35th Mango Festival: Foreign tourists join Delhiites to explore 1,300 mango varieties at Dilli Haat in Janakpuri

From 25g to 4kg, Delhi's 35th Mango Festival at Dilli Haat is drawing locals and foreign tourists to explore mango varieties from across India this weekend.

Delhi's 35th Mango Festival at Dilli Haat, Janakpuri, is drawing locals and foreign tourists alike, all eager to discover over 1,300 mango varieties from across India. While some visitors say they've spent half the day exploring the endless display and tasting unique varieties, foreign tourists admit they're amazed by the sheer diversity of India's favourite fruit. Adding to the experience, mango growers are on hand to share fascinating stories, tasting tips and insights into the many rare varieties on display.

Delhi’s 35th Mango Festival is happening at Dilli Haat in Janakpuri between July 3 to July 5. (Photos: Anurag Mehra/HT)

Tiny as grapes or as large as papayas, the festival celebrates rare mango varieties such as Husnara, Ratol, Ramkela, Kesar, Mallika, Amrapali, Litchi, Fazli and Hathi Jhool

Anjali Rawat and her friend Krishna Sharma were at the fest scouting the many different varieties of mangoes.

“We’re huge mango lovers, so we’ve happily spent almost half our day at the festival. Every stall has something new to discover, and the sellers have been so sweet, insisting that we taste different varieties before buying them. We’ve picked up a mix of mangoes; some we’ll eat just as they are, while others are perfect for milkshakes, cheesecakes and other desserts.” Anjali Rawat, Delhi-based entrepreneur

Rambeer Singh, a mango grower from Haryana's Saharanpur.

“The biggest attraction is seeing a 4kg mango and a tiny 25g mango side by side. Visitors come to our display room and ask all kinds of questions about it. Most are shocked to learn that the 4kg Noor Jahan mango costs ₹3,800, but once they taste it, they understand why it’s worth the price.” Rambeer Singh, mango grower from Saharanpur

A visitor puts a mango grower’s tip to the test, smelling a mango to judge its sweetness before making a choice. (Photo: Raj K Raj/HT)

The Sachin mango, named after cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar by the famed ‘Mango Man of India’ Haji Kalimullah Khan, is among the festival’s biggest attractions. So is the Tommy Atkins variety, known to stay fresh for up to three weeks after ripening

James Robinson and Mia Kim were among the several foreign tourists visiting the mela.

“I’m from the UK, and my friend is from South Korea. We’re in India on holiday, and everyone told us not to miss the Mango Festival. We had no idea India had over 1,300 varieties of mangoes — it’s incredible! We bought a kilo of Kesar mangoes, but if we weren’t flying back, we’d have taken home a lot more.” James Robinson, visitor

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