Kakkanad: They come from different backgrounds but they have one thing in common – love for jackfruits. They worked their way up the trees to pluck jackfruits, though some of them never mastered the skill of tree climbing. The ripe fruits were cut open and the group had the tasty fruit bulbs with glee, and the unripe ones were made into various dishes.
The jackfruit lovers, who came together at an orchard near to Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam (VFPCK), not only served delicacies made of jackfruits but also praised the tropical fruit to no end. The get-together of jackfruit lovers was organized under the aegis of the Adventures and Natural Trekking Society.
The gathering, which was made possible through social media, was an effort by T Mohandas to find a solution to the hazards of overripe jackfruits falling off the trees and flies feasting on them.
Dr Manoj, who has a doctorate in chemistry and is involved with the project to maintain gardens near to the metro train pillars, first climbed a jackfruit tree and showed the way. Thiruvananthapuram-native Suresh Kumar, who is a medical representative, and his wife Revathy, helped Manoj in his jackfruit plucking endeavor. The jackfruits were lowered to the ground with the help of a rope.
The jackfruit lovers left with the promise that they would meet at another orchard with ripe jackfruits next week. Those who want to part of this venture can call – 9447498430.
