The kau fruit, known for its tangy-sweet taste and locally called “Kaggula” in Cox’s Bazar, is now being sold along the roadside of Marine Drive during the monsoon season.
Vendors shared that these fruits are collected from nearby hill jungles, making them a seasonal delight, especially cherished by children in Cox’s Bazar during the rains. Rich in Vitamin C, kau fruit is also believed to have herbal properties that help relieve cold, fever, and cough.
Although it was once commonly seen, the kau fruit has become rare in recent years.
Scientifically known as Garcinia cowa Roxb., and in English as Cowa or Cowa Fruit, the tree is a medium-sized, evergreen species growing 3–6 meters tall with drooping branches and shiny dark green leaves. The tree produces small, reddish-yellow, four-petaled flowers and, when ripe, the fruit turns orange-yellow, resembling a small orange with a thick rind. Inside, it contains four to five juicy segments that are sucked out for their tart-sweet taste with a hint of astringency.
Kau trees typically flower and bear fruit from January to July, offering a unique, nature-touched taste of the hills to the people and tourists of Cox’s Bazar during the monsoon.
By Mohammad Morshed
Photo Contributor: Tareque Hasan
