Mysuru: Truckloads of mouth-watering mangoes and juicy jackfruits have arrived at the Curzon Park for the annual Mango and Jackfruit Mela that began this morning. The Mela is being organised by the Horticulture Department and will be on till May 23.

The opening day today saw huge response and thousands of people crowded the park to taste special varieties of mangoes that are on display and sale. The Mela became an instant hit as people surrounding the Mysore Palace, K.R. Circle, City Bus Stand, Devaraja Urs Road and Sayyaji Rao Road reached the Curzon Park along with residents to have a sweet bite.

More than 22 varieties of mangoes and three varieties of jackfruits have been kept on sale. Among the jackfruit varieties, Chandra Bangara, Kempu/ Haladi Rudrakshi Halasu are on display. Mango varieties including Rasapuri, Badami, Sendhoora, Malagova, Thotapuri, Rathnagiri Alphonso, Neelam, Sakkara Guthi, Baganapalli, Kesar, Dussheri, Mallika and Valaja are up for grabs.

Horticulture Department Senior Assistant Director Dinesh Kumar told Star of Mysore that growers from Mysuru, Kolar, Bagalkot, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapura, Belagaavi, Dharwad, Haveri, Shivamogga and Andhra Pradesh have set up stalls. The focus is on organic fruits.

“Guidelines have been issued to mango growers and we have already received several consignments of mangoes that are grown organically and ripened naturally,” he said and added that the prices of mangoes and jackfruit at the mela was much lesser than market prices.

While Sakkara Guthi, the smallest and sweetest variety, was the centre of attraction at the Mela, another special variety “Omlet” too found many buyers. Each “Omlet” variety mango weighed up to 1.50 kilogram and the fruit is generally used to make pickles. The cheapest mango to be sold at the Mela is Thotapuri which was being sold at Rs. 25 per kilogram and the most expensive one was Rathnagiri Alphonso which was being sold at Rs. 70 per kilogram.

Rare varieties like Suvarna Reke, Raja Rajeshwari, Nati Rasam, Nati Rasapuri, Gundlukai and Dr. M.H. Marigowda (named after the Father of Horticulture) are also on display.

Apart from the fruit varieties, students of horticulture have prepared juices, jams, squash and these stalls are attracting mango lovers. Pickles like Mavina Thokku, dry mango pickle, sweet candies like aamra fruit bite jelly, side-dishes like mango papad made from mango pulp and ‘chikkammana uppinakai’ are being sold like hot cakes.

There is a complete ban on plastic inside the Mela. Visitors and traders have been barred from using plastic bags. Instead, they are using cloth and paper bags and card board boxes to take away the fruits. A team from the Mysuru City Corporation arrived at the Mela to spread awareness on a plastic-free city.

The Mango Mela was inaugurated by Zilla Panchayat President Nayeema Sulthana. The Mela will be open from 8 am to 9 pm till May 23.

VARIETY PRICE (per kg)

Badami 70

Rasapuri 60

Malagova 70

Mallika 60

Sendhoora 35

Thotapuri 40

Baganapalli 65

Dussheri 50

Andhrapalli 50

Sakkara Guthi 60

Valaja 40

Seeri 35