Dussehri spirit and how it transcends the persona of the aam aadmi.

A charming, almost endearing sight greets you as you drive along the Hardoi highway from Lucknow to Malihabad; innumerable orchards and nurseries lining both sides of the road, farmers lying on string cots in the shade, guarding their mango trees against the unwelcome attention of squirrels, parrots and naughty children.

Known as the home of poet Josh Malihabadi, Malihabad is a town in Lucknow district and it was in Malihabad’s palaces that Shyam Benegal shot his 1978 film, Junoon. Presently, Padma Shri Kalimullah Khan, who took to mango cultivation in 1957, shortly after failing his seventh standard, is the town’s most famous resident. His achievments include grafting and growing some 350 varieties of mango – from the bitter-gourd-shaped Karela to the heart-shaped Asroor Muqarar – on a single 100-year-old tree. “Mangoes are my passion,” he readily acknowledges. “They are more important to me than my children.” Despite his advancing years, Kalimullah glides swiftly, weaving his way amid the dense mango orchard and presto.

Avadh is not only about kite-flying, homing pigeons and courtroom trivia nor about the decadence captured in Shatranj ke Khilari, a la Satyajit Ray’s magnum opus. Instead, here you will get a taste of the perfect blend of Dussehri aam, the Kababi panache and Dhai Bhalle’s of Hazratganj. It’s also a city where Salam Alaikum merges so beautifully with Namaste.

The famous Malihabadi Dussehri mango bagged the prestigious Geographical Index (GI) status, bringing it international recognition and protection of its distinct identity.

Raising a toast to the king of fruits, local orchard owner, Naseeb Ahmed Khan says, “The GI status comes as a boon because it will allow us to market our produce at higher prices. However, with this, it will also mean that we must maintain uniform standards of quality across all orchards in the area.”

The thousands of mango orchards in Malihabad, Mal, Rahimabad and Kakori in Lucknow district and other parts of the state including Saharanpur and some other districts of western Uttar Pradesh have trees blooming at the onset of summer. The Dussehri is grown in other parts of the state but the Malihabadi mangoes are ‘special’ for its taste.

Most people know Kalimullah for his impassioned speeches about Dussehri mangoes. But there is a lesser-known side to him. Kalimullah loves cricket and is fascinated with Bollywood.

To celebrate the ‘goodness and sheer brilliance’ of cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar, the Udyan Pandit (he has been conferred the award generally reserved for those who excel in apple orchard farming) has named one variety of the fruit in his orchard after Tendulkar. Called ‘Sachin’, the mango is a unique cross between the Chausa and Amin Gudad Shah (a variety Kalimullah developed himself).

If Sachin has found space in his repertoire, Bollywood’s diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is the next to put her name to a mango. And this one is a cross between ‘Kacche Meethe’ and Dussehri. Where Sachin gets a mango to his credit, only a mango will not do for Aishwarya. Kalimullah explains, “I have also named a variety of guava after her. Both the fruits have a distinctly red hue that make it unmatched in beauty.”

Among his most precious creations is a tree in the Mughal Garden at the Rashtrapati Bhawan flowering 54 varieties. The craft developed by him has become a mystery for researchers and agriculturists among the country and abroad who have been left baffled by his work.

The sexagenarian who also finds mention in the Limca Book of Records has the support of his sons in keeping the tradition alive. He has also cultivated a new variety of an all season flowering guava, which on ripening grows as red as an apple.

On the global radar, the diminutive town of Malihabad is tickling the taste buds of people with a sweet tooth. For once at least, commoners can take pride in being addressed as mango people!