Glimpses Of India

Good morning, dear students! I am so happy to see you all today. Today, we are going to study a very interesting and beautiful chapter from your English textbook. The chapter is called "Glimpses of India" and it is from your Class 10 First Flight book. This chapter gives us wonderful insights into three different parts of our great country — Goa, Coorg, and Assam. Each section paints a different picture of India, showing us how diverse and rich our culture and land are. So sit back, relax, and let me take you on a journey across these beautiful parts of India.

Let us begin with the first section, "A Baker from Goa" written by Lucio Rodrigues. This is a pen-portrait, which means a written picture, of a traditional Goan village baker. The author talks about how bakers, called "pader" in Goa, have been an important part of Goan society for generations.

Now, before we read the passage, there is an activity for you to discuss in class. Let me go through these questions with you.

The first question asks: "What images — of people and of places — come to your mind, when you think of our country?" Think about this for a moment. When we think of India, we might imagine people wearing different clothes, speaking different languages, celebrating different festivals. We might think of big cities like Delhi and Mumbai, or peaceful villages, or mountains in the north, or beaches in the south. India is incredibly diverse, and this chapter will show you three different glimpses of this diversity.

The second question: "What parts of India have you lived in, or visited? Can you name some popular tourist destinations?" Perhaps some of you have visited places like Jaipur, Goa, Shimla, or Kerala. Each place has its own unique charm.

The third question: "You may know that apart from the British, the Dutch and the French, the Portuguese have also played a part in the history of our country. Can you say which parts of India show French and Portuguese influences?" This is a great question about history. The French influence is mainly seen in Pondicherry, which is now called Puducherry. You can see French architecture, churches, and culture there. The Portuguese influence is most visible in Goa, which was a Portuguese colony for about 450 years. That is why the first section talks about Portuguese loaves of bread and the baker's profession in Goa.

The fourth question: "Can you say which parts of India grow (i) tea, (ii) coffee?" Tea is mainly grown in Assam, Darjeeling in West Bengal, and Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu. Coffee is grown in Karnataka, especially in Coorg, which is the second section of our chapter, and also in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Now let us read the passage about the baker from Goa. The author begins by saying that our elders are often heard reminiscing nostalgically about those good old Portuguese days and their famous loaves of bread. The word "nostalgically" means thinking fondly of the past. Our grandparents often talk about how good things were in the past, and they remember the Portuguese bread fondly. The author says that those eaters of loaves might have vanished — meaning the Portuguese people who ate this bread might have left — but the makers are still there. We still have the bakers in Goa who make bread the traditional way. The furnaces where bread is baked are still there, and the fire in those furnaces has not yet been extinguished. The author remembers the sound of the baker's bamboo staff — "thud and jingle" — heralding his arrival in the morning. The word "heralding" means announcing. The baker would announce his arrival with this sound. The author says that maybe the father is not alive, but the son still carries on the family profession. These bakers are known as "pader" in Goa.

During the author's childhood in Goa, the baker used to be their friend, companion, and guide. He used to come at least twice a day — once in the morning when he set out on his selling round, and then again when he returned after emptying his huge basket. The jingling thud of his bamboo woke the children up from sleep, and they ran to meet and greet him. But why? Was it for the love of the loaf? The author says "Not at all!" The loaves were bought by some Paskine or Bastine, the maid-servant of the house. What the children really wanted were the bread-bangles — sweet bread made in the shape of bangles. The author says they chose these carefully. Sometimes it was sweet bread of special make.

The baker made his musical entry with the "jhang, jhang" sound of his specially made bamboo staff. One hand supported the basket on his head, and the other banged the bamboo on the ground. He would greet the lady of the house with "Good morning" and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo. The children would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke — "rebuke" means an expression of disapproval or scolding — and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But the children would not give up. They would climb a bench or the parapet and peep into the basket somehow. The author can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves. Loaves for the elders and the bangles for the children. Then they did not even care to brush their teeth or wash their mouths properly. And why should they? Who would take the trouble of plucking the mango-leaf for the toothbrush? And why was it necessary at all? The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all! This shows how children were in those days — carefree and not too worried about hygiene. The author is being slightly naughty here, making a funny excuse.

Now let us answer the Oral Comprehension Check questions for this part.

Question 1: What are the elders in Goa nostalgic about? The elders in Goa are nostalgic about the good old Portuguese days and the famous loaves of bread that the Portuguese brought to Goa.

Question 2: Is bread-making still popular in Goa? How do you know? Yes, bread-making is still popular in Goa. The author tells us that "We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves. Those age-old, time-tested furnaces still exist. The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished."

