Lucknow’s famous dasehri mangoes originated from a tree that is still standing tall in a village just 10 kms from Lucknow city, on the Lucknow-Malihabad Road. The Mother Dasehri Tree, as it is now called, is some 190 years old, and you can go and look at this beauty in Village Dashahri.
WHAT
The story dates back to 1856, when mango-growers crossing the Dashahri village had to pay a toll tax of five mangoes from each basket. On a day, a dispute erupted between the mango-growers and the toll tax collector, and the mango-growers thew their mangoes in a heap. A chance seedling from the heap grew up and became what we today know as the Mother Dasehri. Grafts from this tree were grown in the neighbouring areas of Kakori and Malihabad, and that’s how the famous Dasehri mango began to be farmed. This story has been documented in the Souvenir published by the Horticulture Department back in 1974.
WHERE
The village Dasehri is situated 10 kms from Lucknow, but if you start at the Hazratganj crossing, it is about 17 kms away. Head on to Hayat Hospital on Hardoi Road, take the road on the left after crossing the hospital. Move further 3 kms, after crossing the railway line and village Dasehri, you will find the Mother Dasehri Tree. The tree is itself a landmark so you can ask anyone for directions after reaching Hayat Hospital.
NL TIPS
Dasehri mangoes will hit the market in June first week, so now is a good time to make the sojourn to have a look at this tree for its history, or beauty.
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