2. GLIMPSES OF INDIA
PART- 1
A BAKER FROM GOA
• A literary genius (1916 – 1973)
• A great Konkani essayist and an authority on Goan folk-lore
• Contributed articles to various newspapers and magazines
• Visiting professor of folklore at the Indian University, USA in 1969
• Became HOD of the Department of English Literature at Dhempe college,
Panaji
• His essays were published under the title ’Of Soil and Soul and Konkani Folk
Tales’
• Subtle humour and informal narration – distinctive features of his work
3. A PEN PORTRAIT OF A TRADITIONAL GOAN BAKER(PODER)
DOWN MEMORY LANE
• Pader- the traditional bread maker of Goa
• a familiar sight in Goan villages
• Children wait for his delicious and steaming hot bread
bangles or kanknas
• The jingling thud of baker’s bamboo- the jhang, jhang
sound of specially made bamboo staff- a wake up call
for children
• Children choose bread bangles or sweet bread- maid
servants choose the loaves
• The baker’s hot bread – a delicacy with piping hot tea
4. TRADITIONAL BAKERS OF GOA
Good old Portuguese Days
• Portuguese and their famous loaves of bread
• Age-old time-tested furnaces still exist
• The tradition is on decline
• Still Goans have some mixers, moulders and
bakers amongst them
• Wear a single-piece knee length long frock
• Some wear shirts and short trousers or long half
pants
• Known as pader or poder
5. BAKER’S BREAD – A DELICACY IN GOAN FESTIVALS
• Baker’s bread- an integral part of
Goan life
• Baker and his furnace in village-
absolutely essential
• Bol- the sweet bread- a marriage gift
• Sandwiches- a part of feast during
daughter’s engagement ceremony
• Cakes and Bolinhas( cookies) - a must
for Christmas and other festivals
6. Different varieties of bread- flavour of Goa
Goan loaves of bread
Bolinhas- Goan cookies
Bol- sweet bread
Bread bangles Sandwiches
Cakes
7. BAKING – A PROFITABLE BUSINESS
• Monthly account written with a pencil on wall
• Money collected at the end of month
• Baker, his family and servants- happy and
prosperous
• Baking bread- a successful and profitable
business
8. LET US LOOK AT SOME OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS FROM THIS TOPIC
1. Who is a ‘pader’?
2. What is ‘kabai’?
3. Which bread is children fond of in a Goan village?
4. Why is a baker necessary in a village?
5. What is that unique sweet bread called?
6. What makes the marriage gifts meaningless?
7. Why is baking called a profitable business?
8. How does the traditional baker keep a record of his monthly accounts?
9. What does a ‘jackfruit like appearance mean?
10. What is the meaning of ‘testimony’?
9. GLIMPSES OF INDIA
PART- II
COORG
LOKESH ABROL
• A renowned doctor by profession
• Established the first multi-specialty hospital in Gurgaon
• A passionate social worker
• Established the first stray cow shelter in Gurgaon.
• An established writer with sharp observational power
• Travel writing and photography- hobbies
10. COORG- HEAVEN ON EARTH
• Coorg or Kodagu- the smallest district of Karnataka
• Situated midway between Mysore and the coastal
town of Mangalore
• A land of rolling hills
• Home to evergreen rainforests, spices and coffee
plantations
• Best time to visit Coorg- September to March
• Coffee estates and colonial bungalows amidst lush
green trees
11. PEOPLE OF COORG- THEIR DISTINCT CULTURE, TRADITION AND DRESS
• Fiercely independent people
• Possibly of Greek or Arabic descent
• Alexander’s army moved along the
south
• Married the local people
• Different and distinct tradition, culture’
