When the last lingering cold of winter has gone and the musty heat of summer sets in, our markets get filled with the fragrance of Melons. Fruit-carts overflow with huge Melons of all shapes and colors.

The water Melon and musk Melon are very popular summer fruits in India. The numerous folk songs, stories and jokes about Melons, which are popular throughout the length and breadth of the country show that Indians have over many generations enjoyed eating this luscious fruit.

Those familiar with the King Vikramaditya stories may remember that the tale begins with King Bhoja's army entering a Water Melon patch and eating away all the fruit. The owner of the plot challenges the king and his army. Finally, a settlement is reached and the king buys the land. When he digs up the plot he finds the throne of King Vikramaditya. Though Water Melons may not always hide fabulous thrones, they certainly can quench the summer thirst. Numerous varieties of fruit of different sizes, colors and tastes are grown in all parts of the country.


The fruit is particularly popular in the hot, dry regions of Punjab and Rajasthan. Melons are often cultivated in sandy riverbeds where no other crop would normally grow. This is because the annual creeper thrives best in a hot climate in deep, sandy soil with no water-logging, but needs plenty of irrigation. Melon creepers start bearing fruit within 4-5 months after seeds are sown. Two crops of Melon can be cultivated, one in January-February and another by June-July.

The Water Melon, which is botanically identified as Citrullus vulgaris is believed to have been a native of tropical Africa. This fruit is known is Hindi as Tharbuj or Tarbuz. The fruits are large and can achieve a diameter of even 20 inches. The bottle green outer rind covers a fleshy portion, which is soft and spongy. The pulp is most often reddish-pink with large, black, seeds embedded towards the center. Some varieties have a creamy white pulp, but the pink fruit is preferred because it is sweeter.

In some hilly areas a bitter variety is grown. This Melon is valued for its medicinal properties for it is considered a diuretic, that is, it helps in proper excretion of urine and prevents water retention.

Only 60% of the fruit is edible; the rest is rind and fibrous material.The Water Melon is a good source of pectin. Hence, the fruit can easily be made into Jams, Jellies and Marmalades. The fruit is best consumed in the form of squashes, juice, or as, ripe slices.

The inner portion of the dark-colored Water Melon seeds are parched and eaten. The seeds contain 34% protein and 52% oil. Oil extracted from Water Melon seeds has pleasant odor and taste. It is used for certain special culinary preparations or for lighting lamps. The seeds as such are considered to have a 'cooling' effect. The seed cake is rich in protein and hence makes good cattle feed.

In India, a more popular Melon is the cantaloupe or Musk Melon. Also known as sweet Melon, it belongs to the Cucumis melon family; in Sanskrit this fruit is praised as the Madhupaka. This fruit is often sought after by elderly people for breaking religious fasts such as Shivarathri. Its local name is Karbuja.

The Karbuja differs from the Water Melon in having an outer rind that has a netted lace-like marking. The rind is soft and has a yellowish orange, creamish or green color. The fruit is eaten as a delicacy, because of its typical musk like flavor and taste. The pulp is often rich orange in color. A creamish fruit is also quite popular. Musk Melon makes a very good ingredient in fruit salads, ice creams, mild shakes etc.

At present, large tracts of dry, sandy land in Punjab and Rajasthan are under Musk Melon cultivation. The fruit is grown in considerable quantities also in Bihar, UP, AP, and Maharashtra. It is grown in all parts of the tropical world. Musk Melon seeds also are edible. They are used as substitutes. The seed kernel is very tasty and is eaten after removal of bran. It is rich in protein (36%) and oil (45%). A popular belief is that Musk Melon pulp is very good for eczema.

A less popular variety of Melon, The Tinda is grown in Punjab where it is a poor man's vegetable. The Tinda or round gourd is used to make a variety of sweetmeats.

From the nutritional point of view, the Melons do not contain any appreciable amounts of mineral salts or vitamins. More than 95% of the fruit is water.

The Melons are most undoubtedly refreshing fruits, and are very suitable for making squashes, sherbets and juices, which quench the summer thirst. Because of this, the fruit will continue to be popular in our country.