“This mango tree bears fruits in four different flavors, and it’s supposedly the oldest tree here,” said my aunt, taking me aback as we circumambulated a tiny shrine built around the tree.
We were on a pilgrimage to Ekambareswarar Temple in Kancheepuram, a city in southern India’s Tamil Nadu state that is famed for its master silk artisans. The mango is a sthala vruksham — a sacred tree associated with an ancient Hindu temple — and it is a star attraction for visitors.