Durian comes to town!
Assalamu alaikum dear reader!
Its Durian season again in Serendib and throughout the island the air is sweetened with the aroma of this powerful fruit. Even Colombo is engulfed in its powerful scent, as vendors near and far transports this tasty fruit from the wilderness of the island to the convenience of our pavements. Saracens flock to purchase their stock, to add that extra kick to the break-fast this Ramazan. Pleasure in food is best avoided during our holy month, but by the end of the month Durian will be out of season once again, and therefore may God forgive our indulgence.
As culinary ecstasy awaits the lover of Durian, misery awaits the few of us, who cannot stand the fruit. Woe is to you dear Durian hater. Although many of the Saraceni will be fasting during the day, members of other communities are not, and you may be confronted with the vile gut wrenching stench of a Durian stained breadth. Worst yet, Colombo is slowing filling up with carts and carts full of your dreaded fruit, so a stroll on our streets might lead to an unintentional confrontation with it. Ibn Serendib for one relishes the fruit, and you my dear Durian hater have his pity.
The Durian tree is native to Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Far East Asia. It is unknown to Ibn Serendib whether Durian was available in our island during antiquity, but he knows for certain that the British introduced it to the country, and it became a commercial success in the colonial era. Durian has been known as far off as Europe, for almost 600 years. Therefore it would be Safe to assume that it would have been known here in Serendib for much longer. It may have made its way here aboard the Marrakal ships, frequently sailing to and fro from Malaya (modern Malaysia) and pleased many a Fez capped Saracen in days bygone.
Durian trees are formidable. Growing as tall as 50ft, these trees need a lot of room. It’s great height proves dangerous during fruiting season which comes between June and August, as a thorny and heavy fruit like Durian falling from such a height is a deadly prospect for anyone (or anything) unlucky to be underneath. Elephants show wisdom here, and avoid the tree discriminately. However even the elephant will risk a little danger, should it find a fruit on the ground underneath a Durian tree.
Durians have been included in folk medicines as an aphrodisiac in its native country. In traditional Ayurvedha, the fruit is considered “heaty” and therefore folk recommendations are to eat it together with Mangosteen, another fruit that is harvested in the same season. Mangosteen is said to be “cooling” in Ayurveda and therefor is said to counteract the effects of the Durian. Excessive Durian consumption on its own has caused eye swellings and redness around the eyes in some parts of the population as a result of its “heaty” effect. Even without treatment this condition subsides within the day.
Fruits are retailing between 600 and 2000 Serendib coins, and the more expensive ones are the size of Jack fruits, while the cheaper ones may be as small as a medium sized papaw, so not what you can call cheap, but for some it is worth every Rupee.
May god allow us the fruits of heaven in the hereafter as well!
Its Durian season again in Serendib and throughout the island the air is sweetened with the aroma of this powerful fruit. Even Colombo is engulfed in its powerful scent, as vendors near and far transports this tasty fruit from the wilderness of the island to the convenience of our pavements. Saracens flock to purchase their stock, to add that extra kick to the break-fast this Ramazan. Pleasure in food is best avoided during our holy month, but by the end of the month Durian will be out of season once again, and therefore may God forgive our indulgence.
As culinary ecstasy awaits the lover of Durian, misery awaits the few of us, who cannot stand the fruit. Woe is to you dear Durian hater. Although many of the Saraceni will be fasting during the day, members of other communities are not, and you may be confronted with the vile gut wrenching stench of a Durian stained breadth. Worst yet, Colombo is slowing filling up with carts and carts full of your dreaded fruit, so a stroll on our streets might lead to an unintentional confrontation with it. Ibn Serendib for one relishes the fruit, and you my dear Durian hater have his pity.
The Durian tree is native to Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Far East Asia. It is unknown to Ibn Serendib whether Durian was available in our island during antiquity, but he knows for certain that the British introduced it to the country, and it became a commercial success in the colonial era. Durian has been known as far off as Europe, for almost 600 years. Therefore it would be Safe to assume that it would have been known here in Serendib for much longer. It may have made its way here aboard the Marrakal ships, frequently sailing to and fro from Malaya (modern Malaysia) and pleased many a Fez capped Saracen in days bygone.
Durian trees are formidable. Growing as tall as 50ft, these trees need a lot of room. It’s great height proves dangerous during fruiting season which comes between June and August, as a thorny and heavy fruit like Durian falling from such a height is a deadly prospect for anyone (or anything) unlucky to be underneath. Elephants show wisdom here, and avoid the tree discriminately. However even the elephant will risk a little danger, should it find a fruit on the ground underneath a Durian tree.
Durians have been included in folk medicines as an aphrodisiac in its native country. In traditional Ayurvedha, the fruit is considered “heaty” and therefore folk recommendations are to eat it together with Mangosteen, another fruit that is harvested in the same season. Mangosteen is said to be “cooling” in Ayurveda and therefor is said to counteract the effects of the Durian. Excessive Durian consumption on its own has caused eye swellings and redness around the eyes in some parts of the population as a result of its “heaty” effect. Even without treatment this condition subsides within the day.Fruits are retailing between 600 and 2000 Serendib coins, and the more expensive ones are the size of Jack fruits, while the cheaper ones may be as small as a medium sized papaw, so not what you can call cheap, but for some it is worth every Rupee.
May god allow us the fruits of heaven in the hereafter as well!
