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While ambrosia was known in ancient literature as the food of the gods, in India, it is the mango that is considered the heavenly diet of deities. And little wonder, since 70% of India’s fruit industry grows mangos, which produce 65% of the world’s consumption.
Mango is the national fruit of India because of its ready availability, and the huge trees which yield a steady and large crop. Reaching heights of 120ft. or more, the mango tree sports an evergreen leaf that starts out orange/pink, then ripens to a shining red, and finally to a rich green, in a reverse of the ripening process of fruits like the papaya.
The imposing size of the tree is commensurate with its fruit, which can weigh as much as five pounds and measure ten inches long. Usually an oval fruit, they also are commonly seen as a kidney shape, which is represented in the traditional Indian material pattern called paisley. Inside is a single seed that can grow up to four inches long.
Reputed to be the world’s most widely consumed fruit, random cultivation in warm climates has resulted in its spread around the globe, where it can even be found in backyards of homes in states like Florida.
Source: http://www.amusingfacts.com/facts/Detail/mango-India.html
