This special variety is called the ‘Damdama’ mango. The mango variety is cultivated on over 70 thousand acres in more than four thousand orchards in Rahim Yar Khan. The mangoes farmed in this area are internationally renowned for their unique flavour. Though the intense heat has caused a 40 per cent decrease in the overall production of mango crop this year, no decrease was reported in the production of the Damdama mango.
“People travel to Ganga Nagar from across the globe to acquire ‘Damdama’ mangoes, which is known to be a cure for asthma patients,” said Muhammad Javed, a resident of Lahore. Javed says that he came to Ganga Nagar after hearing about the new variety of mango which was helpful for patients with lung disorders and those who experienced breathing problems. “I came here specially to buy the Damdama mango for two patients who are currently under treatment in Lahore,” he said. Javed said that several people had told him about the mango variety and that many had benefited from its unique ‘cure’.
Haji Jam Bahar, a guard at the Ganga garden, came to know about the benefits of the mango 11 years ago. He said that he suffered from chronic asthma his entire life but got well after eating this mango. Since then, countless people have been cured of asthma after eating this special variety of fruit, according to Fazal Ahmed Ganga, the owner of the garden. Ganga said that he was told by his guard about this mango and tried it as he too suffered from asthma.
“After I began eating this mango, I have been offering Damdama mangoes to asthma patients free of cost,” he said, adding that he wanted people to find out for themselves that the mango worked.
Local doctors agree that the fruit safeguards against breathing problems. Pakistan Mango Association (PMA) president Dr Ghulam Sabir said that there was a possibility that the tree contained a chemical that acted as anti-histamine, similar to steroids which guard against the disease. “This needs to be examined more closely, but having seen the results I would certainly recommend the mango as a cure. It is almost serves the purpose an inhaler,” he said.
Locals say that the district government should study the qualities of the fruit and if it is actually found to be helpful in curing asthma the variety should be cultivated throughout the country.
Published in the Express Tribune, June 13th, 2010.
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