A Baker From Goa
Summary
It is a pen-portait written by Lucio Rodrigues. Narrator has beautifully portrayed Goan culture and traditions which are influenced by Portuguese culture. The Portuguese rule lasted for about 450 years in Goa. It is famous for their ‘loaves of bread’. Even now in Goa there are traditional bakers and their furnances. There are mixers & moulders who prepare the dough for the bread & give different shapes to bread. Bakers are also known as ‘Paders’ who still do traditional baking practices.
Narrator while recalling his childhood has narrated, how bakers were his friends, companion & guide. Bakers used to arrive twice a day to sell the bread and they came up with the jingling sound which made kids excited. Children loved bread-bangles the most, which is a kind of sweet bread.
Bakers had one hand on basket & other hand banged the bamboo stick on the ground.
At the time of baker’s arrival, children would be pushed aside and the loaves would be delivered to the maid or servant. Excited children would have their bread with tea without even brushing their teeth.
Narrator has also elaborated the importance of bread in traditional ceremonies. Marriages or any festival would be incomplete without the sweet bread called ‘Bol’ and daughter’s engagement ceremony would be incomplete without ‘Sandwiches’. People are fond of cakes, pastries and Bolinhas which are essentials for Christmas.
In old Portuguese days, Bakers used to wear a dress called ‘Kabai’ which is single piece long frock upto knees. In Narrator’s childhood, Bakers wore shirts and trousers. People used to keep the record on some wall using pencil and Bakers collected the bills at the end of the month.
Narrator tagged baking as a profitable profession. Their family and servants were always happy & prosperous.
Narrator mentioned the appearance of Baker’s as Jackfruit-like. They had a plump physique like a jacefruit which signified that they never starved.
Points to remember
1. PORTUGUESE CULTURE
▪ Famous for ‘loaves’of bread
▪ Traditional bakers.
▪ Mixers & Moulders
▪ ‘Paders’
2. ARRIVAL
▪ Jingling sound .
▪ Basket on head
▪ Used to come twice a day.
3. DRESSING
▪ Kabai (Protuguese days)
▪ Shirt & trousers (when Author was Young.)
4. BAKING PROFESSION
▪ Bill collected at the end of month.
▪ Records on wall.
▪ Happy & Prosperous family of Bakers.
▪ Jack fruit like appearance.
5. IMPORTANCE OF BREADS & BAKERS
▪ As marriage gifts-sweet bread called ‘bol’.
▪ For a party/feast ‘bread’.
▪ For daughter’s engagement ‘Sandwiches’.
▪ For Christmas ‘cakes & bolinhas’.
PYQ'S
Q.1 After reading the story ‘A Baker from Goa’ do you think our traditions, heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us?
(CBSE 2015)
Ans. Yes, traditions, heritage, values and practices are the roots that nourish us. In Goa, a ceremony is incomplete without bread. Other festivals & feasts are also incomplete without cakes and Bolinas. This shows that bread is an important part of the Goa culture.
Q.2 Why were the children fascinated by the baker? How did they show their eagerness to see him?
(CBSE 2020)
Ans. Children were fascinated by the baker. They used to wake up after hearing the jingling sound due to baker’s arrival. Even after getting rebuked they would climb over a chair to peep into baker’s basket. They would have bread without even brushing their teeth. All these actions show, how much the children were fascinated by the baker.
Q.3 Why was the baker’s furnance essential in a traditional Goan village?
(CBSE 2010)
Ans. The baker’s furnance was essential in a traditional Goan village because different kinds of breads were required for different occasions in Goa. ‘Bols’ for marriage gifts, Cakes and Bolisihas are essential for Christmas and other festivals.
COORG
Summary
Coorg is a pen-portrait written by Lokesh Abrol. Coorg is also known as Kodagu and it is the smallest district of Karnataka. It lies between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. Coorg is called ‘heaven on earth’. It has beautiful hills and the place is inhabited by martial men, beautiful women and wild creatures.
Coorg has rich variety of plants and animals and also known for its wildlife. It has evergreen forests, spice plantation. Coorg is also very famous for coffee. This area receives a lot of rainfall and the best season to visit Coorg is from September to March.
