— Article by Jaidev Sharma
Banarasi Langra is my favorite fruit so the following article is expected to be highly biased. But it is also completely true !!
2025 Mango Season-Banarasi Langra Mango..courtesy Shardool
Mango has its Kings (the alphonso), Queens (the kesar) and Emperors (the Chausa), but no one can claim divinity like the Langra mango from Banaras. The Langra mango grown in and aound the ancient city of Banaras (also known as Kashi or Varanasi) is famous as the Banarasi Langra worldwide. For starters, Banaras is considered to be oldest and the most divine of cities- this is also the adopted city of Lord Shiva, the Lord of Lords. It is believed that anything that touches the city becomes divine. This divity has been infused in the heavenly sap of the Banarasi Langra !! Souls come to the city to take one dip in the holy water of river Ganga to purify themselves. The waters of Ganga bless this mango all its life- the result is pure, unadultered ecstasy in a fruit!!
Banarasi Langra does not change color- it remains greenish even when ripe. As the fruit ripens, the pulp turns yellow, the fruit becomes fiberless, divinly sweet and it starts to ooze fragrance. But the skin retains its greenish color, although it turns a bit dull.
Banaras is a universal city, it is said to be on the crossroads of the human and divine pathways- whatever happens here become universal. It seems that the Langra mango has its presence worldwide, almost in every mango growing region of the world. There are many variants of the Langra grown worldwide called by different names, such as the Bombay mango. The essential characteristics still remain the same for all variants- remains green, becomes soft and fragrant when ripe, the pulp turns yellow, and the fruit has a very low shelf life after it is ripe.Â
 Banarasi Langra is a complex flavor and it has the seal of approval from the most complex beings on the planet- the residents of Banaras !! Banaras is a city where everything is debated by experts and they seldom agree on anything. But there is unanimity in the awesomeness of the Banarasi Langra!! Folklore has it that the Langra mango is named after a lane hermit who first grew this variety. I dont hnow how true it is or who the lame hermit was, but the hermit surely modeled the fruit after a Banarasi. The fruit exhibits all the endearing qualities of a Banrasi- it is extremely sensitive, fragrant, awesome and sweet characteristics that can easily single out a Banarasi anywhere in the world!! And it can spoil quickly, just like the shore fuse that adorns the personality of a Banarasi !!
The best way to eat the Langra is to wait for the fruit to slightly soften and become fragrant. The fruit will feel warm to touch at this point- some people like to cut the fruit and eat it at this point because beyond this point, the fruit will become fiberless. Soon afterwards, when you are ready to eat the mango, put it in chilled water for half an hour to stabilize the flavors. Now, soften the pulp and isolate the juice by pressing with the thumb, remove the mango cap, empty the juice into your mouth. Once the juice is emptied out, depending upon how desperate you become, you can rip open the mango and lick out the remaining traces. This characterization could seem gross to a cultured being, but it is very normal to a langra enlightened soul !!
There are many secrets of life – some known, some unknown and some unexperienced. However, there is one secret that is no longer be unknown to you- that divinity exists right here in the form of the Banarasi Langra !! While the world turns around on its head in a bid to achieve salvation, a Banarasi simply relaxes and experiences salvation with every sip of the heavenly Langra !!
Now so can you !!Â
