Traditionally, Gudi Padwa is considered to be an auspicious day for new beginnings. The same also holds true to the season of mangoes that seems to have begun.
With the onsets of summers, mangoes are already available in the local markets. Residents also have the first mango of the season on this day and Maharashtrians look forward to preparing sweets and other delicacies using mangoes on Gudi Padwa.
"The first mango of the season is always offered to god before consuming. This is a ritual done to thank him for such a wonderful fruit. Hence on this occasion, we prepare raw mango juice or aamras. Mangoes are considered very auspicious, the toran put up outside the house also has mango leaves on it," says Vishwas Vaidya, a resident of Vasant Vihar.
Sanjay Pansare, director, fruit market, APMC, says, "The extended winters and the unseasonal showers have led to the mangoes taking time to ripen. They have not received sufficient sunlight to ripen and this has led to mangoes coming in late this season. Raw mangoes are available aplenty, but Alphonso mangoes from Devgad and Ratnagiri are available for Rs3,000-3,500 for 4 dozen and other variety of mangoes will be available for anywhere between Rs1,000-1,500 for 4 dozen." "Ideally, April and May mark the peak of the mango season, but since Padwa has come in early this year and the change in climatic conditions have led to the shortage of this fruit. But since the last few days we have been receiving around 20,000 boxes on a daily basis in the market and are hopeful that this soon there will be surplus availability," says Pansare.
"There would hardly be anyone who does not like mangoes, the wait for the fruit and the amazing delicacies made with it ends with the celebration of Padwa. The new year rings in with new tastes as well. From raw mango juice, aamras to mango flavoured shrikhand, we celebrate Gudi Padwa with platter full of mango and its variant forms. This ensures that the festive mood reaches the dining table as well," says Vinuta Gaikwad, resident of Vrindavan. "Am important part of our preparations for the festival is to go hunting for the perfect mango to make aamras. This is a must at home on the ocassion of Gudi Padwa and also we have to offer it to the God before consuming. This is the only time in the summers that I hardly care for the amount of the mangoes as it is a custom that we follow at home religiously," says Aarti Karandhikar, another resident.
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