Once upon a summer in India, two mangoes quietly ruled their regions. Meet Noorjahan from Madhya Pradesh and Kohitur from West Bengal.
Let’s start with Noorjahan, the queen of Alirajpur, she’s unlike any mango you’ve ever seen. Each fruit weighs up to 3.5 kilos, longer than a grown man’s hand!
But size isn’t her only glory, she smells like summer flowers, has barely any fibre, and her harvest? So rare that people pre-book them months in advance, sometimes the entire tree’s yield!
Locals say Noorjahan’s fate is tied to the weather: too much rain or too little sun and she won’t bloom. That’s why when she does, it’s a celebration.
Now travel east, to Murshidabad, where a quiet legend grows: Kohitur. Cultivated only by a few, this mango was once reserved for royalty alone.
Kohitur isn’t loud or flashy, she’s delicate, soft, and meant to be eaten before noon, when the flavour is just right. In fact, she was handpicked for the Nawabs at dawn.
Today, only a few Kohitur trees remain, and each one is tended to like a prized heirloom. Even now, a single mango can sell for over ₹1,500, but no one grows her for the money.
What makes Kohitur special? She’s sweet, yes, but her charm lies in her subtlety. You don’t gulp her down. You savour her like a poem.
These aren’t just mangoes. They’re living pieces of India’s biodiversity, climate, and culture preserved lovingly by farmers who treat them like family.
So if you had to pick one…Would you go for the majestic Noorjahan, or the elegant Kohitur?