In a quiet village near Sasan Gir, Gujarat, a family-run “mango museum” is redefining what an orchard can be. Spread over 12 acres, this farm houses 300 unique mango varieties - some shaped like bananas, others tasting like pineapples or lemons.

It all began in 1963, when Noor Ali Jariya bought barren land and planted a few kesar trees. His son, Samsudin Jariya, expanded the orchard in the early 2000s, aiming to attract tourists heading to the nearby Gir National Park.

Today, the Jariyas grow mangoes from across the globe - including rare breeds from Japan, Thailand, and West Bengal. One standout is the Kohitur mango, once so prized it was forbidden to be eaten by commoners under the Nawab of Bengal.

Their son Sumeet, a biotech graduate, took things up a notch by introducing high-density farming, allowing up to 500 mango trees per acre. The farm now holds 3,500 trees and even off-season mangoes like Thailand’s Katimon.

They’ve also added the prized Japanese Miyazaki mango, expected to fruit in three years and sold in luxe hampers.

But this isn’t just about fruit. The farm also trains horticulture students in climate-resilient farming and exotic mango cultivation.

And up next? A surprise mango box, curated like a box of chocolates - you never know what flavor you’ll unwrap next.