Class 10 - English (Lit.) First Flight - Glimpses of India - A Baker From Goa (Summary)
A Very Short Summary
This is a Goa baker's pen portrait. Lucio Rodrigues discusses the Portuguese influence on bread-making and how the tradition is still alive and well today. The baker is a vital member of the community because bread and other baked goods are essential. Its variety is essential at various times. The baker would do his job. All the youngsters would come to the narrator's residence twice a day competition for a glimpse of the breads in his basket The customary attire worn by a some of the things that baker wears and the fact that he is known as a pader are some of the things that you should know about him. The narrator tells us some interesting topics through this pen drawing.
Detailed Summary
This section of the chapter features a pen-portrait of a typical Goan village baker, or 'Pader,' who continues to play an essential role in Goan culture. The Portuguese were famed in Goa for their bread loaves in the past. Although the Portuguese departed Goa a long time ago, traditional bakers and their furnaces (a baking equipment) remain. Mixers, moulders, and bakers all still exist and are still doing their jobs. In some regions, the sound of the baker's bamboo in the morning may still be heard. In Goa, these bakers are still known as pader.
The narrator remembers his boyhood in Goa, when the baker served as their companion, guide, and friend. He paid them two visits per day. He came twice, once in the morning while selling his bread and once in the evening when he had sold all of his bread. The baker used to appear with a bamboo stick jingling sound that roused everyone up. The children ran to meet the baker and grab the bread bangles, which were occasionally fashioned of sweet bread, as soon as they heard the sound.
The baker used to carry a bamboo stick and a bread basket on his head. His one hand held the basket as his other slammed the bamboo stick against the ground. The baker would greet the lady of the house and place his basket on the stick as he arrived. The loaves would be brought to the maid servant while the youngsters were moved aside. Despite this, the kids discovered a method to peek into the basket. The author recalls the bread's wonderful aroma and the fact that they didn't even brush their teeth before eating anything.
During those times in Goa, having a baker on hand was crucial. The sweet bread known as bol was an essential part of any wedding or event. The lady of the house made sandwiches for her daughter's engagement party. Christmas and other occasions necessitated the consumption of cakes and bolinhas.
In Goa, the baker wore a unique outfit known as Kabai. It was a long, single-piece gown that came down to his knees. Bakers wore shirts that were shorter than full-length and longer than half-pants when the narrator was a child. Even today, in Goa, anyone seen wearing half-pants on the streets is referred to as a pader. The baker used to keep track of his monthly accounts in pencil on a wall and pay his invoices at the end of the month.
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