Glimpses of India: A Baker from Goa - PDF

BEFORE YOU READ Activity Discuss in class 1. What images — of people and of places — come to your mind, when you think of our country? 2. What parts of India have you lived in, or visited? Can you name...

BEFORE YOU READ Activity Discuss in class 1. What images — of people and of places — come to your mind, when you think of our country? 2. What parts of India have you lived in, or visited? Can you name some popular tourist destinations? 3. You may know that apart from the British, the Dutch and the French, the Portuguese have also played a part in the history of our country. Can you say which parts of India show French and Portuguese influences? 4. Can you say which parts of India grow (i) tea, (ii) coffee? I A Baker from Goa This is a pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker who still has an important place in his society. OUR elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically reminiscing about those good old Portuguese days, the Portuguese nostalgically and their famous loaves of bread. Those eaters of loaves thinking fondly of the past 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 heralding in the morning, can still be heard in some places. announcing 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. During our childhood in Goa, the baker used to be our friend, companion and guide. He used to come at least twice a day. Once, when he set out in the morning on his selling round, and then again, when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke us up from sleep and we ran to meet and greet him. Why was it so? Was it for the love of the loaf? Not at all. The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the house! What we longed for were those bread-bangles which we chose carefully. Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make. The baker made his musical entry on the scene First Flight with the ‘jhang, jhang’ sound of his specially made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head and the other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with “Good morning” and then place his basket on the 86 vertical bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered rebuke to the servant. But we would not give up. We would an expression of climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the disapproval; a scolding basket, somehow. I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and fragrance the bangles for the children. Then we did not even scent care to brush our teeth or wash our mouths properly. And why should we? Who would take the trouble of plucking the mango-leaf for the toothbrush? And why was it necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all! Oral Comprehension Check 1. What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about? 2. Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know? 3. What is the baker called? 4. When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him?  Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol, just as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter’s engagement. Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker’s furnace in the village is absolutely essential. The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the kabai. It was a single- piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In our childhood we saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader! The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded 87 on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and plump physique his family never starved. He, his family and his pleasantly fat body servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their open testimony plump physique was an open testimony to this. Even public statement today any person with a jackfruit-like physical about a character or appearance is easily compared to a baker. quality Glimpses of India Oral Comprehension Check 1. Match the following. What is a must (i) as marriage gifts? – cakes and bolinhas (ii) for a party or a feast? – sweet bread called bol (iii) for a daughter’s engagement? – bread (iv) for Christmas? – sandwiches 2. What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was young? 3. Who invites the comment — “he is dressed like a pader”? Why? 4. Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded? 5. What does a ‘jackfruit -like appearance’ mean?  1. Which of these statements are correct? (i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times. (ii) Paders still exist in Goan villages. (iii) The paders went away with the Portuguese. (iv) The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock. (v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days. (vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business. (vii) Paders and their families starve in the present times. 2. Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this? 3. Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following? (i) The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker’s bamboo can still be heard in some places. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad) (ii) Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. (nostalgic, hopeful, sad) (iii) I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. (nostalgic, hopeful, First Flight naughty) (iv) The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all. (naughty, angry, funny) (v) Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. (sad, hopeful, matter-of-fact) 88 (vi) The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous. (matter-of-fact, hopeful, sad) I. In this extract, the author talks about traditional bread-baking during his childhood days. Complete the following table with the help of the clues on the left. Then write a paragraph about the author's childhood days. Clues Author’s childhood days the way bread was baked the way the pader sold bread what the pader wore when the pader was paid how the pader looked  II. 1. Compare the piece from the text (on the left below) with the other piece on Goan bakers (on the right). What makes the two texts so different? Are the facts the same? Do both writers give you a picture of the baker? Our elders are often heard After Goa’s liberation, people used reminiscing nostalgically about to say nostalgically that the those good old Portuguese days, Portuguese bread vanished with the Portuguese and their famous the paders. But the paders have loaves of bread. Those eaters of managed to survive because they loaves might have vanished but have perfected the art of door-to- the makers are still there. We still door delivery service. The paders have amongst us the mixers, the pick up the knowledge of bread- moulders and those who bake the making from traditions in the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested family. The leavened, oven-baked furnaces still exist. The fire in the bread is a gift of the Portuguese furnaces had not yet been to India. extinguished. The thud and the [Adapted from Nandakumar jingle of the traditional baker’s Kamat’s ‘The Unsung Lives of Goan bamboo, heralding his arrival in Paders’] the morning, can still be heard in some places. May be the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession. 