From mango masala dosa to making clay pots, this mango festival comes with an array of food and games – Atulya Yatra

Mango eating competition is going on. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

It’s summer in the shade of the tall mango trees as nostalgia fills the air on a Sunday morning. In June, as the mango season peaks in Chennai, Hanu Reddy Farms in Guduvancheri welcomes visitors for the 2023 edition of The Great Mango Festival. As dawn breaks, you can hear laughter as children start climbing trees to reach the mangoes hanging from the branches, which remind them of their parents’ childhood. Across the 60-year-old farm, more than 900 people eager to escape the city gathered to celebrate India’s favorite fruit with activities tailored for all ages.

general tourism

“I want people to come and explore the mango culture of India,” says Hanu Reddy, founder of Hanu Reddy Mango Tourism. “People get so passionate about mangoes, whether it’s stories from your childhood, Whose backyard has the best mangoes, or how is Alphonso better than Langda… It is a legacy that has been passed down for thousands of years.” This legacy inspired the third edition of the Great Mango Festival.

Visitors enjoy dance performances. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The king of fruits was celebrated in all its forms. Families got a chance to choose from the farm’s varieties of Banganapalle, Javadhu, Sindhura and many more. Visitors enjoyed an extensive mango-themed breakfast buffet, the highlight of which was the mango-masala dosa. People also geared up to eat mangoes in the much-awaited mango eating competition as fellow enthusiasts cheered them on to break the record. A culinary workshop led by Chef Shree Bala teaches recipes that incorporate the flavor of mango into everyday Indian cooking.

Revival of Indian Tradition

Festival attendees immerse themselves in traditional farm life and other uniquely Indian experiences. Children and adults enjoyed traditional games, which included palanguzhi And Bambaram, and a life-size game of snakes and ladders, complete with old-fashioned cube dice. Rukmini Radhakrishnan, in-charge of the stations Krida Games, said she has seen an increase in interest in these games in the last three years of the festival. , Krida said, “We are very happy to contribute to the revival of the Indian tradition.”

Bullock cart ride | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The festival was also a refreshing break from the busyness of the metropolis. Festival attendees got a first-hand experience of Indian rural life, from sowing to milling, paddy husking, and learning about planting and harvesting mangoes. People frequented stalls displaying and selling organic Indian fertilizers and counters making pottery. The block-printing station was one of the most sought-after activities, as participants could take home decorated tote bags and notebooks with them. However, the most popular program of the day was the performance Parai AttamDuring this, the audience increased their enthusiasm. As attendee Ashwathi Nair said: “It’s a very fascinating thing, to be able to celebrate something that we all have in common: common. At its core, I think it’s a really beautiful way to spend a Sunday morning coming together.

The Great Mango Festival will be held on June 18 and 25 at Hanu Reddy Farms in Guduvancheri. Tickets cost ₹1,899 for adults and ₹1,499 for children. Visitors are expected to pay for the mango they pick. Call 9962755823 for details or book at hanureddymangotourism.com.