Glimpses of India Summary

A Baker From Goa summary 

The story takes us back to the time when the Portuguese ruled Goa. He was very famous for his bread. The narrator often finds his elders thinking of 'those good old days' and tells them that the famous bread is before the time when the Portuguese ruled Goa. They consider the past and tell them that although the Portuguese have left Goa, the roti roti still exists, if not originals, their legacy being continued by their sons. Bakers are still referred to as 'padders'. Everything about baking is still the same; From those who mold bread loaves, to furnaces that have survived the cracks of time. The sound of his arrival and the beat of his bamboo stick can still be heard as in the old times.

The narrator recalls that Baker worked as his friend and companion in Goa during his childhood days. Baker used to come twice a day; Once, while he was in the habit of selling his loaves and another time, selling all the loaves, returning with his empty basket. It was the sound of his bamboo stick that woke the children up. The children were very excited to meet them and were choosing from bread bangles or kankon made especially for them. While the bangles were for children, the rotis were for adults which were usually collected by the house maid.

Baker often made a musical entry with his bamboo stick. One of his hands supported the basket on his head while the other slammed the bamboo into the ground. He would go from house to house greeting women before handing them the loaves. The parents scolded the children and made them stand apart. But eager as they were, they climbed on a bench or wall to peep into the basket. He did not even bother to brush his teeth before placing those bread bangles as he found it unnecessary to use mango leaves from the branches to brush his teeth. They considered brushing unnecessary because hot tea could easily wash their face and they felt that animals like tigers never washed their teeth.

Roti is an important part of Goan culture and it is evident from its presence on every important occasion. From sweet breads at weddings to sandwiches at engagement parties and cakes and coconut cookies on Christmas as well as other occasions, the presence of a baker in every village makes it very essential.

Bakers were known that they wore knee-length frock-long dresses, commonly known as 'kabai'. In the narrator's childhood days, he saw her wearing shirts and pants, which were shorter in length than normal ones. It was so much a part of his identity that even if someone wears the length of that trouser, he is said to have dressed like a baker, or was said to be old-fashioned.

Baker had a way of making monthly records of bills on the wall using pencils and then collecting money at the end of the month. Baking has always been a profitable profession. Baker's family and workers have always been happy and happy. The baker was usually obese which was proof that he had a lot to eat and, therefore, was a proof of his prosperity. Even to this day, a person with a well-built body is compared to a baker.

Coorg summary 

Coorg, a place that is so beautiful that it seems as if a piece of heaven has moved away from the kingdom of God and settled on the earth. It is somewhere between Mysore and Mangalore. It is a region of low hills of uneven elevation. The men are brave warriors, the women of Coorg are beautiful. There are also different types of wild animals in the place.

Also known as Kodagu, it is one of the smallest districts in Karnataka. 30% of the Coorg region is covered with evergreen rainforests and the place receives rainfall for most part of the year, especially during the monsoon season. The period from September to March is ideal for visiting Coorg. The weather is pleasant and there is some rain which makes it worthwhile. The air is filled with the strong aroma of coffee due to the abundant coffee plantations.

The people of Coorg are believed to be of Greek or Arabic background and are generally cruel. This theory came into existence because of his dressing style. He is usually seen wearing a long and dark coat with an embroidered waist belt known as Kuppiya. Kuppia is similar to Kafiya worn by Arabs and Kurds. It is also rumored that some of Alexander's army were unable to return to their homeland and, therefore, settled here while returning from the south. The people of Coorg marry each other and their cultures as well as customs are very different from those practiced by Hindus.

People are very welcoming and warm in nature. They are always ready to entertain themselves with stories of their ancestors. He is known as independent, cruel and brave, which is evident from the fact that the Coorg Regiment has received maximum number of awards for bravery in the Indian Army. The first chief of the Indian Army named General Kariyappa was from Coorg. Furthermore, these are the only people allowed to carry firearms independently unlike others who need a license. This suggests that the Coorgis are also reliable.