marriage and religious rites
• Kodavus- the people of Coorg
• Dress resembles the dress of an Arab
• Long black coat with an embroidered
waist belt named Kuppia
• Resembles the Kuffia worn by the Arabs
and Kurds
12. KODAVUS- GREAT WARRIORS
• Coorgi homes- a tradition of hospitality
• Families of brave people and their tales of bravery
• Coorg regiment- the most decorated in the Indian
army
• General Cariappa- first Chief of Indian army, a
Coorgi
• Kodavus- permitted to carry firearms without a
licence
13. RIVER CAUVERY, HILLS AND FORESTS OF COORG
• Home to animals, birds and insects
• Mahaseer- a large fresh water fish-
found in plenty in river Cauvery
• Kingfishers dive to catch fish
• Squirrels and langurs enjoy the splash of
clear water
• Elephants enjoy the bath given by
mahouts
• macaques, slender loris keep watchful
eyes on trekkers in hills and forests
14. ADVENTURE SPORTS IN COORG
MOUNTAIN BIKING
TREKKING
ROCK CLIMBING
RAPPELLINGCANOEING
RAFTING
15. LANDSCAPE OF COORG- A PANORAMIC VIEW
• Panoramic view of misty landscape of Coorg- seen from
Brahmagiri hills
• A rope bridge for tourists to move around sixty-four acre island of
Nisargadhama
• Buddhist monks in red, ochre and yellow robes in the largest
Tibetan settlement near Balakuppe
16. LET US LOOK AT SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1. Where is Coorg situated?
2. What kind of stories are the Coorg people always ready to tell?
3. What do the Kodavus wear?
4. What is the special favour granted to Coorg people only even now?
5. Which river flows from the hills of Coorg?
6. Name two tourist places of Coorg.
7. Name the famous Coorgi who was the first Chief of the Indian Army.
8. When should the tourists visit Coorg?
9. From whom have the inhabitants descended, as per the legend?
10. Where is India’s largest Tibetan settlement situated?
11. Name some adventure sports that fascinate the tourists who visit Coorg.
12. Which wild animals are found in Coorg?
13. Which regiment is the most decorated regiment in the India Army?
14. Who has written part II of Glimpses of India?
15. Name the fish found in the waters of Cauvery.
17. GLIMPSES OF INDIA
PART III
BY
ARUP KUMAR DUTTA
• Arup Kumar Dutta- an Indian writer and journalist based out of Guwahati,
Assam
• Born: 1946 at Jorhat, Assam
• Literary work: 16 books for adults and 17 adventure novels for young
people
• Awards: Life Time Achievement Honour by Association of Writes and
Illustrators for Children, New Delhi
• Padma Shri by Government of India in 2018
18. GREEEN ASSAM THROUGH CHILDREN’S EYES
• Rajvir and Pranjol travel to Assam by train during
summer vacation
• Pranjol’s father- manager of a tea garden in Assam
• Rajvir – very excited to see the beautiful greenery and
tree plantations outside
• Scenic beauty- vast expanses of green paddy fields
and tea bushes
• Rajvir tells Pranjol that over eighty crore cups of tea
are drunk all over the world every day
• A magnificent view- A sea of tea- bushes stretched
against the backdrop of densely wooded hills
• Amidst the rows of tea bushes- workers busy with
work
• Assam- famous for the largest tea plantations or
gardens
19. Many legends behind the discovery of tea
• Rajvir- an avid reader- talks about two legends
• The first one about a Chinese emperor
• He boiled water before drinking it
• One day a few twigs of leaves burning under the pot fell into the water
• It gave a delicious flavour to the water
• They were tea- leaves
• The other one is an Indian legend
• Bodhidharma was an ancient Buddhist ascetic
• He cut off his eye lids as he felt sleepy during meditations
• Ten tea plants grew out of the eye lids
• The leaves of these plants drive away sleep when boiled in hot water and
drunk
20. TEA- A CHINESE DISCOVERY
• Tea was drunk in China as far back as 2700 B.C.
• Tea, chai and chini are infact Chinese words
• Tea came to Europe in sixteen century
• Europeans drank it as medicine
21. Tea gardens through Rajvir’s eyes
• Pranjol’s parents receive the boys at the station
• They drive towards Dhekiabari Tea Estate
managed by Pranjol’s father
• On their way they notice acres of neatly
pruned tea bushes of equal height
• Groups of women pluckers pluck newly
sprouted leaves
• They wear plastic aprons and carry baskets on
their backs
• Rajvir knows that the time is for the second
flush of tea leaves
• He hopes to learn more about tea leaves and
plantations when he stays there
22. CAN YOU ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
1. Where were Rajvir and Pranjol going and why?
2. Who was Bodhidharma?
3. When did tea reach Europe?
4. What sort of stories did Rajvir love to read?
5. What is the second sprouting period of tea?