89 2. Now find a travel brochure about a place you have visited. Look at the description in the brochure. Then write your own account, adding details from your own experience, to give the reader a picture of the place, rather than an impersonal, factual description. Glimpses of India 1. In groups, collect information on how bakeries bake bread now and how the process has changed over time. 2. There are a number of craft-based professions which are dying out. Pick one of the crafts below. Make a group presentation to the class about the skills required, and the possible reasons for the decline of the craft. Can you think of ways to revive these crafts? (i) Pottery (v) Carpentry (ii) Batik work (vi) Bamboo weaving (iii) Dhurri (rug) weaving (vii) Making jute products (iv) Embroidery (viii) Handloom  II Coorg Coorg is coffee country, famous for its rainforests and spices. MIDWAY between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore sits a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of god. This land of rolling drifted from hills is inhabited by a proud race of martial men, been carried along gently by air beautiful women and wild creatures. Coorg, or Kodagu, the smallest district of martial having to do with Karnataka, is home to evergreen rainforests, spices war and coffee plantations. Evergreen rainforests cover thirty per cent of this district. During the monsoons, it pours enough to keep many visitors away. The season of joy commences from September and continues till March. The weather is perfect, with First Flight some showers thrown in for good measure. The air breathes of invigorating canopies coffee. Coffee estates and roof-like coverings colonial bungalows stand that form shelters 90 tucked under tree canopies prime in prime corners. here, best The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. As one story goes, a part of Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled here when return became impractical. These people married amongst the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The theory of mainstream Arab origin draws support a tradition which Traditional Coorgi dress most people follow from the long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt worn by the Kodavus. tales of valour Known as kuppia, it resembles the kuffia worn by stories of courage and bravery, usually the Arabs and the Kurds. in war Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and most decorated they are more than willing to recount numerous having received the tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. maximum number The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in of awards for the Indian Army, and the first Chief of the Indian bravery in war Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now, laidback Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to relaxed; not in a hurry carry firearms without a licence. rafting The river, Kaveri, obtains its water from the hills travelling in a river and forests of Coorg. Mahaseer — a large freshwater in a raft ( a floating fish — abound in these waters. Kingfishers dive for platform made by tying planks their catch, while squirrels and langurs drop together) partially eaten fruit for the mischief of enjoying the splash and the ripple effect in the clear water. canoeing travelling in a river Elephants enjoy being bathed and scrubbed in the in a canoe (a large, river by their mahouts. narrow boat) The most laidback individuals become converts rappelling to the life of high-energy adventure with river rafting, going down a cliff by 91 canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain sliding down a rope Glimpses of India Basket-seller from Coorg  biking. Numerous walking trails in this region are trails a favourite with trekkers. paths created by walking Birds, bees and butterflies are there to give you company. Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy. I do, however, prefer to step aside for wild elephants. The climb to the Brahmagiri hills brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape panoramic view of Coorg. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the a view of a wide area of land sixty-four-acre island of Nisargadhama. Running into Buddhist monks from India’s largest Tibetan settlement, at nearby Bylakuppe, is a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre and yellow robes, are amongst the many surprises that wait to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart and soul of India, right here in Coorg. First Flight FACT FILE How to Reach Madikeri, the district headquarters, is the only gateway to Coorg. The misty hills, lush forests and coffee plantations will cast a spell on you. Find a resort, coffee estate or stay in a home for a truly Coorgi experience. 92 By Air: The nearest airports are Mangalore (135 km) and Bangalore (260 km). There are flights to Mangalore from Mumbai, and to Bangalore from Ahmedabad, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. By Rail: The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore and Hassan. By Road: There are two routes to Coorg from Bangalore. Both are almost the same distance (around 250-260 km). The route via Mysore is the most frequented one. The other route is via Neelamangal, Kunigal, Chanrayanapatna. 1. Where is Coorg? 2. What is the story about the Kodavu people’s descent? 3. What are some of the things you now know about (i) the people of Coorg? (ii) the main crop of Coorg? (iii) the sports it offers to tourists?  (iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg? (v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there? 4. Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (Look in the paragraphs indicated) (i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. (para 2) (ii) Some people say that Alexander’s army moved south along the coast and settled there. (para 3) (iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons’ and fathers’ valour. (para 4) (iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. (para 6) (v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. (para 3) (vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. (para 7) Collocations Certain words ‘go together’. Such ‘word friends’ are called collocations. The collocation of a word is ‘the company it keeps’. 93 For example, look at the paired sentences and phrases below. Which is a common collocation, and which one is odd? Strike out the odd sentence or phrase. (a) ‘How old are you?’ (b) a pleasant person ‘How young are you?’ a pleasant pillow 1. Here are some nouns from the text. culture monks surprise experience weather tradition Glimpses of India Work with a partner and discuss which of the nouns can collocate with which of the adjectives given below. The first one has been done for you. unique terrible unforgettable serious ancient wide sudden (i) culture: unique culture, ancient culture (ii) monks: (iii) surprise: (iv) experience: (v) weather: (vi) tradition  2. Complete the following phrases from the text. For each phrase, can you find at least one other word that would fit into the blank? (i) tales of (ii) coastal (iii) a piece of (iv) evergreen (v) plantations (vi) bridge (vii) wild You may add your own examples to this list. III Tea from Assam Pranjol, a youngster from Assam, is Rajvir’s classmate at school in Delhi. Pranjol’s father is the manager of a tea-garden in Upper First Flight Assam and Pranjol has invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. “CHAI-GARAM... garam-chai,” a vendor called out in a high-pitched voice. 94 He came up to their window and asked,”Chai, sa’ab?” “Give us two cups,” Pranjol said. They sipped the steaming hot liquid. Almost everyone in their compartment was drinking tea too. “Do you know that over eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world?” Rajvir said. “Whew!” exclaimed Pranjol. “Tea really is very popular.” The train pulled out of the station. Pranjol buried his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir too was an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he was keener on looking at the beautiful scenery. It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before. Then the soft green paddy fields gave way to tea bushes. It was a magnificent view. Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as the eye could see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall sturdy shade-trees and amidst the orderly rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures. In the distance was an ugly building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys. “Hey, a tea garden!” Rajvir cried excitedly. Pranjol, who had been born and brought up on a plantation, didn’t share Rajvir’s excitement. “Oh, this is tea country now,” he said. “Assam has the largest concentration of plantations in the world. You will see enough gardens to last you a lifetime!” “I have been reading as much as I could about tea,” Rajvir said. “No one really knows who discovered tea but there are many legends.” “What legends?” “Well, there’s the one about the Chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves.” “Tell me another!” scoffed Pranjol. “We have an Indian legend too. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants 95 when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep. “Tea was first drunk in China,” Rajvir added, “as far back as 2700 B.C.! In fact words such as tea, ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage.” The train clattered into Mariani junction. The Glimpses of India boys collected their luggage and pushed their way to the crowded platform. Pranjol’s parents were waiting for them. Soon they were driving towards Dhekiabari, the tea-garden managed by Pranjol’s father. An hour later the car veered sharply off the main road. They crossed a cattle-bridge and entered Dhekiabari Tea Estate. On both sides of the gravel-road were acre upon acre of tea bushes, all neatly pruned to the same height. Groups of tea-pluckers, with bamboo baskets on their backs, wearing plastic aprons, were plucking the newly sprouted leaves.  Pranjol’s father slowed down to allow a tractor, pulling a trailer-load of tea leaves, to pass. “This is the second-flush or sprouting period, isn’t it, Mr Barua?” Rajvir asked. “It lasts from May to July and yields the best tea.” “You seem to have done your homework before coming,” Pranjol’s father said in surprise. “Yes, Mr Barua,” Rajvir admitted. “But I hope to learn much more while I’m here.” I. 1. Look at these words: upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb (keep, pour, go, drop, walk) and an adverb or a particle (up, down, under, out, in). Use these words appropriately in the sentences below. You may consult First Flight a dictionary. (i) A heavy has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. (ii) Rakesh will major surgery tomorrow morning. (iii) My brother is responsible for the of our family property. 96 (iv) The rate for this accountancy course is very high. (v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a interview. 2. Now fill in the blanks in the sentences given below by combining the verb given in brackets with one of the words from the box as appropriate. over by through out up down (i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to the Government. (throw) (ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major in cancer research. (break) (iii) The State Government plans to build a for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass) (iv) Gautama’s on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look) (v) Rakesh seemed unusually after the game. (cast)  II. Notice how these -ing and -ed adjectives are used. (a) Chess is an interesting game. I am very interested in chess. (b) Going trekking in the Himalayas We are very excited about the this summer is an exciting idea. trek. (c) Are all your school books this He was bored as he had no boring? friends there. The -ing adjectives show the qualities that chess, trekking, or these books have: they cause interest, excitement, or boredom in you. The —ed/—en adjectives show your mental state, or your physical state: how you feel in response to ideas, events or things. 