The Badhal and Phalsa Fruit Crises

Manjari: I had this yummy fruit named badhal in Varanasi. I saw and tasted it for the first time. Is anyone aware of it?

Anushri: Oh yes. I grew up eating this at my nani’s place in Sitapur [in Uttar Pradesh]. It’s one of my fondest memories. I really miss this fruit, [now that I] live in Lucknow.

Manjari: It’s also called monkey fruit. It’s disappearing from Lucknow too. [Another disappearing fruit] is Phalsa or Sherbet Berry. It is disappearing from West Bengal and becoming one of Kolkata’s costliest summer fruits: Telegraph India.