Fruit From Jambudweep

Jamrul, they say, gave India its ancient name of Jambudweep. The fruit was easily available till a few decades ago, but is now a rarity

- Chaitanya Chandan

MY FAVOURITE destination for morning walk with friends during childhood was Jayaprakash Udyan. Also known as Company Garden, this park in Bihar’s Munger district is known for its diverse flora. The walks allowed us to taste a variety of fruits, one of which was jamrul (Syzygium samarangense). According to one theory, Jambudweep—the name by which India was known in ancient times—comes from this fruit. Called wax apple or water apple in English, the fruit was easily available in India till a few decades ago, but is now a rarity.

A jamrul tree is around 12 m high and bears white flowers. Being a summer crop, the tree fruits in May-June. In fact, it is called water apple because 70 per cent of its content is water.

The origin of