Could there be an art to eating mangoes? It seemed so at the mango eating competition organised by the Calicut Agri Horticultural Society as part of its annual ‘Mango Fest’. Ensuring zero wastage is the key, while remaining calm and managing time effectively.
Vijaya Rajagopal, winner of the competition for the 11th consecutive year, would know. Her record of eating 635 gm of mangoes in two minutes left competitors, including among men, far behind.
For N.P. Suneendran, the winner among men (490 gm in two minutes), the mango eating competition is a family event. This is his third year of participation, along with his wife Vahida M., who snared the second prize in the women’s category. Ms. Vahida, who came in third in the previous edition of the contest, has swapped that position this year with Shubha K.P., who had bagged second prize in 2021 and stands third among women this year.
Brothers B. Ranjith and B. Sujith, who had travelled from Muthalamada in Palakkad district to be a part of the Mango Fest, stood second and third among men, respectively.
Five men and five women participated this year. The contest was held at Gandhi Park here after a two-year gap caused by the pandemic. Each of the participants were provided two kilogrammes of ripe mangoes. They were given two minutes to finish the fruit, with more supplied on demand. At the end of the two minutes, their leftover mangoes were weighed to determine who had consumed the most.
The Mango Fest, featuring more than 50 different varieties of mangoes, began on April 28 and will conclude on May 4.
