KOZHIKODE: A passionate farmer from Kozhikode finds himself in the middle of an unexpected storm over the taste of a mango grown in his backyard.
The fruit of one of Poyiil Abdurahman’s mango trees has become the subject of a statewide debate, thanks to a viral video posted by a popular vlogger.
An expatriate, Abdurahman started gaining attention on social media after news of him having grafted more than 80 varieties of mango onto a single tree came to light.
The controversy began when a vlogger visited Abdurahman’s home to taste a mango that he proudly claimed was one of the best in the region. While Abdurahman described the fruit as “purely sweet with a honey-like finish,” the vlogger argued it had a distinct “sour-sweet complexity that lingers on the tongue”. The disagreement, captured on camera, quickly went viral.
The mango in question is the Nam Dok Mai, a variety from Thailand. According to Abdurahman, it is similar to the Imam Pasand or Himam Pasand and he always gives the mango a 10 on 10 for taste.
The conflicting opinions sparked a flood of comments, memes, and friendly debates online. Mango enthusiasts and others started giving conflicting thoughts regarding the taste of the mango. What started as a simple fruit tasting has now grown into a full-blown flavour feud — with mango lovers taking sides.
Refusing to put to rest the virtual debate, Abdurahman has now taken it forward. He has extended a public invitation to mango aficionados to visit his home and judge the mango themselves.
“I don’t want this mango’s reputation to be decided by two people alone,” said Abdurahman with a smile. “Let the people of Kerala taste it and tell me what they think: Is it sweet, sour, or both?” The event, dubbed the ‘mango verdict gathering’, is scheduled to take place on Saturday at Abdurahman’s residence in Karuthaparamba, Kozhikode. Enthusiasts from as far as Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, and Kannur have already expressed interest to be part of the event.
Abdurahman has also invited researchers from the agricultural sector, non-smokers and non-alcohol users who, according to him, will be able to better judge the fruit.He plans to harvest a few dozen mangoes from the tree and serve freshly sliced samples to all the guests. A feedback chart will be placed near the tasting table, where visitors can cast their final verdict.