SUMMARY IN ENGLISH
I. A BAKER FROM GOA
This is a pen-portrait of a traditional Goan village baker who still has an important place in his soicety. This story is only a reminiscence of the childhood life of the narrator. He is reminded of the Bakers of Goa who used to prepare breads for them. These bakers were expert in their profession. The children were fond of their breads. The different types of bread prepared by the bakers were liked by different age groups e.g. the elders liked bread while the younger liked the bangles. The arrival of the bakers was marked by the jhang-jhang sound of their bamboo sticks which used to attract all the children in the family. The children would climb on the railing or on the bench to peep into the basket of the baker. The narrator still remembers the fragrance of the loaves. He also remembers that the sight of bread used to make them so mad they would skip brushing and start eating the bread straightway. They used to think that the hot tea would work as a mouthwash for them. The narrator tells us in this story about the importance of the bakers in marriages and festivals. Then he tells us about the special outfit of the bakers. The bakers at that time used to be very rich and their plump body used to reflect this fact.
II. COORG
It is coffee country, famous for its rainforests and spices. Coorg is a small village in Karnataka. It is situated between Mysore and Mangalore. It rains heavily here during the monsoons. The inhabitants are the descendants of Greek or Arabic people. Their long coat named kuppia resembles the kuffia worn by the
Arabs and the Kurds. They are very brave and always keep firearms with them. Kurds are very hospitable. They are fond of telling stories of the bravery of their forefathers. The natural beauty of this place attracts the people very much. Even a laidback person turns into an enthusiastic youth after coming here. The visitors can see the different kinds of plantation and the animals and birds. One can see the Bodh Monks in red, ochre and yellow clothes easily. In all, the heart and soul of India resides here.
III. TEA FROM ASSAM
Pranjol, a youngster from Assam, is Rajvir’s classmate at a school in Delhi. Pranjol’s father is the manager of a tea-garden in Upper Assam and Pranjol has invited Rajvir to visit his home during the summer vacation. Pranjol and Rajvir are two youngesters. They are classmates at New Delhi. Pranjol is from Assam where his father is the manager of a Tea Garden. He has invited Rajvir to his home in the summer vacation. Pranjol and Rajvir leave for Assam. They are travelling in a train. Pranjol is accustomed to the place but for Rajvir, it is a quite new landscape. Rajvir feels excited at the sight of the large tea-gardens. He is almost captivated by the sigths of the place. Rajvir has studied a lot about tea before coming to this place. He knows a lot about tea: right from the legends to various facts about the consumption of tea in the world. They reach the Mariani Junction where they got off the train. They are received there by Pranjol’s parents. Then they reach Pranjol’s home after an hour of journey by raod.