Q1.
Name three seasonal fruits or vegetables of your region. For example, amla in winter and jamun in summer.
Answer
Write the ones that actually grow near your home. Here is a table you can choose from and check with an elder.
| Season | Fruits | Vegetables |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (November – February) | Amla, orange, guava, sitaphal (custard apple), ber, sugarcane, papaya | Carrot, radish, peas, spinach, methi, mustard greens (sarson), cauliflower, cabbage |
| Summer (March – June) | Mango, jamun, litchi, watermelon, muskmelon, phalsa, jackfruit | Bottle gourd (lauki), ridge gourd (torai), cucumber, tinda, okra (bhindi), raw mango |
| Rainy season (July – September) | Litchi, pear, plum, peach, custard apple, banana | Colocasia (arbi), bitter gourd (karela), sponge gourd, corn (bhutta), pumpkin |
| All year | Banana, papaya, coconut | Potato, onion, tomato, brinjal |
Sample answer: “In my region, amla and carrots come in winter, mango and jamun come in summer, and bhutta (corn) comes in the rainy season.”
Finding #9 in the book: Fruits taste best when they are eaten in their season. Waiting for them increases the joy.
Why seasonal food is better: A fruit picked in its own season is ripe, full of taste and full of the good things our body needs. It is also cheaper, because there is plenty of it. And it does not have to travel far — Appa said it himself: local mangoes are the freshest, because they did not have to travel far to reach us.
Make your own seasonal chart: draw four boxes for the four seasons and fill in what your local vegetable market sells in each one. Ask the vendor. You will find the answer changes from state to state — and that is exactly what makes India's food so varied.