Khurasani Imli Gets GI Tag: History, Significance and Unique Features of Mandu’s Heritage Fruit

Khurasani Imli from State of Madhya Pradesh has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag. It is the unique fruit which is associated with the historic town of Mandu in the Dhar district of MP. This recognition safeguards the authenticity and identity of this fruit alongside with the rich cultural, ecological and historical legacy of this region.

What is Khurasani Imli?

Despite the its name, Khurasani Imli is not just the common tamarind (Tamarindus indica).

It is the fruit of the African Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) which is world’s one of the most extraordinary tree species.

this fruit has a distinctive sweet-sour taste with the cream-of-tartar flavor and it is valued for the its nutritional and medicinal properties.

The tree is popularly known as the,

• Mandu Imli
• Gorilla Tamarind
• Monkey Bread Tree
• Upside-Down Tree

The Baobab tree is famous for the its enormous bottle-shaped trunk and it can survive the harsh drought conditions by storing the large quantities of water.

Key Features of Khurasani Imli

Why Did Khurasani Imli Receive a GI Tag?

A Geographical Indication (GI) Tag is granted under the Geographical Indications of the Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 to those products which are possessing the qualities or characteristics that is linked to the specific geographical area.

Khurasani Imli earned GI recognition because,

• Mandu hosts the India’s largest natural cluster of the Baobab trees.
• This region’s unique soil and climatic conditions influence the fruit’s quality.
• This fruit has the strong historical and cultural association with the Mandu ditrict.

The GI tag protects this product from imitation and it ensures that only genuine producers from the designated region can market it under the name of the “Mandu Ki Khurasani Imli.”

Historical Background of Khurasani Imli

The history of the Khurasani Imli dates back more than around 600 years.

According to the historical accounts, the Baobab tree was introduced to the Central India during the 15th century.

One main popular belief suggests that the Sultan of the Khurasan has gifted Baobab saplings to Sultan Alauddin Khilji who later passed them to the rulers of the Malwa region.

Another theory links the tree’s arrival to the Arab traders and African soldiers who were travelled through the Malwa Sultanate carrying the Baobab seeds as a nutritious food source.

Since this trees originated from Khurasan and produced the sour fruit resembling tamarind and local people began calling it as the Khurasani Imli.

Cultural and Strategic Importance

Khurasani Imli has long been associated with the local folklore and its military history.

Historically, these Baobab trees were planted along with the important routes because their fruit also helped to travellers and soldiers combat thirst and exhaustion.

The nutrient-rich pulp served as the natural energy source during the long journeys.

Over a period of time, the tree became the prominent symbol of the Mandu’s heritage and it remains as one of the region’s most recognizable natural landmarks.