Page 1 - LN2-MODULE-A BAKER FROM GOA

SAI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
STD X
ENGLISH LESSON NOTES
MODULE: Glimpses of India

Glimpses of India (Part 1) A Baker from Goa By Lucio Rodrigues
This is a pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker who still has an important place
in his society

Objectives
To help the children know
 How culture and tradition influence society
 Time surpasses but culture and tradition exist with little variations
 India is country of various traditions and culture

INTRODUCTION: ‘A Baker from Goa’ revolves around the relevance of a baker in
the Goan culture which dates back to the time when 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.
Glimpses of India: A Baker from Goa 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 as they 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 a 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.