![\"Fruitful](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-47529300,imgsize-110164,width-400,height-225,resizemode-75\/47529300.jpg\")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\nNew Delhi: <\/span>For thousands of years, mango has been an enduring part of India\u2019s culinary culture, one that doesn\u2019t begin and end with biting into its luscious pulp in summer. For, who doesn\u2019t relish aam ka achar<\/span>, mango shake and aam papad <\/span>round the year?Upholding this spirit, Delhi Tourism is holding the 35th<\/sup> Aam Mahotsav 2026, an annual celebration of the king of fruits, in Dilli Haat, Janakpuri. The festival, which bridges the gap between people who grow and nurture the fruit and those who relish it, began on Friday and will continue till Sunday, displaying more than 400 different varieties like totapuri, neelam, mallika, alphonso, sensation and ambika.For Javed, a mango farmer from Lakhimpur in Uttar Pradesh, participating in the festival is a family tradition passed down through three generations. \u201cWe have been regulars here for 33 years now. We start preparing mangoes for the festival from the beginning of every season,\u201d he says.Even in his childhood, Javed had a deep affinity for his family orchard. \u201cWhile studying in Lucknow, whenever I visited my hometown, I would head straight to our orchard before even stepping inside the house,\u201d he says, adding that growing mangoes for many farmers in India is more than livelihood; it is something they cherish doing and feel proud about.Abdullah, another farmer who is also a regular at the festival, says he is here to showcase his large variety of mangoes and to participate in competitions held by the organisers. He displays mangoes as small as lemons to those weighing 4 kg a piece, all in multiple shades of green, yellow and red. He cherishes each win at the competitions and even displays his trophies at his stall. \u201cI wait all year long just to experience the winning moment again,\u201d he says.The winner of last year\u2019s \u2018biggest mango\u2019 contest grew a humongous one weighing 5 kg, which was initially mistaken by one of the organisers for a papaya!The festival also organises a mango-eating competition. Each participant is given 3 kg of mangoes that must be polished off in three minutes flat; whoever manages to eat the most is crowned the winner.Interactions with farmers reveal amusing tales about how the fruit changes its name from one orchard to another. Like, a variety grown in west UP\u2019s Saharanpur and perplexingly named \u2018zalim anda\u2019 becomes \u2018zalim banda\u2019 in central UP\u2019s Malihabad \u2014 the \u2018mango belt of north India\u2019 famous for its sweet Malihabadi dusseheri.Apart from these exhibitions and competitions, a mango mandi has sprung up at the venue where people can buy the fruit as well as sample scrumptious organic mango ice-creams and achar<\/span> while enjoying cultural programmes.The Aam Mahotsav also serves as a platform to educate Delhiites about the different varieties of the fruit; in fact, Indian Council of Agricultural Research catalogues roughly 1,000 diverse cultivars grown in the country. \u201cI only knew the names of three or four varieties before visiting this festival today,\u201d says Dr Shivani, while savouring a mango ice-cream.<\/div>\n