Mursidabad is eighteenth district of West Bengal. In the Mughal period it was the capital of Bengal. The district has an area of 2143 sq. m. The Bhagirathi has divided the district almost in two equal parts. The western part consists of hard clay and modular lime stone is called Rarh. The Bagri, the other half of the district belongs to alluvial plains of eastern Bengal. The mango gardens are present at both sides but more on eastern bank.
The Mango is called the king of fruits. It is the delicious seasonal fruit of India and most popular fruit of Murshidabad.
The mango is nutritionally rich. It is available in Murshidabad with different flavor, fragrance and taste. The Nawab mango garden is the special one in which hundreds of variety is present. It is known from the old books that there was a research centre in Nawab administration for the development of new variety of mango. For the flavor, fragrance and taste they used to try many process. The soaking of mango seed in fruit juice, rose water and herbal extract was one of the processes to change the character of mango. There were many other processes which had finished with the fall of Nawab administration. East India Company had killed both the technique and the technicians. The seedlings sold from the garden outlet have been spread all over the district and the varieties are enjoyed by all the sections of the people.The mango is beneficial to health. It is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins (vitamin-A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C and Vitamin E), minerals like potassium,copper and poly-phenol flavored antioxidant compounds. In the season, the people of Murshidabad have sufficient mangoes. From the start of the season to the end of the season each and every families have mangoes daily. The local people believe that mangoes protect cancer of colon, breast, and prostate. It protects from blood cancer (leukemia) also. Research says, mango is the excellent source of flavonoids like beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and beta-criptoxanthin. Fresh mango is the good source of phytonutrients.
Murshidabad district boasts of a number of delicacies mango such as Shadulla (Himsagar), Ranipasand (favourite to the queen), Begumpasand (favourite to the Begum), Sharanga, Mulayamjam, Kohitur (the king of mangoes), Ananas (mango with pine apple flavour), Dusseri (Mango without fibre), Langra and sinduri (Red in colour). The famous mango of Ratnagiri – Hapus - is not found here. But there are thousand types of mangoes are available here with the local name. The giant mango ‘Fajli’ is available here. It is slightly different from Fajli of Maldh district. I like Dusseri and Fajli very much from my childhood.