India, June 21 -- Lucknow's Dussehri/Dasheri mango (Mangifera Indica L) stands as a symbol of enduring legacy, renowned as one of North India's most cherished cultivars. Its origins are shrouded in mystery, with varying tales passed down through generations, each adding a layer of intrigue. While the veracity of these stories may vary with the passage of time, they undoubtedly resonate with warmth and nostalgia. In this piece, we delve into both the celebrated and lesser-known chapters of this illustrious fruit from Lucknow. The famed 'mango belt' of Lucknow encompasses the regions of Mal, Malihabad, Kakori and Bakshi-ka-Talab. The unique soil and climatic conditions of this area weave together to create an environment in which the Dussehri mango thrives, a fact made evident by the fruit's inability to flourish in other locales across the country. Attempts to cultivate this variety elsewhere have resulted in trees that remain stunted, their fruits sour and unpalatable. It is this distinctive essence that led to the Dussehri being bestowed with Geographical Indicator status by the Geographical Indications Registry of India in 2009. The history of Lucknow's 'mango belt' remains intertwined with its geography. Historically, Mal (a part of Malihabad tehsil) served as the stronghold of the Gaharwar Rajputs, who claimed their lineage from the Manda-Bijaipur clan near Varanasi, led by one Rai Paitawan. The latter embarked on a pilgrimage to Nimkhar (near present-day Sitapur), and upon receiving a favourable omen during his return journey, decided to settle in this region. Malihabad's origins lie in the early forays of indigenous tribes in the Awadh region, the settlement being founded by Pasi chieftain named Malia, who along with other indigenous clans, extended control over the area before the advent of Muslim invaders. Kakori was a hamlet in the dominions of Raja Kans of Kasmandi Kalan, who was killed in a battle with Salar Masud in 1031 AD. The area faced turmoil due to constant strife between Muslim invaders and Rajput settlers and was known as Ka-Koregarh for some time, due to the presence of a mud fort, which was later dismantled. Today, the crumbling monuments of both Malihabad and Kakori remind one of the former grandeur of these qasbas. Bakshi ka Talab was not a settlement, but a Nawabi-era artificial lake built by Raja Tripur (or Tapar) Chand, a 'bakshi' (paymaster) in the court of Nasir-ud-Din Haider, the second king of Awadh. The area is now referred to as BKT, with the original nawabi-era lake and its associated structures being extant, although the lake is dry. The term Dussehri apparently originates from the name of a village Dusher between Lucknow and Malihabad, where the mother tree still exists. It is believed that about 200 years ago, one Fakir Mohammad Khan 'Goya' of Qandahar (Afghanistan), accompanied by a group of Afridi Pathans, arrived in India, ultimately joining the services of Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula as commander-in-chief of the Awadh forces. Shuja also assigned Goya the task of safeguarding Malihabad and neighbouring areas. Although the pathans began to inhabit the region, Malihabad lacked any mango orchards at that time. During a journey to Malihabad via Kakori from Lucknow, Goya took a moment to rest under a large mango tree in Kakori, which was abundant with fruit. The tree's owner, Purushottam, offered some mangoes to Goya. After savouring it, the latter was so pleased that he decided to cultivate similar trees in Malihabad. Thus, mango orchards came up in Malihabad from the seed of this specific tree. Currently, this mother tree is without an owner, as the entire village collectively safeguards and nurtures it. A parallel, simpler story narrates how a servant of one Abdul Hamid Khan (or Alamgir Khan) of Malihabad, (later known as Baba-e-Amba) came across a unique mango fruit and presented it to his master. Captivated by its remarkable taste and fragrance, Hamid decided to propagate the seed, engaging in one of the earliest instances of grafting and crossbreeding it with other indigenous varieties, thus developing the Dussehri mango into its present-day form. The third narrative is quite apocryphal. A group of farmers journeying through the area were unable to sell any of their produce in the mandi. In frustration, they dumped their mangoes on the roadside. About ten seeds from these merged and gave rise to the mother tree. When it began to produce fruit, the landowner (or nawab) decided to name it Dussehri. This gives a new twist to the belief that it is not the village that gave its name to the fruit but vice-versa. With time, the landowner became extremely possessive, installing nets around the tree to prevent poachers and birds. However, one day, a landlord from Malihabad induced his servant to steal a fruit from this tree. This singular incident led to the fruit's introduction into Malihabad. Thus we see that Lucknow's Dussehri mango has continued to allure over the past centuries, with its legacy narrated above adding to the enchantment of this gift of nature. PC Sarkar, a former scientist, has authored several books on the forgotten heritage of Lucknow...