Did you know that Indian Yellow, the pigment with which Vincent Van Gogh painted the luminous moon in his masterpiece Starry Night, was prepared from the dried urine of cows fed exclusively on mango leaves? Or that India, despite being the world’s largest producer of mangoes, exports less than 1% because Indians can never be done eating their produce? Or that we may be throwing away the most nutritious and medically valuable part of the mango — its seed?

The mango is undeniably the king of fruits, evoking passions that span literature, diplomacy, botany, agriculture, and economics. It is a fruit that unites and divides us equally, as we discover in this luscious episode of Unboxed, featuring a trio of mango aficionados who agree to disagree on their favourite variety.

Social science professor Sharmadip Basu swears proudly by West Bengal's GI-tagged Himsagar. Amit Basole, an economist from Mumbai who is passionate about Urdu poetry and Indian literature, is torn between the feted Alphonso and the evergreen Langra. Biology professor Divya Uma has a soft spot for Karnataka's rosy-red Raspuri. 

Eavesdrop on their lively discussion about the mango's cultural significance, ranging from ancient literature and religious stories to its nutritional benefits, and the startling reason why champing on a mango peel may give you an itchy mouth-rash. Discover why the mango’s political economy unfailingly makes headlines, and learn how this delicious summer fruit remains on our tables — and in our memories — year-round through various condiments and products.

Whether you call it aam, mangai, aamra, or mango, just uttering the word can evoke a plethora of sensations and emotions. Seasoned with the voices of enthusiastic mango lovers from a bustling mango mandi in Bengaluru, this slice of Unboxed is a juicy celebration of a fruit that embodies the essence of India for India’s Aam Janata – the Mango People.

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar 

For a comprehensive list of resources for further reading and exploration, visit our website: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/unboxed-harmonium-india

Unboxed - Mango People with Sharmadip Basu | Radio Azim Premji University

What has eight legs and might have just had a husband for dinner? Most likely a spider.

Often confused with insects, spiders have long been the subject of myths and stereotypes in literature, movies, and pop culture. Hollywood often depicts them as big, hairy, and dangerous monsters with ravenous appetites. However, this portrayal overlooks the critical role spiders play in the world’s ecosystems, explains biologist Divya Uma from Azim Premji University in conversation with Richa Govil in this episode of Story Of…

Spiders are far from the villains they are often made out to be. In reality, they are a crucial component of the food web. Their presence helps maintain ecological balance, and without them, Earth's ecosystem would face dire consequences. Among the thousands of spider species, some stand out for their size, venom, and unique behaviours.

Cultural perceptions of spiders vary widely. While Western media often portrays them as menacing creatures, in some parts of India, spiders have their place in religious and cultural traditions. In Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, the Kodumon Chilanthiyambalam temple is dedicated to spiders, and people visit it in hopes of being cured of spider bites.

Interestingly, some spiders, like the Signature Spider, are believed to create cryptic patterns on their webs that resemble writing. These patterns might serve as a warning to birds, deterring them from flying into and damaging the webs.

Composed mainly of protein, spider silk is a highly versatile product. It can be of various kinds depending on the function it needs to perform, from sticky silk for trapping prey, soft silk for wrapping egg sacs, strong silk for building the structural elements of the web like arches and scaffolds, and so on. The silk produced by spiders, despite their lightness, has other properties like high tensile strength, ductility, and stability at high temperatures, which makes it a material that arouses the interest of architects, and structural engineers. Some scientists believe that spider silk, if it can be successfully synthesised in laboratories, could well be the fibre of the future.

Beyond their fascinating behaviours and cultural significance, spiders are indispensable for their role in biological pest control. Their extinction would lead to a cascade of ecological problems, including a surge in insect-borne diseases and crop failures due to uncontrolled pest populations.

In a world where spiders are often misunderstood, it's crucial to recognise their importance and the delicate balance they help maintain in nature. Without them, the world as we know it would be a much darker place.

Credits:

Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

Head over to our website to find resources for further reading and exploration, and to solve a fun crossword puzzle: y.edu.in/story-of-the-unfamiliar-stories-behind-familiar-objects/burp-guess-who-had-a-husband-for-dinner

Story Of Spiders | Story Of… with Richa Govil | Radio Azim Premji University

You are listening to Radio Azim Premji University, our campus radio station. Azim Premji University was founded in 2010 with the vision to contribute to the realisation of a just, equitable, humane and sustainable society. On our channel, you can tune in to a variety of engrossing shows on themes ranging from democracy and culture, science and mathematics, and more. You can also experience a slice of campus life. If you are a seeking student, an arts aficionado, curious about science, or just passionate about India, subscribe and start listening.

Credits:
Akshay Ramuhalli, Bijoy Venugopal, Bruce Lee Mani, Narayan Krishnaswamy, Prashant Vasudevan, Sananda Dasgupta, Seema Seth, Shraddha Gautam, Supriya Joshi, and Velu Shankar

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