Glimpses of India

Glimpses of India. By - Harshaal.R. S.Dharshan. [image] A cluster of yellow houses.

A BAKER FROM GOA. [image] A display of stack of bread.

INTRODUCTION. ‘A Baker from Goa’ revolves around the relevance of a baker in the Goan culture which dates back to the time when the Portuguese ruled over the city of Goa. The Portuguese may have left but the bread-makers continue to have an inevitable stature. In this story, the author recalls his childhood days and their excitement on seeing the baker. They were enthusiastic to the point that they would run to him as soon as they woke up without even brushing their teeth..

THEME OF THE LESSON. The author reminisces the old times that he spent in Goa and the significance of a bakery in his life. The narrative is a nostalgic writing based on the culture of bakery in Goa and it highlights the important social position of bakery goods and bakers in the Goan culture and tradition. The chapter delves deep into the Goan bakery profession which the place gets from the Potugese colonization..

SUMMARY. The lesson begins with how narrator’s elders often recall the time when Goa was under the rule of the Portuguese. They talk how the importance of bakers is still maintained in their villages even after the Portuguese have left. They are known as ‘Paders’ in Goa. The mixers, moulders and their time-tested furnaces continue to serve the people of Goa with their famous bread loaves. It is possible that the original ones may not exist, but their profession is being continued by their sons..

The thud of their bamboo stick can still be heard in some parts of the village. The same jingling thud would wake the narrator and his friends during their childhood days who would go running to him without brushing or washing their mouth properly. It was the maid-servant of the house who collected the loaves while children sorted out the bread bangles for themselves. Bakery products have importance in the culture and traditions of Goa. Bol or sweet bread is a part of marriage gifts, cakes and Bolinhas or coconut cookies are eaten at every festival and the lady of the house prepares sandwiches at her daughter’s engagement. Earlier bakers wore a unique frock of knee-length known as ‘kabai’ but during the narrator’s childhood days, they wore a shirt and trousers of length slightly shorter than the usual ones. They generally collected their bills at the end of every month. Bakery has continued to be a profitable profession, managing to keep their families joyous and prosperous..

EXPLANATION. OUR elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there. We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The thud and jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo, heralding his arrival in the morning, can still be heard in some places. Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are, even today, known as pader in Goa..

WORD MEANING. Reminiscing nostalgically – thinking fondly of the past Loaves- (plural form of loaf) bread that is shaped and baked in a single piece and can be sliced for eating Vanished– disappear suddenly and completely Moulders– a person who moulds dough into a shape Furnaces– an enclosed structure in which materials can be heated to very high temperatures Extinguished– cause a fire to cease to burn Heralding- announcing Pader– word for baker in Portuguese language.

COORG.

INTRODUCTION. The lesson gives us a beautiful insight of the smallest district of Karnataka and its people. The place has amazing weather throughout the year with enough rain during the monsoon season. The people of Coorg are known to be one of the bravest. Coffee is the main crop grown in this region. A variety of animals can be found here while the place is surrounded by beautiful Brahmagiri hills, islands and Tibetan settlements..

SUMMARY. The writer describes the hill station of Coorg located in the western ghats in the state of Karnataka. It is located midway between Bengalore and Mangalore. The suitable time to visit Coorg is from September to March. The place is famous for coffee plantations and spices. There are abundant rainforests which cover 30 percent of the area. The Coorgi men are brave warriors who are permitted to keep firearms without a licence due to their trustworthiness. The women of Coorg are pretty. Coorg is also known as Kodavu and the Kodavus, though are Hindus by religion but their customs differ from those of mainstream Hindus. They marry within their community. Kodavus are said to be of Greek or Arabic descent..

Some soldiers of Alexander’s army settled there. Also, as the ethnic dress of the Kodavus, Kuppia is similar to the Arab garment Kuffia, it is said that maybe their ancestors were Arabs or Kurds. The river Kaveri originates from Coorg. The fish named Mahaseer is found in the river. Many animals and birds like kingfisher, langur, squirrels and elephants can be spotted along the river. Tourists relax in the serene atmosphere and also enjoy adventure sports like river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, mountain biking, rock climbing and trekking. While trekking on the nature trails, animals like Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris can be spotted on the trees. The major tourist attractions are Brahmagiri hills, Nisargdham island and Bylakuppe Tibetan settlements. Coorg gives visitors a feel of India’s diverse cultures..