Coffee estates and colonial bungalows are usual sights.
Kodavus are descendents of Greeks and Arabs, which means that it belived that people from Alexander’s army moved to south and settled there. They married the locals there.
There culture of martial traditions, marriage and religious rituals can be easily seen. Kodavus also wear a long black coat which has an embroidered waist-belt. Known as kuppia.
Kuppia is inspired by ‘Kuffia’ which is worn by Arabs and the Kurds (people of Islam).
Coorg Regiment is known for its bravery and is the most decorated regiments of the Indian army. General caiappa was the first chief of the Indian – army and we was a Coorgi. They are the only people in India with a permit to carry firearms without a licence.
River Kaveri also originates from ‘hills of coorg’, in which ‘Mahaseer’ fish can be found in abundance. Kingfishers are also seen feeding on the fish. Other animals like squirrels, langurs and elephants are also found there. Mahouts bath and scrub their elephants in the river.
Coorg is also famous for tourism can many adventurous activities such as river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking.
A wide view of entire Coorg can be seen from famous Brahmagiri hills.
Large number of monks are inhabited in Bylakuppe. They wear, red ochre and yellow robs. Nisargadhame is also an interesting place at Coorg.
To reach Coorg one can travel by road, by rail or by air. By road it is around 250-260 km from Banglore. If one prefers to go by air, then the nearest airport are Banglore and Mangalore.
Points to remember
1. HEAVEN CALLED COORG OR 'KODAGU'
- Smallest district of Karnataka
- Midway between Mysore and coastal town of Mangalore
- Evergreen forest, coffee and species plantation.
- Receives a lot of rainfall (September to March)
- Coffee estates and colonia Bungalow are frequent sites.
- Descendants of Greek:- Alexander's army moved to south and settled there. They married locals and their martial traditions and rituals can be easily seen.
- Descendants of Arab:- Long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt known as kuppia signifies their origin from Arab.
- Coorg regiment is most decorted Regiment in India .
- General Cariappa was the 1st chief.
- Only people to carry firearms without a licence.
- Brahmagiri Hills (Panoramic view)
- Nisargadhame
- Bylakuppe (Largest Tibetan settlement of Buddhists monk)
- Inhabited by monks in red, Ochre and yellow robes.
- Kaveri river
- Abundant Mahseer fish
- Animals like Squirrels, Langurs, Elephants, Birds, Bears, Butterflies, Macaques.
- Rafting, Canoeing, Rappelling, Rock-climbing, Mountain Biking, Trekking.
PYQ'S
Q.1 Describe Coorg’s weather. When is it most pleasant for the-lowrists to visit Coorg?
(CBSE 2012)
Ans. There is heavy rainfall in Coorg during the monsoon. The weather of Coorg is pleasant and attracts tourists. The best time to visit Coorg are during the months from September to March. The aroma of coffee is spread all around during their time.
Q.2 Why is Coorg called the land of rolling hills? (CBSE 2020)
Ans. Because it is situated on the gentle sleping hills that are entirely covered with green rainforests.
Q.3 The people of Coorg have a tradition of courage and bravery. How has it been recognized in modern India?
(CBSE 2019)
Ans. Coorg Regiment is the most decorated regiments of Indian army which signifies their courage and bravery in modern India. People there are known for their hospitality and Bravery tables of their sons and fathers. They are only people who are permitted to carry firearms without a licence.
Q.4 Describe the possible descent of the people of Coorg.
Ans. There are two stories that people of Coorg are possibly descendents of Greeks & Arabs. Their traditions are very different from Hindu mainstream.
According to one story, a part of Alexender’s army travelled the coast and settled there. Another story says, that people there have Arab origin because of their dress which is a long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt known as Kuppia which resembles kuffia worm by the Arabs and the kurds.
Q.5 Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. The Coorg regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian army, and the first chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa was a Coorgi. Even now,
Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.
(a) What kind of stories are the Coorg people always ready to tell?
(b) What is the special favour granted only to them even now?
(c) Find a word in the extract which means the same as ‘courage and bravery, usually in ware.
