Mango: Chemistry, Culture & History

News– This article, published in the Indian Express, explores the mango- cherished across South Asia for millennia—for its cultural, political, and culinary significance, from Buddha’s parables to Mughal orchards. Mango: Chemistry, Culture & History

About Mango’s Chemistry and Aroma

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are responsible for the characteristic aroma of mangoes.
• Key VOCs include:
  • Esters – impart the sweet, tropical fruity scents
  • Lactones – give it a creamy, earthy aroma
  • Terpenes – floral, pine-like notes
  • Aldehydes – grassy, mildly spicy fragrance
• Minor compounds contribute to variety-specific aromas.
• Botanical Classification:
  • Mango (Mangifera indica) belongs to the Anacardiaceae family (Cashew family).
  • It is a distant relative of poison ivy.
• Allergic Reactions– Mango peels contain urushiol-like compounds, also found in poison ivy. These can cause contact dermatitis (skin allergy) in sensitive individuals.

Historical & Cultural Significance

Religious and Ancient Indian Roots

• It is believed to have originated 4,000 years ago in the Himalayan foothills.
• It is known as “Aamra” in Sanskrit, later “Aam”.
• It is mentioned in Vedas, Dharma Shastras, and Puranas.
• In Buddhism:
  • Buddha was born under a mango tree.
  • The fruit used as a metaphor to convey his ideas to people, and his disciples are credited with spreading mangoes to the rest of South Asia

Mango in Medieval and Mughal India

• Babur called it the “best fruit of Hindustan,” though he preferred musk melons.
• Humayun loved mangoes; Himam Pasand,  (originally Humayun Pasand), variety of mango was specially grafted for him.
• Sher Shah named Chaunsa mango after defeating Humayun at the Battle of Chausa (1539).
• Akbar set up Lakhi Bagh in Darbhanga, Bihar, with over 1 lakh mango trees.
  • Portuguese Jesuits trained royal horticulturists in grafting techniques.