Summary of A baker from Goa NCERT class 10
About the author: Professor Lucio Rodrigues is a literary genius from Goa and has profound impact on his student’s life.
Portuguese: Portuguese invaded Goa in 1510 defeating the then sultanate and their rule lasted for about 450 years and that is why Goan culture and cuisine is heavily influenced from them.
Introduction to A Baker from Goa: Narrative is a Pen – Portrait of traditional Goan village baker who still has an important place in the society. In Goa even now there are traditional mixers, moulders and age - old time furnaces. These bakers are even today known as pader in Goa.
SUMMARY
During author’s childhood in Goa, the baker was their friend and his jingling thud of his bamboo stick woke them up from sleep as they ran to meet him because they longed for bread bangles which they loved. The baker made a special musical entry where his one hand supported the basket on his head and other banged the bamboo on the ground. The baker had loaves for the elders and bread bangles for the children. The children did not even bother brushing their teeth or washing their mouths in the excitement of baker’s arrival as they felt that hot tea could wash and clean up anything.
Baker was a very important person as no marriages and festivals could be complete without him. Without the sweet bread ‘bol’ the marriage gifts remained meaningless, without the sandwiches that were to be prepared by the daughter’s mother on her engagement the festivities could not be complete. And without ‘cakes’ and ‘bolinhas’ Christmas could not be celebrated.
The bakers dressed differently, their dress was known as ‘kabai’ which was basically a single – piece long frock reaching down the knees and in the author’s childhood he saw bakers dressed in shirt and trousers which were shorter than full – lengths and longer than half- pants. The family of bakers never starved as they earned well which even reflected in their physique as they were plump and were always happy.