The evergreen forests and hills of Coorg provide water to the Kaveri River, a major river in South India. A large freshwater fish called Maserrer is found in these waters and is seen by birds. Squirrels and langurs throw in half-water fruits and play in these waters while elephants enjoy bathing in it.

Tourists traveling to Coorg are also attracted to various adventure sports activities like river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain climbing to relax in the natural beauty of the place. Various avenues are made by the hikers walking in the hills who trek there.

While taking a walk in their area, one can find different types of animals around them. Birds, bees and butterflies fly around you, while squirrels and langurs keep an eye on you from the trees. Wild elephants can also be found in Coorg.

To see the beautiful city of Coorg, one must climb the Brahmagiri hills. Coorg is surrounded by amazing places of beauty like Nisargadhama and Byalkuppe Island which is the largest Tibetan settlement in India. Monks wearing red, orange and yellow costumes can also be seen in Coorg district where their lifestyle is attractive to travelers. A mixture of diverse cultures can be seen here which represent the heart and soul of India.

Tea from Assam summary 

The scene is set at a train station where a tea seller asks two friends if they want to buy some fresh bunny hot tea. They decide that two cups of tea have to be included in almost all of their cans. With this, Pranjol highlighted the fact that "around eighty million cups of tea are drunk everyday around the world" while Rajveer is surprised to hear this. Actually, tea is a popular drink worldwide.

As the train started moving, Pranjol got busy reading his detective book. Both friends were huge fans of detective books, but Rajveer liked to see the natural beauty at this time. There was greenery all around, something that Rajveer had never seen before. After the green paddy fields, came the tea gardens. As far as he was able to see, only the tea bushes were so visible that the narrators compared it to the 'sea' of the tea bushes. In the background, there were thick forested hills. In the middle of the tea plantations there were ordered rows of tall and strong trees which were shaking due to the wind. It was a wonderful view.

As the train was moving, the next Rajveer noticed that there was an ugly looking building from which smoke was coming out. It was a tea garden! Rajveer got excited but Pranjol who had seen all this in childhood did not match the level of excitement of his friend. Pranjol tells them that they have entered Assam, which is known as 'Chai Desh'. The state has the highest number of tea gardens in the world.

Before visiting the country of tea, Rajveer read a lot about tea and how it came to be known. There were many theories and one of them was about the Chinese emperor who had a habit of drinking boiled water. Once while he was boiling the water, a few leaves fell into it and tasted it delicious. Those leaves are said to have been tea leaves.

When asked by Pranjol, Rajveer told another story about an Indian legend called Bodhidharma. He was a Buddhist monk who had cut his eyelashes because he felt sleepy while meditating. Eventually, the tea plants came out of her eyelids which helped to relieve sleepiness by eating after boiling with water. In addition, Rajveer threw light on some facts that stated that tea dates back to 2700 BC. And was first consumed in China. All such words like i Chi and have Chinese originated from Chinese language. Tea was introduced much later in Europe - in the sixteenth century where it was considered to have medicinal properties.

The train was halted and the boys reached their destination where they collected their luggage and boarded the train only to find a platform that was too crowded. Pranjol's parents came to receive him. After about an hour, they reached the tea garden of Dhekiyabari, Pranjol and made their way through a cattle-bridge.

His tea plantation was spread over a vast area of ​​land. All the bushes were cut at the same height and taken care of. On the fields, tea bags were seen wearing an apron and carrying bamboo baskets to dip freshly sprouted leaves.

On the way to the fields, Pranjol's father gave way to a tractor which was loaded with tea leaves. In view of this, Rajvir while mentioning his knowledge said that this is the second germination period of the year which lasts from May to July and gives excellent yield. Pranjol's father, who seems impressed, replies that he seems to have done a lot of research before arriving. Pranjol, who was excited to learn more about the amazing drink, showed his intention for the same.