Question 3: What is the baker called? The baker is called "pader" in Goa.

Question 4: When would the baker come everyday? Why did the children run to meet him? The baker would come at least twice a day — once in the morning and once when he returned after selling his bread. The children ran to meet him because they wanted the bread-bangles, which were sweet bread made in the shape of bangles. They were not interested in the regular loaves meant for the elders.

Now, the passage continues. It talks about how important the baker is in Goan society. Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the "bol." Just as a party or a feast loses its charm without bread. Not enough can be said to show how important a baker can be for a village. The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches on the occasion of her daughter's engagement. Cakes and "bolinhas" are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals. Thus, the presence of the baker's furnace in the village is absolutely essential.

Now let me explain what "bol" and "bolinhas" are. "Bol" is a sweet bread that is an essential part of marriage gifts in Goa. "Bolinhas" are small sweet cakes, also made by the baker. These are especially important during Christmas and other festivals.

The baker or bread-seller of those days had a peculiar dress known as the "kabai." It was a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. In the author's childhood, they saw bakers wearing a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. Even today, anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites the comment that he is dressed like a pader!

The baker usually collected his bills at the end of the month. Monthly accounts used to be recorded on some wall in pencil. Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days. The baker and his family never starved. He, his family and his servants always looked happy and prosperous. Their plump physique was an open testimony to this. "Plump physique" means a pleasantly fat body, and "open testimony" means a public statement about a character or quality. So the baker's fat and healthy appearance was proof that he was doing well financially. Even today any person with a jackfruit-like physical appearance is easily compared to a baker. A jackfruit is a large, bumpy fruit, so if someone has a bumpy, round body, they are said to look like a baker.

Now let us answer the next set of Oral Comprehension Check questions.

Question 1: Match the following. What is a must: - (i) as marriage gifts? — sweet bread called bol - (ii) for a party or a feast? — bread - (iii) for a daughter's engagement? — sandwiches - (iv) for Christmas? — cakes and bolinhas

So the answers are: (i) sweet bread called bol, (ii) bread, (iii) sandwiches, (iv) cakes and bolinhas.

Question 2: What did the bakers wear: (i) in the Portuguese days? (ii) when the author was young? In the Portuguese days, bakers wore a "kabai" — a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees. When the author was young, bakers wore a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants.

Question 3: Who invites the comment — "he is dressed like a pader"? Why? Anyone who wears a half pant which reaches just below the knees invites this comment, because this is similar to what bakers wore when the author was young.

Question 4: Where were the monthly accounts of the baker recorded? The monthly accounts were recorded on some wall in pencil.

Question 5: What does a 'jackfruit-like appearance' mean? It means a person has a large, round, bumpy body, similar to the appearance of a jackfruit.

Now let us look at the "Thinking about the Text" section for this first passage.

Question 1: Which of these statements are correct? (i) The pader was an important person in the village in old times. — This is CORRECT. The passage shows that the baker was very important in Goan society. (ii) Paders still exist in Goan villages. — This is CORRECT. The author says "We still have amongst us the mixers, the moulders and those who bake the loaves." (iii) The paders went away with the Portuguese. — This is INCORRECT. The author says the makers are still there. (iv) The paders continue to wear a single-piece long frock. — This is INCORRECT. The passage says that in the Portuguese days they wore the kabai, but when the author was young, they wore shirt and trousers. It does not say they continue to wear the frock today. (v) Bread and cakes were an integral part of Goan life in the old days. — This is CORRECT. The passage mentions that bread is essential for marriages, parties, Christmas, and other festivals. (vi) Traditional bread-baking is still a very profitable business. — This is INCORRECT. The passage says "Baking was indeed a profitable profession in the old days." It does not say it is still profitable. (vii) Paders and their families starve in the present times. — This is INCORRECT. The passage says "The baker and his family never starved" in the old days, but it does not say they starve now.

Question 2: Is bread an important part of Goan life? How do you know this? Yes, bread is an important part of Goan life. We know this because the passage tells us that marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread called "bol," a party or feast loses its charm without bread, sandwiches are prepared for daughter's engagement, and cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and other festivals.

