It is summer season in Delhi and the King of Fruits in India – the mango is here to rule our palette. In this season for mangos, there is another bonanza for mango fans in Delhi. The Mango Mela 2022, Handloom and Handicraft Expo in New Delhi is drawing mango lovers in hordes for a diverse selection of mouthwatering mangoes.

Mango Mela 2022

Delhites do not get to taste such a broad range of mangoes locally. The Mango Mela is perhaps their only chance for sampling many rare kinds of mangoes. After a break for COVID 19, the Mango Mela is back in Delhi with a unique selection. When we went, we could see that along with our familiar Langra, there were many other lesser-known mango varieties. Amrapali, Himsagar, and Malda mangoes were getting a lot of attention since these were not commonly available in Delhi markets.

The good part was that the mango farmers were very friendly and would let the visitors taste any variety on the shelf and then buy. We too sampled many varieties and thought Amrapali had a distinct floral fragrance. However, we preferred Himsagar more because of its lack of fibre and smooth texture. Hence Himsagar dominated the mangoes we bought followed by Amrapali. Incidentally, the prices of the mangoes here were at par with the prices in Delhi markets.

Along with mangoes, there was a handloom and handicrafts fair with products from West Bengal. There were clothes for men and women made from handloom fabrics. Some of these items were printed or embroidered. Among handicrafts, we saw Potuas or traditional artists of Bengal painting Pat or folk paintings on an interesting selection of objects. They had moved on from scrolls, paper, or even clay plates to trays and t-shirts.

We saw an artist painting striking figures on an umbrella. We thought that was very artistic. We bought a bag from the Biswa Bangla stall.

The event is a full-on entertainer. Along with Mango Mela and handicraft exhibition, there are live performances scheduled on select days. We saw a Baul Couple performing on the stage singing devotional songs. Later in the evening, there was a band that performed Bengali and English songs for the audience. 

What to eat at Mango Mela?

In addition to mangoes and handloom and handicrafts, there were few but exciting food options here. There is a sweet shop stall where you could try singhara (samosa), mishti doi, sandesh, roshogolla etc.

Another stall had fish fry, chicken lollipop, and popcorn, etc. They were frying it live at the venue. These items were served with Kashundi – the Bengali mustard.

Sundeep had a mini Kolkata food trail way before Durga Puja. It made him nostalgic.

Dates for Mango-Mela 2022

The month-long Mango Mela started on 16 June and is on till July 15, 2022. The timings are 10 a.m. To 8 p.m.

Mango Mela venue

The Mango Mela is being held at Handloom Haat on Janpath. The venue is air-conditioned so heat is not a problem once inside. They have lifts but when we went, the lifts were not operating.

How to reach Mango Festival

The most convenient way to reach Mango Mela is taking the metro rail. The nearest metro station to Handloom Haat Janpath is Janpath metro station. The fair is less than 5 minutes walk from here.

You can also drive if you so wish. There is ample parking around the venue and other official parking lots on Janpath.

Other attractions in Janpath, Delhi

If you are attending the Mango Mela, you can make the most of the day by visiting nearby attractions on Janpath. Connaught Place (CP), Delhi is a 5 minutes walk from here. CP is a very happening shopping hub as well as a hangout zone. Also, you can visit the new Museum of Illusions in CP. Jantar Mantar, New Delhi is also not too far from here. For meals, you can visit any of the many restaurants in CP or the Janpath area. You are completely spoilt for choice.

Pro-tips

This is a free event.

Lifts are not working at the venue. It can be a deterrent for people with disabilities or difficulty in walking/ climbing stairs.

We thoroughly enjoy Mango Mela every year and are so happy it is back. Not only the mangoes, given the emotions connected with this fruit, but it was also a somewhat culture travel into the heart of Bengal. The sweets and roshogollas were a bonus.