Glimpses of India

Glimpses of India is a
collection of three
beautifully written
narratives that highlight
the rich diversity of
India, its culture and its
many hues. The writers
put before us three
varied regions of India,
each unique, diverse and
well known.
• Written by Lucio Rodrigues,
‘A Baker from Goa’ is a pen
portrait of a traditional Goan
Village baker that still has an
important place in his village.
Goa is the place which has
the varied culture of French,
English and Portuguese. In
this lesson the nostalgic
description of a village baker
gives us a glimpse of the old
days when Portuguese
colonized this area.
• Coorg is a factual narrative,
written by Lokesh Abrol. The
narrative describes this
beautiful land and its many
attractions including its
culture, landscape, crops,
flora and fauna. Coorg lies
midway between Mysore and
Mangalore. The description is
a vivid and engaging account
of this beautiful ‘piece of
heaven’, as the writer
admiringly calls Coorg.
• “Tea from Assam”, written by Arup Kumar
Dutta is an informative story, which revolves
around the tea garden of Assam. Assam
produces the best tea in the world and is a
land of vast tea gardens.
 1. A BAKER FROM GOA
• LUCIO RODRIGUES
• About the author
• Lucio Rodrigues [1916-1973] was a great Konkani
essayist. He wrote several articles in English and
Konkani to various periodicals and magazines. He
served as the visiting professor of Folklore at many
universities and also as a professor of English in
Mumbai and Goa. His essays were posthumously
published under the title ‘Of Soil and Soul’ and
‘Konkani Folk Tales’. Subtle humour and informal
narration are the essential features of his writings.
 Theme of the story
• The writer presents a pen portrait of a
traditional Goan village baker who still has an
important place in its society. Elders still think
fondly of the famous Portuguese loaves of
bread. The family tradition is still carried on
even today by the new generation of bakers or
paders in Goa. Even today, marriage gifts are
meaningless without the sweet bread or the
bol, just as a party or a feast loses its charm
without a Goan bread.
 2. Coorg
• Lokesh Abrol
• About the Author
• Lokesh Abrol is a renowned doctor by profession. He
established first multi-speciality hospital in the
private sector in Gurgaon. He is also a social worker.
He established the first stray cow shelter in Gurgaon.
He is also an established writer. This essay on ‘Coorg’
highlights his sharp observation and the ability for
graphic description of the wonderful land that is
called ‘Coorg’.
 Theme for this narrative
• The second account is an exploration of Coorg
– a region in Karnataka. The account is
informative and proudly describes the
splendor of the region. It presents to the
reader Coorg and its many interesting
aspects. The writer also traces the ancestry of
the Coorgies and presents to the reader in
depth the study of this region which he fondly
calls ‘a piece of heaven’. Coorg is also known
by the name Kodagu and the people of
kadagu are known as kodavus or coorgis. They
are known for their bravery and hospitality.
 3. Tea from Assam
• Arup Kumar Datta
• About the Author
• Arup kumar Datta was born in 1946 at Jorhat in
Assam. He was educated at Sanawar and at
Delhi University. He served as a professor in
English for many years at JB College, Jorhat. His
published works ‘The Adventure stories’ [1978]
‘The Brahmaputra’ [2001] have been translated
into many foreign languages.
 Theme of the story
• In ‘Tea from Assam’, Arup Kumar Datta
describes how popular tea has become as a
beverage in the world. Over 80 crore cups
of tea are drunk everyday throughout the
world. It shows the increasing popularity of
tea. The lesson gives a graphic description
of the sea of tea bushes stretching as far as
eyes can go in Assam. The plucking of the
newly sprouted leaves by groups of tea-
pluckers with bamboo baskets on their
backs are vividly described in the lesson.
This narrative recounts many legends
associated with tea.
 Title Justification
• The title ‘Glimpses of India’ is justified as the three
pieces of writing highlight the rich diversity of India. The
first account describes the special place of a baker in the
life of the Goan people. The second account proudly
describes the splendour of the region-Coorg and its
various aspects with great admiration. Tea from Assam is
a story which revolves around the world famous tea that
Assam produces. It also describes the legends and
practices associated with tea. This chapter conveys a
strong message of amazing diversity of India...though far
away from each other, the three regions give a good idea
of how varied yet unique are the three regions in their
importance, culture and landscape.
 Extra Questions to write
• Write the character sketch of Rajiv and Pranjol, The people of Coorg.
• What are the different legends related to Tea?
• Why was Pranjol’s father impressed with Rajvir’s knowledge about tea?
• Describe the largest Buddhist settlement in Coorg.
• How has the tradition of courage and bravery been recognised in
modern India?
• Why does the author call Coorg a ‘piece of heaven’ that must have
drifted from the kingdom of God? Or Describe the physical and
geographical features of Coorg.
• Baking was a profitable profession in the old days in Goa. Prove it by
giving examples from the text.
• Give a pen-portrait of the baker or the pader highlighting the changes
that came in his fortune and dress with the passage of time.
• Why did the children run to meet and greet the baker or bread seller?
Describe their behaviour when the baker used to push them aside with
a mild rebuke.