1. Think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer the following questions. You may also use words from those given above. How would you describe (i) a good detective serial on television? (ii) a debate on your favourite topic ‘Homework Should Be Banned’? (iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? (iv) how you feel when you open a present? 97 (v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? (vi) the look on your mother’s face as you waited in a queue? (vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? (viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? Glimpses of India 2. Now use the adjectives in the exercise above, as appropriate, to write a paragraph about Coorg. 1. Read the following passage about tea. India and tea are so intertwined together that life without the brew is unimaginable. Tea entered our life only in the mid-nineteenth century when the British started plantations in Assam and Darjeeling! In the beginning though, Indians shunned the drink as they thought it was a poison that led to umpteen diseases. Ironically, tea colonised Britain where it became a part of their social diary and also led to the establishment of numerous tea houses.  Today, scientific research across the world has attempted to establish the beneficial qualities of tea — a fact the Japanese and the Chinese knew anyway from ancient times, attributing to it numerous medicinal properties. [Source: ‘History: Tea Anytime’ by Ranjit Biswas from Literary Review, The Hindu, 1 October 2006] Collect information about tea, e.g. its evolution as a drink, its beneficial qualities. You can consult an encyclopedia or visit Internet websites. Then form groups of five and play the following roles: Imagine a meeting of a tea planter, a sales agent, a tea lover (consumer), a physician and a tea-shop owner. Each person in the group has to put forward his/her views about tea. You may use the following words and phrases. I feel... It is important to know... I disagree with you... I think that tea... I would like you to know... I agree with... It is my feeling... I suggest... May I know why you... I am afraid... First Flight 2. You are the sales executive of a famous tea company and you have been asked to draft an advertisement for the product. Draft the advertisement using the information you collected for the role play. You can draw pictures or add photographs and make your advertisement colourful. 98 WHAT WE HAVE DONE Given a picture of three different regions of India, giving an idea of how varied and charming and beautiful our country is. WHAT YOU CAN DO Get your students to arrange an exhibition of photographs of different places in India — good sources are travel articles in Sunday newspapers, or in travel magazines, or in brochures available at travel agents. Ask students to bring in two or three pictures each, accompanied by a short, neatly hand-written write-up on the place shown in the pictures. Arrange them on your classroom walls. Let the students study them. They can then discuss, and later vote on the place they would most like to see.  The Trees Can there be a forest without trees? Where are the trees in this poem, and where do they go? The trees inside are moving out into the forest, the forest that was empty all these days where no bird could sit no insect hide no sun bury its feet in shadow the forest that was empty all these nights will be full of trees by morning. All night the roots work to disengage themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves strain toward the glass small twigs stiff with exertion long-cramped boughs shuffling under the roof like newly discharged patients half-dazed, moving to the clinic doors. I sit inside, doors open to the veranda writing long letters in which I scarcely mention the departure of the forest from the house. The night is fresh, the whole moon shines in a sky still open the smell of leaves and lichen still reaches like a voice into the rooms.  My head is full of whispers which tomorrow will be silent. Listen. The glass is breaking. The trees are stumbling forward into the night. Winds rush to meet them. The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flash now in the crown of the tallest oak. ADRIENNE RICH Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. in 1929. She is the author of nearly twenty volumes of poetry, and has been called a feminist and a radical poet. First Flight to disengage themselves: to separate themselves strain: make efforts to move bough: branch shuffling: moving repeatedly from one position to another 100 lichen: crusty patches or bushy growth on tree trunks/bare ground formed by association of fungus and alga. 1. (i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest. (ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: “… sun bury its feet in shadow…”? What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’? 2. (i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves, and their twigs do? (ii) What does the poet compare their branches to? 3. (i) How does the poet describe the moon: (a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and (b) at its end? What causes this change? (ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it? (iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters? (Could it be that we are often silent about important happenings that are so unexpected that they embarrass us? Think about this again when you answer the next set of questions.) 4. Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean. Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others? (i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ‘imprisoned’, and need to ‘break out’? (ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning? 5. You may read the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ by Gieve Patel (Beehive – Textbook in English for Class IX, NCERT). Compare and contrast it with the poem you have just read. Homophones Can you find the words below that are spelt 101 similarly, and sometimes even pronounced similarly, but have very different meanings? Check their pronunciation and meaning in a dictionary. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes. The insurance was invalid for the invalid. The Trees