Mango Culture of India / 走不出的芒果梦，印度独特的芒果文化

Mangoes have delighted people’s senses with their sweet fragrance and flavour for ages. However, while Indians have been cultivating this juicy fruit for more than 4000 years, the Western world has savoured it only for the last 400!

Mango is national fruit of India.

芒果是印度的国家水果。

Mango Tree at Ekambareswarar temple in Kanchipuram is considered as 3500 years old.

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印度民间流传这样一个故事：天神下凡来到人世，无意间品尝了一种叫Aam的水果，天神为它甜美的滋味着迷的同时又懊悔地感叹：这等美味在天上为何吃不到？从此，天神甘愿留在这片孕育了神奇之果的土地上。这种印地语称为Aam的美味就是芒果，这片神奇的土地就是印度。

A Purnakumbha is a pot filled with water and topped with fresh mango leaves and a coconut. It is considered to be the foundation of a puja, with the mango leaves symbolising life.

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There is a popular story : when God came to the earth, he accidentally tasted a fruit called Aam. God was fascinated by its sweet taste, and he sighed with regret. Why can't such delicious food be eaten in the heaven? From then on, the God is willing to stay on the land which has conceived the magic fruit. In hindi it is called 'AAM' & that magical land is India.

五彩斑斓芒果之邦

Colorful Mango Country

有统计显示，芒果是世界上消耗量最大的水果之一，尤其受南亚及东南亚各国人民喜爱。印度、巴基斯坦和菲律宾等国将芒果定为“国果”，孟加拉国还将芒果树定为国树。在众多钟情于芒果的国家中，为何印度芒果最知名？

According to statistics, mango is one of the most consumed fruits in the world and is particularly popular among people in South Asia and Southeast Asian countries. Countries such as India, Pakistan and the Philippines have designated mangoes as "national fruits," and Bangladesh has designated mango trees as national trees. Why is Indian mango most famous among the many countries that love the mango?

印度是世界上最大的芒果产地，年产芒果约1000万吨，占世界总产量的51%。印度35个邦（省）级行政区划中，有27个邦盛产芒果。全球已知的1595个芒果品种绝大部分在印度境内，在其他国家种植的不过40多种。

India is the world's largest producer of mangoes, with an annual output of about 10 million tons of mangoes, accounting for 51% of the world's total production. Of the 35 state (provincial)-level administrative divisions in India, 27 are rich in mangoes. The vast majority of the 1,595 mango varieties known to the world are in India and only 40 in other countries.

印度芒果大的赛过椰子，重2公斤多，小的犹如核桃。芒果的颜色更是多姿多彩，艳红的如玛瑙，碧绿的似翡翠，橙黄的赛水晶……流光溢彩犹如颗颗宝石吸引人们视线，挑战食客味蕾。

India's mango can be bigger than coconut weighing more than 2 kilograms and can be small like a walnut. The color of the mango here is more colorful, bright red such as agate, green like jade, orange race crystal ... colorful like a gem to attract people's attention, a ultimate treat to your taste buds.

芒果也是一种文化

Mango is also a culture

除产量高、质量好、分布广、种类多外，印度芒果与印度的文化渊源颇深，可以说芒果的味道已经沁入印度人的血液，芒果文化已经深植于印度人的骨髓。

21,000 mango baskets offered to Lord Krishna during mango festival 

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In addition to high yield, good quality, wide distribution, variety, origin of Indian culture have deep rooted connection with mango.

Legend has it that the Buddha was presented with a mango grove so he could rest under the shady trees.

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根据印度教经典文献《梨俱吠陀》记载，爱神伽摩手持甘蔗做的弓，射出由５种花编成的箭，被箭射中的人就会坠入爱河，芒果的花就是这5种能够带来爱情的花之一。在印度传统文化中，芒果还代表着吉祥，能给人带来平安。直到今天，印度人迁入新居时，都会在门口上方悬挂芒果树的枝叶，祈求家宅平安，人丁兴旺。

According to the Hindu “Rigveda”, the god of love held a bow made of sugar cane and shot arrows made of five kinds of flowers. Those who were hit by arrows fell in love. The flowers of mango are the five kinds. One of the flowers that can bring love. In traditional Indian culture, mango also stands for good fortune, which can bring peace to people. Until today, when Indians move into their new homes, they will hung the leaves of mango trees above the door to pray for peace and prosperity.

