Mango mania hits Chandigarh’s Purv Marg

The Purv Marg, a 4-km-long stretch from The Tribune Chowk to Transport Chowk in Chandigarh, is witnessing an unprecedented mango boom this fruit season.

The mango grove, developed under the guidance of Dr Mohinder Singh Randhawa, first Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh and former President of The Tribune Trust, is home to around 9,000 trees — primarily of dasheri, langra and chausa varieties.

Locals and passers-by are unanimous in their praise, claiming that the fruit yield this season has surpassed all records of the last 60 years.

“We are expecting nothing less than 3,000 kg of mangoes from each tree this season,” Karam Chand, a grower, said, while estimating the total yield likely to be about 2.7 lakh quintals.

“Don’t miss out on this mango extravaganza. Visit Purv Marg and relish the sweetness of nature’s bounty,” echoed Tara Chand, a buyer.

Ram Lal, another grower whose three generations are into this business, said, “Bumper mango crop is often considered a symbol of good fortune, prosperity, and a promising year ahead.”

The Creator

An Indian Civil Service (ICS) officer, renowned historian, botanist, and author, Dr Randhawa was a key promoter of tree planting and was behind what became the establishment of the national tree planting week known as Van Mahotsav.

Chairman of the committee to plan the city of Chandigarh in 1955, he was instrumental in its landscaping. He was also the man behind the establishment of the Chandigarh Museum, Punjab Arts Council and Museum of Cultural Heritage of Punjab in Ludhiana. He introduced many species of avenue trees to Chandigarh and founded the Rose Garden in Chandigarh, the Punjab Agricultural University at Ludhiana, the Government Museum and Art Gallery in Chandigarh, and the Anglo Sikh War Memorial near Ferozepur, which was completed in February 1976.

Dr Randhawa, who served as the first Chief Commissioner of Chandigarh from 1966 to 1968, breathed his last at the age of 77 in March, 1986, at Kharar, where he was settled post retirement.