Question 3: Tick the right answer. What is the tone of the author when he says the following? (i) "The thud and the jingle of the traditional baker's bamboo can still be heard in some places." — The tone is NOSTALGIC. The author is remembering the past fondly. (ii) "Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession." — The tone is HOPEFUL. The author is hopeful that the tradition continues. (iii) "I still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves." — The tone is NOSTALGIC. The author is remembering the smell of bread from his childhood. (iv) "The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all!" — The tone is FUNNY. The author is making a humorous excuse for not brushing teeth. (v) "Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas as well as other festivals." — The tone is MATTER-OF-FACT. The author is simply stating a fact. (vi) "The baker and his family never starved. They always looked happy and prosperous." — The tone is MATTER-OF-FACT. The author is stating facts about the baker's life.

Now let us look at the Writing section. There are two activities here.

The first writing activity asks us to complete a table with the help of clues about the author's childhood days, and then write a paragraph about the author's childhood days. Let me fill in the table:

| Clues | Author's childhood days | |-------|------------------------| | the way bread was baked | Bread was baked in traditional furnaces using age-old methods | | the way the pader sold bread | The pader sold bread by going from house to house, carrying a basket on his head and using a bamboo staff to announce his arrival | | what the pader wore | The pader wore a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants | | when the pader was paid | The pader was paid at the end of the month | | how the pader looked | The pader had a plump physique and looked happy and prosperous |

Now, let me write a paragraph about the author's childhood days: During the author's childhood in Goa, bread was baked in traditional furnaces using age-old methods that had been passed down through generations. The pader, or baker, would sell bread by going from house to house, carrying a basket on his head and using a bamboo staff to announce his arrival with a jingling sound. The pader wore a shirt and trousers which were shorter than full-length ones and longer than half pants. He would be paid at the end of each month, and his accounts were recorded on a wall in pencil. The pader and his family always looked happy and prosperous, with a plump physique that was a sign of their successful business.

The second writing activity asks us to compare two pieces of text about Goan bakers. The first piece is from our textbook, and the second piece is from an adapted source by Nandakumar Kamat. Let me compare them.

The two texts are different in several ways. The text from our textbook is more nostalgic and personal — the author talks about his own childhood memories of the baker. The text by Nandakumar Kamat is more factual and historical — it talks about how the paders survived after Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule. Both writers give us a picture of the baker, but from different perspectives. The facts are essentially the same — both texts agree that the paders continue to exist and that they learned their craft from family traditions. However, the tone and focus are different.

Now let us look at the Group Discussion activities.

The first discussion topic asks us to collect information on how bakeries bake bread now and how the process has changed over time. You can discuss how modern bakeries use electric ovens instead of traditional furnaces, how bread is now made in factories and distributed to shops instead of being sold door-to-door, and how the quality and variety of bread has changed.

The second discussion topic asks us to pick one of the crafts mentioned and make a group presentation about the skills required and the possible reasons for the decline of the craft, and think of ways to revive these crafts. The crafts include pottery, batik work, dhurri weaving, embroidery, carpentry, bamboo weaving, making jute products, and handloom. You can discuss how these crafts are dying out due to industrialization, lack of demand, and competition from machine-made products. To revive them, we can promote them as eco-friendly products, provide training and support to artisans, and create markets for their products.

Now, students, we have completed the first section, "A Baker from Goa." Let me quickly recap what we learned: We learned about the traditional bakers in Goa, called "pader," who have been an important part of Goan society for generations. We learned about how they sell bread door-to-door, the special bread they make for different occasions, and how the profession has changed over time. Now, let us move on to the second section, "Coorg" written by Lokesh Abrol.

Coorg is coffee country, famous for its rainforests and spices. The author describes Coorg as a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of god. The phrase "drifted from" means been carried along gently by air. Coorg, or Kodagu, is the smallest district of Karnataka. It is home to evergreen rainforests, spices, and coffee plantations. Evergreen rainforests cover thirty per cent of this district. During the monsoons, it pours enough to keep many visitors away. The season of joy commences from September and continues till March. The weather is perfect, with some showers thrown in for good measure. The air breathes of invigorating coffee. Coffee estates and colonial bungalows stand tucked under tree canopies in prime corners. "Canopies" means roof-like coverings that form shelters, and "prime" here means the best.

The fiercely independent people of Coorg are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. As one story goes, a part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled here when return became impractical. These people married amongst the locals and their culture is apparent in the martial traditions, marriage and religious rites, which are distinct from the Hindu mainstream. The word "martial" means having to do with war. The theory of Arab origin draws support from the long, black coat with an embroidered waist-belt worn by the Kodavus. Known as "kuppia," it resembles the "kuffia" worn by the Arabs and the Kurds.

Coorgi homes have a tradition of hospitality, and they are more than willing to recount numerous tales of valour related to their sons and fathers. "Tales of valour" means stories of courage and bravery, usually in war. The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army. "Most decorated" means having received the maximum number of awards for bravery in war. The first Chief of the Indian Army, General Cariappa, was a Coorgi. Even now, Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.

