The #mango fruit along with the duo – #Jackfruit and #Banana/Plantain have formed the threesome to be used for every occasion, good or bad, happy or sad.

As Maa, Pala, Vazhai, i.e Mango, Jackfruit, Plantain, they have been called the Mukkani, 3 worthy fruits in South Indian tradition. Kani means fruit and prefix mu denotes 3.

Do you notice something common in these fruits?

All these 3 fruits are native to India.
They are all yellow–on the inside or out.

This yellow colour is due to their being rich in beta-carotenes which is the type of carotenoids that gets converted into Vitamin A in body. Vitamin A protects skin, improves eye vision & immunity

For a land in the tropics, bathed in sunlight for most part of the day, for most part of the year, Vitamin A that protects skin is a vital ingredient.

These 3 fruits have therefore been considered sacred for the people of India as they protect them in turns through the year –

• Mangoes during the summer from April to June,
• Jackfruit after the mangoes, during monsoon, from June to September and
• Bananas, though they grow through the year, the peak season for Bananas in India is from August to October typically.

From November onwards, the Sun is away anyway glowing on the Southern hemisphere. It is cool in India then. These 3 fruits return to take turns when the sun starts to beat down on India once again after spring.

So, between these 3 fruits, the mukkani, they ensure that Indians gets sufficient doses of Vitamin A through the period when the Sun is shining bright on them.

What a way of Mother Nature to protect her children!