Glimpses of India

Lucio Rodrigues reminisces about the nostalgic childhood days in Goa when Portuguese rulers may have departed, but their quintessential culinary art—bread-making—remained an indispensable part of Goan life.

1.1 The Ubiquitous Baker ('Pader'):

The eaters of loaves might have vanished, but the makers are still very much alive. The age-old time-tested furnaces still burn, and the musical 'thud and jingle' of the traditional bamboo staff ('jhāng, jhāng') can still be heard in the morning. In Goan villages, the baker was not just a merchant; he was a friend, companion, and guide.

1.2 Bread in the Goan Social Fabric:

1.3 Attire and Prosperity:

In the old days, bakers wore a peculiar single-piece long frock down to the knees known as 'Kabai'. Later, they wore shirts and trousers shorter than full-length and longer than half-pants. Baking was a highly profitable profession: accounts were recorded on walls with pencil and settled monthly. A baker and his family never starved, and their plump, round physical appearance was affectionately compared to a 'jackfruit-like appearance'.

Dr. Lokesh Abrol introduces Coorg (Kodagu), the smallest district of Karnataka, described as a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of God, nestled midway between Mysore and coastal Mangalore.

2.1 Landscape and Ecology:

Coorg is a land of rolling hills carpeted with evergreen rainforests that cover over thirty percent of the district. During monsoons, downpours keep tourists away, but the season of joy commences in September and continues until March. The air invigorates visitors with the heady aroma of freshly brewed coffee, surrounded by coffee estates and colonial bungalows.

2.2 River Kaveri and Wildlife:

The sacred river Kaveri derives its water from the hills and forests of Coorg. It teems with Mahseer (a large freshwater fish). Kingfishers dive for catch, while langurs and macaques drop partially eaten fruit into the clear ripples. Elephants enjoy being bathed and scrubbed in the river by their mahouts.

The fiercely independent people of Coorg are legendary for their martial valour, hospitality, and distinctive ancestry.

3.1 Theories of Descent:

3.2 National Honour and Firearms Privilege:

The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army. General Cariappa, the first Chief of the Indian Army, was a proud Coorgi. To this day, the Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.

Arup Kumar Datta takes readers aboard an express train carrying classmates Rajvir and Pranjol into upper Assam, the tea capital of the world.

4.1 The Train Journey and Staggering Statistics:

While Pranjol, who was born and raised on an estate, buried his nose in a detective book, Rajvir was mesmerized by the scenery: soft green paddy fields giving way to endless tea bushes stretching as far as the eye could see like a green sea against a dense wooded backdrop. Rajvir shared a staggering statistic: over eighty crore (800 million) cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world!

4.2 The Tea Gardens and Doll-Like Pluckers:

Amidst neatly pruned tea bushes stood orderly rows of tall shade trees. In the distance, groups of tea-pluckers wearing plastic aprons and carrying bamboo baskets on their backs deftly plucked the tender new orange-pekoe leaves with rapid, doll-like grace.

As they neared their destination, Rajvir narrated the two legendary origins of the world's most popular beverage.

5.1 The Two Legends of Tea's Origin:

5.2 Arrival at Dhekiabari and the Second Flush:

They arrived at Dhekiabari Tea Estate, managed by Pranjol's father, Mr. Barua. Rajvir impressed Mr. Barua by noting that it was the second-flush or sprouting period (May to July), which yields the best and most fragrant tea in the world. Mr. Barua remarked in delight that Rajvir had clearly done extensive homework before visiting.