My childhood (mango)memories

I'm a mango lover, in its true sense!

Haden mangoMy childhood memories go back to the time my friends and myself climbing on the mango trees in our family property during the summer vacation(April-May). We also used to steal mangoes of our neighbours' not because we really wanted it but just for the heck of it. We used the stone age tools to steal mangoes of our neighbours. Actual stones! Throw the stones aiming at the mangoes up above and get them down. The competition between us used to be who gets the most number of mangoes with least damage to the mango(due to stone throwing) before the owner of the property finds us out.

Indian AlphonsoOn the other hand, we also used to face the same kind of problems by other children of the village. They used to come to our property and try to steal our mangoes and our challenge was to catch them and punch them as much as possible. Quite obviously, it was a challenge my friends, including my younger brother, and I used to relish! My father who was a teacher at the local primary school used to conduct the stone throwing competition on our mango trees once every season. He would allow only one tree to be targeted and would give them only one hour. I recall a couple of dozen of children standing below the tree and throwing stones fiercely to get as many mangoes as possible within the stipulated time. My brother and I used to perform the invigilator's role - finding out any foul play such as the boys taking the easy route by climbing the tree or using long sticks instead of stones and watch over the time. Needless to say, this whole process was done to consternation of my mother.

Once my friend and I were caught by our neighbour while throwing stones at her mango tree but we were more surprised than embarrassed by the situation. Even today we wonder how did she manage to catch us by surprise as we had ensured that she was not around at the time of the incident. As she realised that we were the children of the teachers(both my parents were teachers and my friend's mother too) of the local school, she let us go with some extra gifts, good ripe mangoes! She probably didn't want to antogonise the teachers because her daughters were also studying at the same school. After that incident, we never targeted her mango trees but whenever she saw us, she used to ask if we needed mangoes. We were never sure if there was a sarcasm in that question or she was asking out of genuine concern.

Here are some mango links:

Some facts & myths about mangoes
The Mango Association
FreshMangoes.com A complete site about mangoes
Fresh Mangoes from Haiti
Buy Alphonso mangoes online (India or abroad)
Jamaican mangoes
Marvelous mangoes from Thailand
Mangoes Reef
South African mango home page
Mangoes are really very sexy! (couldn't agree with you more mate :-) )