The cashew nut has a special structure. It is
kidney-shaped and occurs at the end of a 'cashew apple', a false fruit (pseudo
fruit) on the cashew tree (Anacardium
occidentale L). The nut develops first and when it is fully grown, its
stalk ( pedicel, peduncle or receptacle)
develops into the fruit-like pear-shaped cashew apple which is plump and fleshy
and has a yellow or red colour. The apple and nut fall together when both are
ripe.
They are harvested and processed to yield several edible products. The
apple gives a sweet juice which is either used as a refreshing fruit drink or
fermented to the liquor known as 'Feni'. The seed is a popular snack, often
consumed after roasting. The 'nut' is regarded as the true fruit and the apple
is called a pseudo fruit. But the combination resembles a fruit with its seed
located outside the fruit. This unusual structure is the basis of several
popular stories about its origin.
In a fictitious story, an angel
who witnessed the creation of different varieties of trees by God, wanted to
create a tree by his own design and work. God granted him permission. The angel
used all his skills and imagination to create the cashew tree and proudly
displayed his creation before God for His comments. God appreciated the
structure and strength of the tree, the beauty of its leaves and flowers and
the colour and flavour of the fruit but
asked the angel how it could propagate itself without a seed. The angel was
sorry for forgetting to put the seed in the fruit. So God incorporated the nut
as an additional attachment to the fruit and let the arrangement continue for
future generations in memory of the angel's mistake.
The story is purely fictitious but offers a warning to anyone who tries
to undertake the work of God. In the story of Adam and Eve, the desire to be 'like
God' tempted them to eat the forbidden fruit and lose the peaceful paradise. The
Bible teaches, "If the Lord (God) does not build the house, the work of
builders is useless; if the Lord does not protect the city, it is useless for
the sentries to stand guard."
When a skilled doctor treats a patient systematically and gets a
positive result, we must remember that every cure is a miraculous gift of God. Every
action becomes successful when
undertaken with the blessings of God.
.....................................................................................................................................................
© By Dr. Babu Philip, Professor, Cochin University
of Science & Technology, Fine Arts Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India, Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu, Former Professor, St. Dominic's
College, Kanjirappally, Leo. S. John, St. Antony's Public School,
Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath,
Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally, Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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