Hyderabad, April 25 -- The mango's rise to worldwide popularity can be traced back to its origins in the Indian subcontinent more than 4000 years ago. Over the years, a host of stories and incidents have occurred around this delicious fruit. It is quite remarkable how adventures, exploits, and stories surrounding this fruit have travelled across time and national borders.

It has been mentioned in the Mahabharata as well as Jain and Buddhist literature. Ancient travel writers like Megasthenes of Greece and Huen Tsang of China have mentioned that Indian Kings developed huge mango orchards in their kingdoms. Their descriptions of the fruit and its qualities enchanted those readers who had never seen or tasted it.

The celebrated poet Amir K...