<Remembering Mohan Upreti on his death anniversary> I have never tasted ‘Bedu’, the fruit, but for some inexplicable reason its taste lingers in my mouth. I have even dreamt of it during climbing or trekking season, I can’t think of a single evening in the tent high up in the Himalayas when a bad/good day would NOT have ended with two fabled Kumaoni folk lyrics. One was बेडू पाको बारामासा and the other was जिला नैनीताल, अल्मोड़ा, पिथोरगढ़ की बचपन की .. Tucked in our sleeping bags these lyrics, coming from Pahari friends, would warm up the cold dripping tents. The fruit has stayed with me long after I first heard of it from Mohan Upreti at the Parvatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi. He is credited with setting to tune the lyrics of this romantic and fabled verse and making it legendary and so popular that this song is played as first and the last number in traditional Kumaoni festivals. I have also wondered if there is any fruit, any, which would grow all twelve months. Mohan Upreti, was one among the finest theatre directors, playwrights and music composers. Why I have not tasted or eaten Bedu, despite my hundreds of visits to Kumaon is because the fruit is never there when I am, i.e. Sept to December.
Cheers Comrade.
Ankahi. Unsaid. 
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