Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Underneath the Mango trees


By the time Christmas holidays is over and the New Year begins I would be eagerly waiting for the summer holidays to begin. Schools in Kerala close only by March end and the teachers are usually busy trying to finish the syllabus before the annual exams. This was not an issue for me as our school had this policy of all pass till 10th grade and I never felt any reason to study for the finals. There was no report card for the final exams. There was just a fail or pass to the next grade posted on the school notice board. One has to be a really bad student not to get promoted to the next grade. It was almost impossible to fail. In the 6 years that I spent in that school I don’t ever remember going and checking the promotion list.

Once the summer holidays starts there was no holding back. It was just fun and more fun for the next two month. It was also a time for visits and stay at my mums and her sister’s house. These home stays always ended in movies and dining out. Of course it was also the Mango season. We woke up to the smell of mangoes. Mum would have gone and picked up basketful of Mangoes.

We had lots of mango trees…..Neelum, Mulgova,Sungari,Thenmavi,Komanga, Nattumanga,Muvandan and Prior (the best of best). We used to run from one mango tree to other collecting fresh mangoes that would keep falling all day. It was like a mango shower. We also had lots of pazhamanga curry (my favorite and my mum makes it best), fish and mango combinations and of course raw mangoes were eaten with salt and chilli powder. It was the best of times.... underneath the Mango trees.

9 comments:

Thanu said...

Mangoes are the Best.. we used to visit dad's house in Thiruvall and eat them non stop. U remember kanni maga, real small, just enough for one bite, used to be very sweet...

I wanna eat manga now..

Frank said...

My wife does write well. Heeehee...

I always got boils on my face when I ate mangoes in Kerala. Not the very "best of times".

N A R I YA L C H U T N E Y said...

This is such a sweet nostalgic post :) . It reminds me of this Mango called "Moovandan" which was the sweetest :)

Unknown said...

It was fun time during the stays at Thommana during vacations and gettogethers.
Its really sad that the sprawling parambu is smaller now. :(

Pravs said...

Thanks for linking me !! I am Praveena....it would be great if i can get to know you.

Anna said...

Thanu-ys,Kannimanga's are the best especialy when plucked and eaten straight from the tree

Frank-Guess you got the mangoes with worms in it.Heeehee

Nariyal Chutney - yes,moovandan is real sweet

Dennis-Yes, I do wish the Parambu was like before

Praveena-You are a great cook

Unknown said...

Excellent. I was looking up the Web for a reference to write about mangoes and childhood when I came across this site. It brought back many memories.

My post will be published in a day or two. Please do look up:
Parayil A. Tharakan Blog
http://parayilat.blogspot.com/

There is an interesting comment about Prior mango which you consider 'best'. I love it too.

Abraham Tharakan.

VICKYFF said...

First time I saw the original mango grow on trees.

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Sharon said...

This is one of the fruits that I really love to it even it will cost too much but the taste is sweet as honey... :) jewelry making