Main reason of abundant fruit growth is the fertile soil and the cool climate, the soil is mineral rich for the growth of temperate fruits.
Himachal Pradesh is known as the fruit basket of India. There are various types of fruits which are widely grown in Himachal Pradesh, also the state is largest producer of apples in India. The Himachal Pradesh ‘s fruit production contributes about 13% in the state income.
Main reason of abundant fruit growth is the fertile soil and the cool climate, the soil is mineral rich for the growth of temperate fruits.
The Ancient Miraculous Fruit of Himachal Pradesh
Kafal
It is a Himachal fruit which is consumed directly with salt, is also used to prepare jams, is widely in culinary use. It is said that the bark of Kafal is used to cure fever, Diarrhoea and respiratory issues like bronchitis.
It is a sweet berry like fruit which has a tangy and sweet fruit. These berries last from two to three days after the harvest. The tree is evergreen and has flowers on it , reaches the maximum height of 15 metres.
Folklore behind Fruit Kafal
There is folktale that is on the kafal. Once, there was a mother and a daughter who belonged to poor family, they were collecting the kafal (wild berries), so that they can sell it.
Due to excessive heat, berries which were collected in the basket got shrink and the mother on noticing the less weight of basket thought that the kafal has been eaten by the daughter.
Mother got angry and hit the daughter which led to the death of daughter. Soon the heavy rainfall came and all the berries bloom up and the mother realised that her daughter did not eat the kafal.
The daughter return in the form of Ghughuti bird and is believed even today in the Kafal harvest season (April to June) this bird sings in the sounds which produces a musical line – ” Kafal Pakkho, Mai ni chakkho”, it means that kafal ripened, I didn’t eat it.
Another Melancholic Tale
There is another story associated with the arrival of kafal season, the two characters in this are – a brother and a sister. The sister used to send a letter to his soldier brother who promised to visit her in kafal season, but never returned. She returned as a bird who sings during the kafal season to mark that the kafal season has come.
Both the stories marks a very melancholic twists, yet this is a historic fruit with both sweet and tangy flavors , sweet as love and tangy as melancholy.
