Seasonal Fruits and the winner is...

My dear "frooti" friends, God has been so thoughtful when he created the world. He made fruits available at appropriate times in the year. The likes of  berries, apricots, and pineapples in the spring, cantaloupes, watermelons, mangoes, papayas, lychees, and grapes in summer. Pomegranates, pears, oranges and bananas in winter. People have enjoyed these and appreciated them at different times. My favorite fruit has and will be.......... MANGO! Rightly called the King of fruits in India. Currently it's the mango season here in the US. The mangoes mostly come from Mexico to the local grocery store. We are enjoying all kinds of delicacies connected with this fruit. It can be consumed in many forms. Straight from the tree, extract from the fruit as juice, it's pulp can be processed as jam and chutney, spicy as pickle, mixed with milk as shakes ( mango lassi). So, why is it called the King of Fruits? I found many answers. Mango visits us only once a year like a king paying an occasional visit to his subjects. According to the Hindu scriptures it is believed that mango leaves and fruit have religious connotations. Mango is the favored fruit of Lord Ganesha, the deity who can remove obstacles. All those who wish to have their desires fulfilled string a garland of mango leaves on their front doors.  It could also be because of the mango's excellent flavor, attractive fragrance, beautiful shades of color and health benefits. My Dad can vouch for the health benefits. He told me that when all other doctor prescribed medicines failed him, mangoes came in handy. This season, it is because of eating a lot of mangoes fresh from their garden, he felt a little energetic and gained some weight which he had lost because of the recent surgeries that he had gone through. Mangoes come in all different sizes too. It is enjoyed by "mango people" errr "Aam Aadmi" - one and all alike. No doubt it is the King of Fruits..