Common substance...... between Mangoes and Bombs !

Have you ever thought, what is common between a mango and a crude bomb?, Yes a MANGO and a crude BOMB (you read it right!).

You may think that I am kidding, but not, there is in fact some common elements in a bomb and a modern day mango. Shape wise, sometimes a mango may have similar look with crude bomb, which are depicted in our films and magazine. But this is not the thing I am talking about.

If I tell you that the sweet nice fruit you take with taste, may contain calcium carbide, a chemical which is also used to make crude bombs you will again think that I am joking, but no!. This has already become an 'ill-practice' in our region to fasten the ripening of mangoes.

Sources say that wholesalers in India and bordering Nepalese cities are practicing it from past few years. It is said that it also helps to make the mango look more attractive by changing its color.

It is said that one Kg. of calcium carbide costs around 1 U.S. Dollar, which is enough to ripen around 200 Kgs. of mangoes, thus wholesalers and vendors and widely applying it to get fast money.

Calcium carbide, by it's nature is harmful for health, if swallowed. So next time before buying your favorite fruit just mind it!, It may contain the ingredients of a bomb.

Well! Then, how to distinguish the naturally ripen and artificially ripen mangoes?. This may not be that much easy, but let me quote one sentence from Osho, the most controversial and most misunderstood phenomena of the 21st. century. Osho had said somewhere that: the object which looks more natural than natural is bound to be fake and artificial. I leave you the rest.