早期印度的梵文诗人云游四方吟唱诗歌，他们相信，常吃芒果树上的嫩芽能够让嗓音更加甜美。在印度文学作品中，经常用芒果来形容美女。人们用芒果的甜美多汁描述美女的眼眸，把芒果表皮娇艳的红喻为美女的脸颊、吹弹可破的肌肤……诗人与作家对如此美好的事物总是不吝赞誉之词。

Early Indian Sanskrit poets sang poems and they believed that eating fresh shoots from a mango tree would make the voice more sweet. In Indian literature, mango is often used to describe beauty. People use mango's sweet and succulent description of the beauty's eyelids, and the delicate reds of the mango skin are hailed as beautiful cheeks. The poets and writers are always praiseworthy for such beautiful things.

纵观印度历史，这个文明古国曾被无数外来入侵者征服，而所有的征服者却无一例外被这片土地上的芒果所征服。被称为历史上最残酷、最疯狂的征服者——亚历山大大帝就对芒果情有独钟。莫卧儿王朝的缔造者巴布尔把芒果称为“印度斯坦的仙果”。巴布尔的孙子——著名的阿克巴大帝在自己的庄园里种植了10万棵芒果树。印度最后一批入侵者英国人也毫不例外地陷入芒果之恋，他们为保持优雅的吃相甚至发明了一种吃芒果的专用工具。殊不知，当英国贵族一边优雅地吃芒果一边嘲笑印度人粗鄙的吃相时，捧着芒果吃得汁水淋漓的印度人也在笑他们不懂得享受与芒果“亲密接触”——印度人吸吮进嘴里的不仅是美味，还有幸福和满足。

Throughout India's history, this ancient civilization was once conquered by numerous foreign invaders, and all the conquerors were invariably conquered by the mangoes on this land. Known as the most brutal and crazy conqueror in history, Alexander the Great loved mango. Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty, called the mango "the immortal fruit of Hindustani." Babar’s grandson, the famous Akbar the Great, planted 100,000 mango trees in his own manor. India’s last invaders, the British, were no exception to the love of mangoes. They even invented a special tool for eating mangoes in order to maintain an elegant appearance. 

印度人走不出芒果梦

Indians Use Mango Everywhere

印度人日常生活离不开芒果，人们除食用新鲜芒果外，还有以芒果为原料制成的各种腌菜、酸辣酱、糖果、果汁、果脯、果酒和果酱等，芒果酸奶更是热天里广受欢迎的饮料。

Indians can’t live without mango in daily life. Besides fresh mangoes, people also have pickles, chutneys, candies, fruit juices, preserved fruits, fruit wines, and jams made from mangoes. Mango lassi in a hot day is popular drink.

每年7月到9月，是在印度吃芒果最好的时节，这段时间被印度人称为“芒果疯狂”。自1987年以来，印度首都新德里每年都举办芒果节，时间均在7月。在芒果节上，除展出并销售各种芒果以及众多芒果制品，最吸引人的是吃芒果大赛。女子组比赛上，不论是上年纪的老大妈，还是青春靓丽的小姑娘，一律不顾形象甩开腮帮子，又是啃咬又是吸吮，赛场溢满了欢声笑语。

July to September each year is the best time to eat mangoes in India. This time is known as “Mango Crazy” by Indians. Since 1987, the Mango Festival has been held in New Delhi, India every year, also in July. At the Mango Festival, besides exhibiting and selling various mangoes and numerous mango products, the most attractive activity is the mango contest. In the women's competitions, whether it is an old woman or a beautiful young girl, regardless of the image, it is a cheeky and sucking game. The stadium is full of laughter.

《纽约时报》说，印度只有两个“季”：季风季和芒果季，前者给印度补充水分，后者滋润印度的灵魂。有意思的是，印度几乎每个邦都有自己最钟爱的芒果，食品专家高斯说，“芒果沙文主义”在印度流行。在印度，芒果不仅代表爱、嫉妒、竞争，还是新富者身份的象征。

The New York Times stated that India has only two “seasons”: the monsoon season and the mango season, the former adding moisture to India, which nourishes the soul of India. Interestingly, almost every state in India has its own favorite mango, and food expert says that “mango chauvinism” is popular in India. In India, mangoes not only represent love, jealousy, competition, but also a symbol of new rich status.

对印度人而言，芒果无疑承载了他们的故乡情结和童年追忆。一个印度朋友告诉记者，他心中的童年定格为这样一个画面：一个小男孩啃着手里捧着的大芒果，满手满脸都是甜腻的汁液，衣服上也溅得全是果汁，脏兮兮的，妈妈走过来宠溺地摸摸他的头，又捏捏他的脸颊说：我的小库马尔，你什么时候才能长大啊。望着朋友眼角泛出的一点泪花，记者读懂了：身为印度人，他一生也走不出芒果梦。

For Indians, mangoes undoubtedly carry their hometown complex and childhood memories. An Indian friend told reporters that the childhood in his heart had been defined as a picture of a little boy holding a big mango in his hand, his hands full of sweet sap, and all his clothes were splashed with juice. Hey, my mother walked over and touched his head petally, and squeezed his cheek to say: My little Kumar, when will you grow up? Looking at the tears in the eyes of friends, the reporter read: As an Indian, he couldn’t walk out of his dream of mango in his entire life.

