We are in July now. In South Asia and particularly in India, it is Monsoon season (rainy season). Magic touch of Monsoon has rejuvenated the greenery all around. This time, Mango Tree in my garden, weaves a nature story for us!
In this part of year, a mango tree goes for a brief rest. And the visible reason is that it is post harvest time for it. It has remained continuously on toe, since post winter days, in producing nascent raw mangoes, and then nurture them to develop into ripe juicy full grown mangoes, enduring many seasonal changes and challenges.
From Equator to Sub Tropics in this season, Mango reigns. Under its skin, hides the sweetest pulp of this planet. And aroma ? Believe me, it is a bliss to the soul.
It has been almost 10 days, when we got all our mangoes plucked with the help of a domestic help. Our campus is an public area which remains crowded on week days by the bank customers. So we chose Sunday for this task of plucking mangoes.
A day before, the person in charge of plucking the mangoes, checked for his tool which was to be employed for plucking exercise. It was nearly a five foot long light wooden stick, whose far end was improvised to hang a plastic carry bag, with its mouth wide open. A hook like arrangement was made just above this mouth of the carry bag.
This person was supposed to guide the dangling mangoes in the hook and give a pull to get mango plucked and fall in the open mouthed carry bag. All this exercise seemed to us a very sophisticated and skillful.
Next day, at due time, this person to whom this task of plucking mangoes was assigned, appeared with wide smile on his face. He looked at us with a feel of having himself in driver’s seat. We all showed unquestioned faith in his prowess!
He, with a short jump, clung his soles to the stem of the tree, and, gave a upward thrust to the rest of his body, and his hands swiftly clutched at the desired branches. We were amazed to see how swiftly his legs and hands were working in a symphony!
Using the strength of his arms and shoulder muscles, he pulled his lower body up. His legs now took support at intended place and made him stand on one of the branches.
Now, we handed the tool in his hand. Now he could pluck all the mangoes in his proximity. When the bag was full, he lowered the stick to us and we emptied all the mangoes on a old discarded bedsheet which was laid on the ground under mango tree.
We soon covered this whole treasure, lying on the ground, with another long bedsheet so that not any stranger could see them with tempting gaze. We believed that such a stare at mangoes could mysteriously obstruct our end objective of relishing them. Though we had this tradition that nature produce if produced in plenty, should be shared with our near and dear ones, – still, we thought like that. It was also a pious customary in our society of sharing the nature produce like fruits with deprived ones and those who couldn’t afford to buy them from market.
Anyway, we took the entire collection inside the house and felt the pleasure of having them finally. We admired the size, weight, color, its sweet smell by fondly taking them in our hands. Vibe in hour home was like welcoming a much awaited guest.
We reserved first few of them for offering to God. Then, the person who had plucked them all, was given his share liberally. This again put a big smile on his sweat drenched face. For children at home, it was a celebration. Specially, for my sisters’ children who came here to spend their summer vacation. Eating mangoes of this tree, had figured prominently in their wish list and will perhaps indelibly remain in their memory life long!
Amidst these all fun and celebration, I felt thankful to our beloved Mango Tree, which filled our hearts with joy, and added to our memory, another layer of its love, taste, smell and a great learning of benevolence to us. My heartfelt words to it goes like this –
“O dearest Mango Tree,
Beneath your shade, we laughed, gathered and remembered what simple blessings truly mean. This season, you nourished us – not just with your fruit but with memories, we will carry forward and with the teaching of benevolence, we will practice.
Thanks a lot, O my benevolent Mango Tree!”