Page 3 - LN2-MODULE-A BAKER FROM GOA

 They were enthusiastic to the point that they would run to him as soon as they
woke up without even brushing their teeth.
 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 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.

Summary
This lesson is a pen portrait of a traditional Goan village baker that still has an
important place in his vicinity. Goa is the place which has the varied culture of French,

English and Portuguese. Here in this lesson the description of a village baker reminds
us of the old Portuguese days.

The baker comes with the jhang - jhang sound—a sound of his bamboo stuff. His one
hand supports the basket of his head and the other hand the bamboo on the ground. The

baker places the basket and the imploring children surround him to look into the basket
what varities of eatables he carries. They buy the loaves and even eat without brushing.

The products are so importantly intertwined with the social custom with Goan people
that their presence is inevitable. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet
bread called “bol”. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for festival. Their peculiar dress is

known as “kabai” as they themselves are known as “pader”. They have a joyful life as
they earn profitably well. Their plum physique is the testimony to this.

Q1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about?
Q2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know?
Q3. What is the baker called?