地处热带、亚热带的印度，出产的果品种类繁多，但印度人惟独对芒果钟爱有加，不仅将这种口味甘甜、营养丰富的水果奉为“果中之王”，在历史上长期作为各个土邦国王室的专用贡品，而且对芒果的认知早已远远超越其自然属性，升华到了文化的高度，形成独特的印度“芒果文化”。

In tropical and subtropical India, there are many varieties of fruit produced, but the Indians only love the mango, and not only regard this kind of sweet, nutritious fruit as the "king of fruit", but also as a long-term individual in history. The special tribute to the Kings Room of the Tomb of the State of Turkmenistan, and the recognition of the mango has long gone beyond its natural attributes, sublimated to the height of culture, and formed a unique Indian “mango culture”.

从上世纪90年代初开始，印度首都新德里每年都要在7月上旬举行盛大的芒果节。印度各地的果品生产商都会将他们引为自豪的芒果品种带来现场向公众展示。形状不同、颜色各异、大小悬殊的各种新鲜芒果摆满上百个展台。大的似椰子，重量以公斤计；小的可比核桃，一个不过几十克；“面相”粗糙的，表面疙疙瘩瘩像个未长熟的木瓜；“面皮”细嫩的，让人有弹指即破的感觉。望着这一盘盘红如脂、绿如翠、黄如金、黑如炭的各式芒果，几乎每一位参观者都会啧啧称奇，连呼大开眼界。

Since the early 1990s, the New Delhi, the capital of India, has held a grand mango festival every year in early July. Fruit producers from across India will bring their proudly-mangoed varieties to the scene for public. Hundreds of booths show casing a variety of fresh mangoes of different shapes, colors, and sizes. Big size like large coconuts, weighing in kilograms; small are comparable to walnuts; "face" of the rough, the surface looks like a not-ripe papaya; "skin" is delicate. Looking at the various types of mangoes on the plate, such as red, green, yellow, gold, black, and charcoal, almost every visitor will be amazed and even is an eye-opener.

与数百种芒果摆在一起的，还有以芒果为原料制成的各种腌菜、酸辣酱、糖果、果汁、果脯、果酒和果酱等。今年的芒果节现场还免费发放一种用未成熟的芒果制成的饮料。据说印度民间在盛夏有喝这种饮料的习惯，很多地区的老百姓都把它当作消除暑毒的特效解毒剂。在芒果节主办者的眼里，这些特色产品代表了包括饮食文化在内的多种印度传统文化信息，是宝贵的文化遗产，值得大力弘扬。因此，他们不失时机地抓住机会，组织各种芒果知识竞赛、卡通芒果表演、芒果厨艺论坛、芒果种植历史评说讲解等活动，突出强调芒果节的文化内涵，强化公众对“芒果文化”的感悟和理解。

Along with hundreds of mangoes, there are pickles, chutneys, candies, fruit juices, preserved fruits, fruit wines, and jams made from mango. This year's Mango Festival also released a free drink made from immature mangoes. It is said that Indian people have the habit of drinking this kind of beverage in midsummer, and many people in the area treat it as a special antidote to eliminate summer heat.

 In the eyes of the sponsors of the Mango Festival, these specialty products represent a variety of Indian traditional cultural information, including food culture, and are valuable cultural heritages that deserve to be vigorously promoted. Therefore, they seized the opportunity to seize the opportunity to organize activities such as various mango knowledge contests, cartoon mango performances, mango cooking forums, mango planting history commentary, etc., highlighting the cultural connotation of Mango Festival and intensifying the public’s understanding of “mango culture”. 

印度人将芒果视为其文化遗产的一部分。当代印度人相信，芒果作为一种人工种植的水果，最早出现在亚洲南部的印缅地区。他们根据目前存世的古印度建筑雕塑和印度早期文学作品中有关于芒果的形象化记述，推断自己的祖先开始种植芒果至少在4000年前，与古代印度河流域文明以及当地特有的印度教具有同样悠久的历史，并且执着地认为，目前全世界其他地区种植的所有芒果，最初都是由一位名叫文桑的中国人于公元632年至645年访问印度期间，发现并引种到印度以外的国家的。

Indians regard mango as part of their cultural heritage. Contemporary Indians believe that mango, an artificially grown fruit, first appeared in the Indo-Burmese region of southern Asia. Based on the images of ancient Indian architecture and Indian early literary works on mangoes, they inferred that their ancestors began planting mangoes at least 4,000 years ago. They are as old as the ancient Indus Valley civilization and local Hinduism. And insisted that all mangoes currently grown in other parts of the world were initially discovered and introduced by a Chinese named Wensang who visited India from 632 to 645 AD. of.

