Hamam (हमाम) Mango, Imam Pasand orHimayat orHimam Pasand is a lesser known and exclusivemango cultivar, grown inAndhra Pradesh,Telangana andTamil Nadu states inIndia. The names suggest regal origins and it is said to have been the fruit of choice for India's royalty.[1][2]
It is available only during the months of May and June and each mango could grow up to 800 grams in weight.[3][4][5]
It is prized by connoisseurs for its unique taste and it has been considered as the 'King among Mangoes'.[6][7]
Hamam have a notably soft skin, easy to bite through or even eat, and this also makes it hard to transport. Modern retail systems seem to be cracking how to acquire and distribute them carefully enough and this combined with a wider cultivation area has resulted in increased availability at retail stores[8][9][3]
The origin of the prized variety's Hindi name is lost in the mists of time. Some say it was originally grown inKerala and beloved ofMughal emperorHumayun (and was locally called Humayun Pasand). This fruit known as Himayat in Andhra was supposedly introduced in Tamil Nadu by the family that owns theThathachariar gardens, a sprawling estate atSrirangam,Tiruchirappalli.[3][5]
None, for me, have seriously challenged the Alphonso, except for one so different from the Alphonso, and yet so good, that comparisons are really pointless.