(d) Who is free to have a firearm without a license in India?
Ans. (a) Stories of valour are the kind of stories Coorg people are always ready to tell.
(b) They have permit to carry firearms without a licence.
(c) ‘Valour’
(d) Koadavus or the people of coorgi.
Tea from Assam
Summary
The story started with two friend, Pranjol & Rajvir who were classmates. Pranjol was from Assam & his father was the Manager of a tea garden in Assam. In summer vacation. They both were traveling to Assam by train. Amidst their journey, they had tea and started sipping it.
White having tea, they started conversation on tea. Rajvir told Pranjol that 80 crore cups of tea are drunk everyday and it is a popular drink.
Rajvir was enjoying the view from the train and he was so amazed to see the greenery outside. There were soft rice fields along with tea bushes. The tea bushes are vast there Pranjol on the other hand was reading his detective book. He was not as excited as Rajiv because he was born and bought up in Assam where tea plantation born and bought up in Assam where tea plantation is very common and Assam has the largest concentration of tea plantation in the world.
Rajvir also had some knowledge of tea and shared stories about the discovery of tea. Once in China, there was a emperor who accidentally discovered tea, a few leaves of the twigs fell into the boiling water and the water got a delicious taste. He told that Tea was first drunk in China in 2700 BC. The words like ‘tea’, ‘chai’, and ‘chini’ are from China. Tea came to Europe in sixteenth century and it was consumed as medicine more than as a beverage, There was another story that says, there was another legend from India said the Bodhidharma, who was an ancient Buddhist monk. He cut off his eyelids because he did not want to sleep during meditations. Ten tea plantations grew out of his eyelids. It is believed that the leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk, banished sleep.
Both friends later reached the Mariani Junction. Their parents received them at the station & from there they went to Dhekiabari. It was a tea estate everywhere and tea pluckers were plucking the tea leaves. They had bamboo baskets on their backs and were wearing plastic aprons. Rajvir told Pranjol’s father that it was the sprouting season which lasts from May to July and yields the best tea.
Points to remember
1. VISIT TO ASSAM
➢ Pranjol & Rajvir visited Assam by train.
➢ Pranjol’s father was the manager of tea garden in Assam.
2. POPULARITY OF TEA
➢ 80 crore cups of tea are drunk everyday.
➢ Assam has largest concentration of tea plantations in the world.
3. RAJVIR'S KNOWLEDGE OF TEA
➢ Chinese emperor discovered tea when he was boiling water, a few twigs burning under the pot fell in the water
➢ Tea was first drunk in China in 2700 BC. ‘Chai’ and ‘Chini’ are Chinese words.
➢ Tea came to Europe in 16th century & was consumed more as medicine.
➢ Once a Buddhist monk, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations and tea plantations grew out of his eyelids.
4. AT THE DEKIABARI
➢ Dhekiabari. (the tea estate manged by Pranjol’s father.
➢ Huge acres of tea bushes.
➢ Tea-pluckers pluck the sprouted leaves & had bamboo baskets on their backs & wear plastic aprons.
➢ Sprouting season lasts from May to July & yields the best tea.
PYQ'S
Q.1 What kind of scenery did Rajvir see as he sat on the train?
Ans. Rajvir was very excited throughout his journey. There were vast green tea gardens and tall trees. Women picking tea leaves resembled dolls. He also saw smoke billowing from chimneys. They went to Dhekiabari tea estate. Women who were tea pluckers were wearing plastic aprons & had bamboo baskets on their backs.
Q.2 This is a tea country now. Explain this with reference to Assam. (CBSE 2013)
Ans. Assam is the largest tea growing state in the whole world that’s why it is called tea country. There are the bushes everywhere.
Q.3 What is the meaning of term “second flush”? (CBSE 2017)
Ans. Flush are the tea-growing seasons. Seconds flush is the time of year when tea bushes sport new leaves.
Q.4 What did Rajvir see while looking outside from the train? (CBSE 2016)
Ans. Rajvir saw green paddy fields which gave way to the tea bushes. There were tall trees everywhere and to Rajvir it felt like sea of tea gardens.
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