据印度农业部门统计，印度目前是世界上最大的芒果产地，年产芒果1000万吨左右，约占世界总产量的一半。全世界已知1595个芒果品种绝大部分在印度境内，在其他国家种植的不过区区41种。难怪印度人提起芒果，总会下意识地流露出一种自豪感。尽管印度并没有定芒果为“国果”，但事实上芒果在他们心中早已具有不可替代的地位，无论在世俗文化或宗教文化中都有特殊的象征意味。

According to statistics from India's agricultural sector, India is currently the world's largest producer of mangoes, with an annual output of about 10 million tons of mangoes, which accounts for about half of world production. The vast majority of 1,595 mango varieties known worldwide are in India and 41 in other countries. It is no wonder that Indians raise mangoes, and they always subconsciously show a sense of pride. Although India did not only set the mango fruit as "national fruit," the fact is that mangoes have long had an irreplaceable position in their minds, and they have special symbolic meanings in both secular cultures and religious cultures.

印度人将芒果花称为春天的灵魂。他们为每一种芒果赋予特定的名字，其中很多芒果的名字与宗教信仰或神有密切关系。印度许多佛教或印度教寺庙里都种有高大的芒果树。成熟时节，庙里的僧侣会挑选出品相和品质俱佳的芒果贡奉在佛祖面前。前来进香祈祷的善男信女也常常带来他们家乡的芒果，表达对佛祖的敬意。前不久，印度农业研究所用印度教一位女神的名字为他们新近培育的一个芒果品种命名，一种看似普通的水果就这样与一个地区的宗教和文化联系到了一起。

Indians call mango flowers the soul of spring. They give each mango a specific name, many of which are closely related to religious beliefs or deities. There are tall mango trees in many Buddhist or Hindu temples in India. In the riping season, the monks in the temple will select the mangoes that are of good quality and qualify to worship the Buddha. The men and women who come and pray for pilgrimage often bring mangoes from their hometowns to express homage to the Buddha. Not long ago, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute named a newly cultivated mango variety in the name of a Hindu goddess. A seemingly ordinary fruit is linked to religion and culture in a region.

时至今日，芒果作为一种吉祥之果，在印度人民的日常生活中被赋予了更多的象征意义。由于印度大部分地区都适宜种植芒果，从南到北，芒果的收获季节长达半年，因此芒果在很多地区成了民众生活中的日用品。他们在婚礼中，喜欢以芒果树枝叶搭建通向婚礼大棚的通道或牌楼。如果哪个结婚庆典上缺少了芒果树的装饰，会被认为这对新人的姻缘不够圆满，婚后生活难以幸福。人们用芒果做菜，作贡品，在有条件的地方，每天还会用新鲜的芒果树叶接来清水，在日出时分淋撒在神龛前面。

To this date, mangoes have been given more symbolic significance in the daily lives of the Indian people as an auspicious fruit. Since most of India is suitable for growing mangoes, from the north to the south, the harvest time of mango is as long as six months, so mango has become a daily commodity in people's lives in many areas. In their weddings, they like to use mango twigs to create passages or archways to the wedding shed. If any wedding celebration lacks the decoration of mango tree, it will be considered that the couple's marriage is not satisfactory and the married life will not be happy. People use mangoes to cook and serve as tributes. Fresh water is collected in mango leaves at places where conditions permit, and they are sprinkled in front of the temples at sunrise.

随着与世界的交往不断扩大，印度的芒果也逐渐为更多国家的人民认识和喜爱。一些珍贵的稀有芒果品种不仅在东南亚地区声名显赫，而且还越来越多地受到欧洲人的推崇。印度独立后的历届政府领导人在与外国政要交往时，都喜欢用芒果作为赠礼。印度前总理尼赫鲁就致力于将印度芒果以及“芒果文化”推向世界。在他的倡导下，世界上许多国家的首脑或知名人士都曾经收到过印度领导人赠送的芒果极品—“阿尔芒索”。

With the ever-expanding contacts with the world, India’s mangoes are gradually becoming known and loved by people in more countries. Some rare mango varieties not only have a prominent reputation in Southeast Asia, but also are increasingly respected by Europeans. After India’s independence, successive government leaders used mangoes as gifts when they interacted with foreign dignitaries. Former Indian Prime Minister Nehru devoted himself to the promotion of Indian Mango and "Mango Culture" to the world. Under his advocacy, leaders and celebrities of many countries in the world have received the best mango, “Alphonso”, presented by Indian leaders.

Source: 中印大同网

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