Mysuru: The trees are shedding their leaves and looking bare, which means summer has arrived. Even as the season heats up and the throats go dry, the seasonal fruits like water melons arrive.

But cucumber is one vegetable that is the best thirst quencher and belly filler. One of the varieties of cucumbers that is in great demand is the one grown at Holenarasipur in Hassan district, the home town of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

This cucumber is less bitter, the hallmark of many other cucumbers, grown in other parts of the country and hence it is popular as Holenarasipur cucumbers. Their colour itself is greenish-white. Many come from far and near to buy this cucumber, said cucumber seller Malegowda.

He has been making a living selling Holenarasipur cucumbers since the last 15 years in front of the Mysuru Law Courts Complex next to Manuvana Park. All those who pass by on this road to reach Jayanagar, Kuvempunagar, Saraswathipuram, K.G. Koppal, Krishnamurthypuram and other surrounding areas come to him regularly to buy these cucumbers. The advocates not only buy these cucumbers and carry it home, they also get it cut and ask him to sprinkle salt and red chilly powder and eat one or two of them, said Malegowda. India is slowly becoming the diabetic capital of the world and as cucumber is considered good to keep it in check, many buy it. The cucumber not only cools the body, but there is a feeling of satisfaction once it is consumed, he said. Malegowda does a business of around Rs.500 per day and in summer it goes up slightly, he told Star of Mysore.