Date:21/04/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/21/stories/2008042156940300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

A fruity ‘nuptial’ of trees

K. M. Dayashankar

Mango tree ‘marriages’ have become a sort of socializing process among the farmers.

Old practices: Farmers performing the ‘marriage’ of mango trees in Pudoor village of Karimnagar district on Sunday.

PUDOOR (KARIMNAGAR DT.): Come summer season, it is usually a busy season for the marriages. As thousands of couple ties the knot, a new marriage season had started in Karimnagar district where the farmers are performing the marriages of their mango trees. Sounds strange! But it is a fact.

The mango trees marriages are performed on par with the regular marriages with much extravaganza by inviting hordes of guests and hosting a feast in the fields. Currently, the mango tree marriages have become one kind of socializing process among the farmers and their relatives in their fields in the district.

During a visit to Pudoor village of Kodimial mandal on Sunday, it was found that the farmers have erected huge shamianas in the mango groves and performing the marriages of mango trees with much pomp and gaiety. A mango tree was made as bride and another tree the groom. The farmer Hanmandla Ram Reddy and his wife Raja Manemma were performing the marriage ritual with the help of a pandit. The couple had decorated the both trees as bride and groom with the traditional dress, flowers and vermilion. Besides, they were also placed with jeera and jaggery on the trees. The pandit chanted hymns and performed the marriage of the mango trees.

Blessings

Later, all the invited guests and others sprinkled turmeric mixed rice (thalambralu) and blessed the ‘couple’ (marriage trees) to give high yield of mangoes to the farmer. The farmer hosted a feast for the guests and also distributed mangoes as a gift.

Usually, this tradition of performing marriages of mango trees was started ages ago. During the olden days, when the grandfather planted the mango, only his grandson was able to eat the fruit. But, with the hybrid variety, grafting, cloning technologies, the farmers were getting the yield within three years after the plantation of mango trees.

Pudoor sarpanch V. Ram Reddy said that the farmer conduct marriage of mango trees when he would reap his first harvest of mangoes seeking blessings from the God for a better harvest continuously. The conduct of marriage function would also help him to secure market of his mangoes from the traders, he noted.