04/06/2025
A Village Named After A Mango
Craftwell revisits the roots of India’s beloved Dasheri mango, uncovering royal heritage and village pride.
While mangoes are enjoyed around the world as a sweet summer indulgence, in a village near Lucknow, they’re revered as legacy. As mango season grips northern India, the Craftwell team embarked on a journey not just to taste mangoes, but to trace their origin — and what we found was nothing short of magical.
In Dasheri village, nestled near Kakori just outside Lucknow, stands the Dasheri Mother Tree, a nearly 250-year-old mango tree that has given the world the iconic Dasheri mango variety. According to legend and local oral history, the tree first bore its signature mangoes under the watchful eye of the Nawab of Lucknow, who treated it as a prized botanical treasure.
The tree's branches have reached not just across orchards but across continents. But even today, this ancient tree — now under the care of Sameer Zaidi, with blessings from the Nawab's descendant Mohammad Ansar Sahab — does not serve commercial interests. Its fruits are not sold, but gifted.
Even more astounding is the tree’s revival story. Locals recount how it once dried up entirely, appearing lifeless — only to bloom again, full of sweet life. This miraculous rebirth reaffirms its legendary status, prompting generations of farmers to plant entire orchards from its cuttings.
And while most people associate Dasheri mangoes with Malihabad, the truth is that it was Dasheri village that lent its name to the mango — not the other way around. This local pride runs deep, especially among residents who feel their village’s contribution has long been overshadowed.
"This mango wasn’t just planted — it chose this soil," say villagers who recall a time when conflict over land led to the tree being trampled underfoot. But as fate would have it, the seed sprouted back — a symbol of endurance, just like the village it calls home.
Today, as you enter Dasheri, you’re welcomed by roads flanked with mango trees and stories that are ripe with history.
Craftwell celebrates not just plants and landscapes, but the human and cultural narratives they hold. This mango season, we’re not just eating mangoes — we’re telling their stories.