Think Beyond Alphonso: Discover These 7 Rare Mango Gems
Summer in India is synonymous with mangoes-but most of us stick to the usual suspects: Alphonso, Kesar, Langda, and Banganapalli. Yet beyond the mainstream lies a world of rare mango varieties, each with its own story, regional charm, and unforgettable taste.
Some are grown in limited pockets, others are heirlooms passed down through generations of orchard keepers. From the saffron-hued Azam-Us-Samar to the pink and tempting Arunika, these mangoes are the unsung heroes of the season. If you’re a true mango lover, it’s time to expand your taste horizon and discover these hidden treasures before the season slips away.
Anand Rasraj
Pave way, Gujarat’s Mango No. 1 has arrived! Introduced in the Anand Agricultural University of Gujarat, this rare variety from the mango land is known for its rich yellow hues and fruit-bearing capacity. Its long shelf life and early maturity make it a rising star in premium markets.
Arunika
Developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in 2008, this one is well-renowned among its mango competitors due to its rich and reddish hues. It was even nicknamed ‘the red beauty.’ A beautiful blend of Amrapali and Vanraj varieties reveals itself in these mangoes. It has a pleasantly-tangy and sweet flavour.
Awadh Samridhi / Awadh Madhurima
These new-age varieties have been developed by ICAR-CISH, Lucknow, This new mango child in town was launched in 2023. It was developed specifically to boost mango diversity in the Awadh region. These mellow-sweet and juicy pulp varieties of mango are climate and disease-resistant which makes them an asset in the land of mangoes.
Pusa Surya
Bred by the ICAR-IARI (Pusa Institute, Delhi), Pusa Surya is a pink-hued delicious looking mango variety which is semi-fibrous in nature. It is one of the rare varieties of mango that is breaded specially for climate resistance, with strong resistance to common pests and fungal issues. Weighing between 260 to 290 grams, they have a rough and tempting texture, they also ripe early which makes them a leading competitor in mango markets.
Arka Suprabhath
Developed by the IIHR, (Indian Institute of Horticultural Research) in Bengaluru, Arka Suprabhath is royally crafted and looks like morning itself. It is a bunch-bearing mango variety and its taste is a beautiful blend of Alphonso and Banganapalli. It marries Alphonso’s aroma with Banganapalli’s texture, resulting in a mango that’s juicy and moderately fibrous. These mangoes, weighing between 250-300 grams have a deep and tempting orange hue.
Jehangir
The 21-acre mango farm at Yadagirigutta, Hyderabad breeds this specially and historically rich variety of mango, called the Jehangir. Named so as it was emperor Shah Jahan’s favourite mango variety from the Deccan. “The Jehangir mango looks like an apple. It is best consumed when it looks green and ‘tight’ as inside, the fruit would be ripe and ready to eat. Once it turns orange on the outside, it is best used for juice or pulp,” reveals a source on The Hindu.
Azam-us-Samar
One of the most poetic mango names you’ll hear, Azam-us-Samar means “King of Fruits” in Persian. This one, rumoured to be the absolute favourite of Queen Victoria made a reappearance in Hyderabad recently, through a boutique farm Ar4 Organic Mangoes, owned by Arifa and Md Rafee. It has a saffron hue and honey-sweet flavour, it transcends your basic mangoes in its royally elongated shape and larger-than-life texture.This fruit dissolves the uric acid trapped in the joints in a pinch! That problem will never come again.
