Jackfruit Fruit Symbolism Facts & Literature: Astrology, Omens, Dreams, and Legends
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Jackfruit Fruit Symbolism & Meaning
In many cultures, the jackfruit is a symbol of blessings, prosperity, abundance, and good fortune. The jackfruit tree can provide up to 150 jackfruits a year, ensuring plentiful pickings for those who rely on the fruit for food.
The jackfruit is a nutritional fruit with many parts prepared and eaten in different ways, making it a symbol of resilience, nourishment, sustenance, and fertility.
Jackfruits are also considered sacred fruits from the gods because of their many uses. It is linked to growth, eternal life, spirituality, and good fortune.
The huge fruit is also a symbol of endurance, versatility, and longevity for the people who rely on its harvest.
In communities where the jackfruit grows in abundance on the roadside, it is seen as a symbol of connectedness, togetherness, and generosity when the fruit is ripe for sharing.
After some scientific studies proving its nutritional value, jackfruits have also become symbols of health and guilt-free indulgences.
The Jackfruit Company is a food distributor and manufacturer of jackfruit food products to help jackfruit farmers and broaden its market. Their company emblem is a graphic of a jackfruit tree with ripe jackfruits.
Jackfruit Research & Design is an India-based design company with a focus on the arts. Their emblem is an illustration of a halved jackfruit atop a bed of jackfruit leaves.
Jackfruit Marketing is a marketing and training consultancy company for international clients. Their emblem is simply a green, round shape similar to the jackfruit with the company name within.
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Jackfruit Fruit Positive & Negative Symbolism
The jackfruit possesses many positive symbols, most of which stem from its ability to provide sustenance and food, marking it as a fruit for the community. It also symbolizes good fortune, eternal life, spirituality, abundance, and more.
The jackfruit has almost no negative symbolism, however, in areas where it is an invasive species, it can take up space and nourishment from native tree species, marking the decline of native biodiversity.
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Jackfruit Fruit Origin
The origin of the jackfruit is identified to be in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia where the early people in the era independently cultivated the fruit.
The earliest evidence of cultivation of the jackfruit is shown to be dated 4000 to 6000 years ago, found in the mountains of Southern India.
Over the centuries, cultivation of the jackfruit made it abundant in wild areas and roadsides. It was later introduced to other parts of the world by colonial settlers for trade and immigrants in other areas.
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Jackfruit Fruit Cultural Symbolism
The jackfruit is dubbed “The King of India” because of its significant cultural importance in cuisine, trade, agriculture, and tradition.
In India, the jackfruit has a long history as a sacred fruit interwoven in history and culture. It is the state fruit of both Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where they host a jackfruit festival or Chakka Mohatsavam.
Jackfruits are the national fruit of Bangladesh and it is highly valued for its nutritional content, size, and availability to feed poor communities.
In Sri Lanka, jackfruit is dubbed the “starvation fruit” for its ability to prevent starvation in many communities in the countries during the oppressive rule of the British Empire over the country.
In many Southeast Asian dishes, including India and Taiwan, jackfruits are used in traditional dishes. Its different parts from its flesh to its seed are prepared and eaten in various ways, be it as desserts, snacks, or savory dishes.
The jackfruit and its tree are also used in traditional ceremonies and rituals. Across different religions, the jackfruit is seen as a sacred fruit that is a sign of blessings and good fortune for any endeavor.
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Jackfruit Fruit in Art and Literature
A jackfruit illustration is present at The William Farquhar Collection of Natural History Drawings, a collection of illustrated botanical and animal scientific drawings. The watercolor drawings were by an unknown Chinese illustrator, commissioned by William Farquhar from 1819 to 1823.
The Indian artist, Shaikh Zain-al-Din, worked in the period of the East India Company. He illustrated ink-on-paper artwork titled Black-hooded Oriole and Insect on Jackfruit Stump in 1778. A lone jackfruit is present below the oriole.
The contemporary ceramic artist, Dani Jeffries created a collection of functional sculptures in 2018, one of the ceramics is a Jackfruit Bowl.
The historical fiction novel, Jackfruit Treasure Trap by Matthew Bird was first published in 2022 where a pair of cousins hunt for treasure hidden by their grandfather across Southeast Asia in the 1600s.
The author Gwen Kirby published her short story titled Jackfruit in 2023 in the literary magazine X-R-A-Y Lit Mag.
Another author Rupsa Dey also published a short story, The Land of Eternal Jackfruits in the science fiction and fantasy magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine.
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Jackfruit Favorite Fruit: Traits and Personality
If the jackfruit is your favorite fruit, this could indicate that you have an extroverted personality. You are generous and dependable, willing to meet the needs of those around you. You are also the life of the party and know how to balance work and pleasure.
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Jackfruit Fruit in Astrology or Zodiac
The jackfruit is associated with the zodiac sign Leo. Leos have big personalities that command the attention in any room they walk in. Similar to the jackfruit holding the title of the biggest fruit in the world.
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Jackfruit Fruit in Dreams
Dreaming of jackfruit could be interpreted as rewards of abundance and prosperity will be coming into your life. This could indicate new opportunities are across the horizons or there is untapped potential waiting to be accessed.
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Jackfruit Fruit Omens and Superstitions
A jackfruit superstition in Thailand dictates for those who want protection to eat jackfruit seeds. Thais believe that jackfruit seeds can be used as talismans because of their copper color, a metal associated with mystical properties.
During New Year’s Eve, it is seen as bad luck for the coming new year thorny fruits like jackfruit.
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Jackfruit Fruit Legends, Mythology, and Folklore
There is a historic site in India of the temple of a sacred Jackfruit tree. According to a Meitei legend, the religious king of Manipur, Bhagya Chandra, has dreams of the Hindu king god Krishna to carve out his images in a jackfruit tree.
It took three years to carve out seven images of Krishna from the jackfruit tree, after which all carvings were transported to be housed in different Hindu temples and locations.
