Kaphal Katha:

Once a Daaju (Kumaoni Man) was selling Kaphal in Pithoragarh Road. 

As we all know that Kumaoni people's are very friendly so he started friendly Discussion with Tourist. Both were very comfortable with each other.

Then Daaju tried to sell Fruit to Tourist by sharing it to taste.

He liked it very much & asked for more Daaju happily made a leaf boul & handed it to him as Tourist asked him: "Kaa phal hai ye ???"

Daaju was happy that Tourist already know that its "Kaphal" so he joyfully answered : Ha bhai Kaphal hai.

Again Tourist Asked : Hum poochte hai ka phal hai ye?

Daaju Again Answered : Haa wahi to hum bata rahe hai k ye Kaphal hai.

Then Tourist lost his cool & asked iss Phal ka Naam kya hai hum ye Pooch rahe hai?

So Daaju informed him about the Fruit That its Name is "Kaphal"

So Thats a  Humorous Story of Kaphal.

But it is told that there is a Tragic Story asociated with this Heavens Fruit too. It goes as Follows: 

Once upon a time there was a Widowed Woman who lived along with her little.

Woman was Daily laborer so hardly could earn to have one time food.

On one summer morning Woman picked up basket-full of Kaphals. from the Kaphal tree. There were enough Kaphal's to for both of them. So Woman thought today Day will end joyfully as they have enough to eat after toiling hard work for the whole day. At home she asked her daughter to look after the Kaphal basket and not to eat a single Kaphal. The little girl kept a strict vigil on the basket and slept for a while.

     She would feel like eating some as the Fruits were Fresh & Juicy, so she again & again checked the basket-full of Kaphals. But she was a obedient child so she did not even touched the Kaphal. When her mother reached home, she observed that the basket of Kaphal has lost some weight.She suspected that the little girl must have eaten away the Kaphals.

     In fact she wanted to sell some of the Kaphals next day to cater to the daily needs of the house. But when she felt that the basket-full of Kaphals has lost the weight she thought her daughter have eaten them. She got really angry to her because it was tiring day for her & the girl have broken trust of Mother. She gave her a severe beating. The girl was continuously crying and was saying that the she had not tasted the Kaphals. 

     Due to excessive beating the girl died. After some time when the Woman realized that the girl is Dead she knew that she has done a Big Mistake as only reason of Living her only daughter is no more. She cried whole evening. In night she again checked basket of Kaphal. It was the month of May and due to the scorching heat of the summer the Kaphals had dried up during day time, hence the basket full of Kaphals lost weight. But in the night the temprature cooled and the Kaphals became juicy once again.

     The mother observed that the Kaphal basket had once again regained weight. Kaphals had become juicy due to rains. She repented, but the little girl had expired.She cried ‘ke karoon pothi, utkai utkai’ "के करुँ पोथी, उत्कै उत्कै" After her death the girl took birth as a bird Magpie. After her birth as a Magpie the bird known as "Kaphua" in the local language, chatters, "Kaphal Pakko, meil ni chakkho". People of the hills instinctively receive the pathetic message which the bird delivers through her above song and remember the little girl.

     Yet another story says that a young bride says to her mother-in-law:

घुघूती घुरौन लगी म्यारा मैत की
बौडी बौडी ऐगे रितु, रितु चैत की
घुघूती घुरौन लगी म्यारा मैत की
बौडी बौडी ऐगे रितु, रितु चैत की
रितु, रितु चैत की.


दांडी कांठियों को रंग, गौली गे होलु
म्यारा मैत को बॉन, मौली गे होलु
दांडी कांठियों को रंग, गौली गे होलु
म्यारा मैत को बॉन, मौली गे होलु
चकुला घोलू छोड़ी, उड़ना ह्वाला
चकुला घोलू छोड़ी, उड़ना ह्वाला
बेटूला मैतुडा कू, पैटना ह्वाला
घुघूती लगी घुरौन हो

“O! My mother-in-law Kaphal has ripened. Burdened by the unending cycle of reaping, winnowing, sowing, weeding, wood cutting and fetching water from long distance, shall I ever have enough of leisure to taste Kaphals in the jungle while traveling the trail that leads to my mother’s home?” So sang a Kumaoni Bride ages back and trapped in a vicious circle of hard life when she lost her life untimely, she became a Magpie, a beautiful bird who, when the Kaphal ripens in Himalayan jungles in the month of May and June often sings, “Kaphal pakko, meil ni chakkho” (kaphal has ripened but I haven’t taste it yet).

A small poem on Kaphal reads:

     The ‘kaphal’ fruit is ripe Come dear friend – Let us go to the forest To eat the fruit of the ‘kaphal’ bush The leaves of the Oak tree have turned green There is water in the roots of the Oak. Come, quench your thirst.

     A myth associated about Kaphal is that during the 14 year exile of Lord Rama, Sita tasted this fruit while in the forest. Since then Kaphal is also called the ‘Gauri Phal’

     Kaphal finds an important place in the folk songs also. The famous Kumaoni song Bedu Pako also is sung highlighting Kaphal. "Bedu pakko barah masa narain Kaphal pako chaita meri Chailla" So Next time you visit Devbhoomi then don't fail to taste the heavenly Fruit of Kumaon "Kaphal".

     I will let you know about other such Tasty & Exotic fruits of Kumaon in my Upcoming Posts. Hope you like this one. If yes Then please share it with all the Kumaoni & Non Kumaoni Family & Friends.