Tribune News Network
Doha
Lulu Hypermarket on Wednesday launched the mango festival entitled ‘Mango Mania 2021’ at its outlets in Qatar.
The week-long festival was inaugurated by the Ambassador of India to Qatar HE Deepak Mittal at Lulu Hypermarket’s Al Gharrafa branch.
The idea behind the festival was to introduce various varieties of Mangoes and to make it popular among the local community and in the Middle East.
Lulu Group has been organising the Mango Festival for last 20 years in succession and they are the first hypermarket who introduced this innovative Festival to the Middle East, and in Qatar it was organized for the first time in the year 2003. Every year it draws overwhelming response from all corners as the Mango is treated as the king of fruits worldwide.
Speaking on the occasion, the Indian envoy said, “I am glad to join today for the inauguration of the Mango Festival, this first Mango Festival of the season 2021. I think Lulu has been doing a great job in organising such a Mango Festival every year, and this year’s festival with more than 30 varieties of mangoes from India at display, coming and representing all different parts of the country, whether it is the south of India, centre of India or north of India, and I think it is enough for everyone to taste, enjoy and relish the king of fruits as we call the ‘mango’ everywhere. I commend and congratulate Lulu once again for this.”
“I am so happy and glad to see a lot of our colleagues and friends from Qatar themselves witnessing this great festival and I appreciate even the great tasting mango and what has put at display by, is also how mango can be used in different forms – whether it is in the bakery, whether it is in the live cooking, whether it is in the sweets and desserts – I think it can be adopted, it can be mixed and the fusion it can be created. So, I am so happy to be part of this Mango Festival, my best wishes for the success of this festival”, he said.
The management stated that the festival is going to be an amazing experience for the connoisseurs of mangoes in Qatar. They are being focused under a promotional campaign that not only fetches the mango season to its maximum but also introduces the many flavours of more than 46 varieties of the luscious fruit mainly grown all over India, and around the world.
It has been made convenient for the connoisseurs of this exotic fruit to taste the versatility and to buy the best taste that suits their palate.
This year the festival will exhibit a wide variety of popular and delicious mangoes from India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Colombia, Brazil, Sudan, Yemen, Thailand, Kenya and Uganda. A few among the prominent varieties are: Alphonso, Himapasanth, Sindooram, Sindiri, Badami, Kesar, Rajapuri, Thottapuri, Duseri, Langara, Neelam, Banganapalli, Moovandan, Malgova, Mallika, Chakkara Gound and 5 varieties of Indian Organic Mangoes of historical importance.
The festival will also feature a wide range of mango-based products in the Hot Food Section namely Mambazha Payasam, Mango Raita, Mango Kesari, Fish Mango Curry, Chemmeen Mango Curry, Mango Chia Pudding, Mango Flax Seed Vegan Smoothie, Avocado-Mango Juice, Mango Lassi, Chai Mango Tango, Mango Jerjir Salad, Mango Chick Peas Salad, Mexican Raw Mango Salad, Thai Mango Salad, Mango Barfi, Mango Halwa and Zechuan Mango Fried Rice etc.
The bakery section offers a series of delicacies such as Fresh Mango Cake, Mango Mousse Cake, Mango Muffin, Mango Tart, Mango Mousse Cup, Mango Loaf Cake, Mango Slab Cake, Mango Pastry and Mango Swiss Roll and many more. Mango Mania also offers various processed and packed mango products ranging from jams, pickles, pulps, Mango fish Curry and cakes to a widespread variety of different products.
Mangoes are seasonal fruits; full season of fresh mango fruit begins in the month of March and will last until August, when the rich fragrance of the fruit heralds its arrival and is usually harvested while they are green but perfectly mature. Unripe ones are extremely sour in taste. It is believed to be originated in the Sub-Himalayan plains of Indian subcontinent and is one of the most popular, nutritionally rich fruit with unique flavor, fragrance, taste, and health-promoting qualities making it a common ingredient in new functional foods.
It is quite interesting to know that mango is the national fruit of many countries viz. India, Pakistan and Philippines, and mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh. In Australia, where mangoes are considered as a symbol of summer, the first tray of mangoes of the season is traditionally sold at an auction for charity.
Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidant compounds.
More than a fruit, around the world and indeed in India, it is revered as a royal heritage. It is said that out of the 41 species known to exist around the world, over 1000 varieties of them are available in India itself. Amongst these, over 21 varieties are of commercial importance.