A customer buys mangoes from a stall at Income Tax roundabout in Patna. Picture by Deepak Kumar

Patna, March 3: Actress Katrina Kaif may be telling people: Sabr ka fal meetha hota hain (patience always pays off) in her new promotional for a mango-flavoured soft drink. But mango lovers of the city do not need to be patient as the first flush of mangoes is here already.

The Union finance minister may be struggling to contain the rise in food price but mango lovers of the state capital are not complaining about the high price of the first flush of mangoes that have arrived in the city markets.

Grihini Singh, a customer, said: “My family loves mangoes and I will not wait for the price to come down. Besides, the early ones taste better.”

The Rauban and Gulab Khas variety of mangoes can be found at street stalls and markets. A kilogram of Gulab Khas is selling between Rs 200 and Rs 250, Rauban is priced at Rs 180 to Rs 200 per kg.

A mango seller said: “Customers can visit the nearest market and pick up mangoes of their choice.”

Pankaj Singh, another mango seller at Phal Bazaar near Income Tax roundabout, said: “At present, only two types of mangoes are available in the market — Rauban and Gulab Khas, which is also known as Lalmuni.”

Bihar, of course, has reason to be proud of the Gulab Khas variety that is indigenous to the state. As its name suggests, these mangoes are apparently imbued with the flavour of roses. Urdu author Abul Fazal Siddiqui pays tribute to these mangoes in his short story Gulab Khas.

Singh said: “I have not ordered Alphonso because the price is high. A dozen Alphonsos cost around Rs 1,200. I will wait for the price of these mangoes to come down before placing an order.”

“There are people who are buying Alphonso even now, but ordering them in huge quantities will not be profitable because Alphonsos are plucked ripe and they have a short shelf life, making it difficult to stock them,” he added.

The medium-sized oval-shaped orangish yellow fruit is exported in large quantities. But it is also popular among connoisseurs in India who love its delectable flavour.

Talking about the availability of the famous Malda and Daseri mangoes, the mango seller said: “Malda and Daseri will be available by the last week of April or first week of May.”

Mangoes of Malda in Bengal are of course another world famous variety. The fruit was a delicacy for even the nawabs of Bengal. It is also grown locally in the state in Digha. These, too, are exported in large quantities to the US and UK. The Daseri mangoes are famous for their fibreless pulp and thin seed that is a sheer delight for the tastebuds. The midseason mangoes are very common in north India.

Manish Kumar, another mango seller at Bazaar Samiti, said: “A variety of mangoes are grown in Bihar but the Alphonso, which comes from Maharashtra, is the most sought after.”

For connoisseurs of the king of fruits, the long season of mangoes has begun. The only patience they need is to savour all the varieties as they come.