The river Kaveri obtains its water from the hills and forests of Coorg. Mahaseer — a large freshwater fish — abound in these waters. Kingfishers dive for their catch, while squirrels and langurs drop partially eaten fruit for the mischief of enjoying the splash and the ripple effect in the clear water. Elephants enjoy being bathed and scrubbed in the river by their mahouts.

The most laidback individuals become converts to the life of high-energy adventure with river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking. "Laidback" means relaxed; not in a hurry. "Rafting" means travelling in a river in a raft, and "canoeing" means travelling in a river in a canoe. "Rappelling" means going down a cliff by sliding down a rope. Numerous walking trails in this region are a favourite with trekkers. "Trails" means paths created by walking.

Birds, bees and butterflies are there to give you company. Macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs and slender loris keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy. The author says they prefer to step aside for wild elephants.

The climb to the Brahmagiri hills brings you into a panoramic view of the entire misty landscape of Coorg. "Panoramic view" means a view of a wide area of land. A walk across the rope bridge leads to the sixty-four-acre island of Nisargadhama. Running into Buddhist monks from India's largest Tibetan settlement, at nearby Bylakuppe, is a bonus. The monks, in red, ochre and yellow robes, are amongst the many surprises that wait to be discovered by visitors searching for the heart and soul of India, right here in Coorg.

Now let us answer the "Thinking about the Text" questions for Coorg.

Question 1: Where is Coorg? Coorg, or Kodagu, is the smallest district of Karnataka. It sits midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore.

Question 2: What is the story about the Kodavu people's descent? According to one story, a part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled in Coorg when return became impractical. They married amongst the locals, and their culture is apparent in their martial traditions. Another theory suggests Arab origin, supported by the long black coat called "kuppia" that resembles the Arab "kuffia."

Question 3: What are some of the things you now know about: (i) the people of Coorg? The people of Coorg, called Kodavus, are fiercely independent, possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. They have martial traditions and are known for their hospitality. They are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence. (ii) the main crop of Coorg? The main crop of Coorg is coffee. Coorg is famous for its coffee plantations. (iii) the sports it offers to tourists? Coorg offers river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking, and trekking. (iv) the animals you are likely to see in Coorg? You are likely to see elephants, macaques, Malabar squirrels, langurs, slender loris, kingfishers, and mahaseer fish. (v) its distance from Bangalore, and how to get there? Coorg is about 250-260 km from Bangalore. The most frequented route is via Mysore. The nearest airports are Mangalore (135 km) and Bangalore (260 km). The nearest railheads are at Mysore, Mangalore, and Hassan.

Question 4: Here are six sentences with some words in italics. Find phrases from the text that have the same meaning. (i) During monsoons it rains so heavily that tourists do not visit Coorg. The phrase from the text is: "During the monsoons, it pours enough to keep many visitors away." (ii) Some people say that Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled there. The phrase from the text is: "As one story goes, a part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled here." (iii) The Coorg people are always ready to tell stories of their sons' and fathers' valour. The phrase from the text is: "they are more than willing to recount numerous tales of valour." (iv) Even people who normally lead an easy and slow life get smitten by the high-energy adventure sports of Coorg. The phrase from the text is: "The most laidback individuals become converts to the life of high-energy adventure." (v) The theory of the Arab origin is supported by the long coat with embroidered waist-belt they wear. The phrase from the text is: "The theory of Arab origin draws support from." (vi) Macaques, Malabar squirrels observe you carefully from the tree canopy. The phrase from the text is: "keep a watchful eye from the tree canopy."

Now let us look at the "Thinking about Language" section for Coorg. First, we have collocations. Certain words "go together." Such "word friends" are called collocations. The collocation of a word is "the company it keeps."

We are given some nouns from the text: culture, monks, surprise, experience, weather, tradition. We need to match them with adjectives: unique, terrible, unforgettable, serious, ancient, wide, sudden.

Let me fill in the answers: (i) culture: unique culture, ancient culture (ii) monks: serious monks (monks are usually serious people) (iii) surprise: sudden surprise, terrible surprise (iv) experience: unforgettable experience (v) weather: terrible weather (vi) tradition: ancient tradition, unique tradition

Now, the second part of "Thinking about Language" asks us to complete phrases from the text. Let me complete them: (i) tales of valour (ii) coastal town (of Mangalore) (iii) a piece of heaven (iv) evergreen rainforests (v) coffee plantations (vi) rope bridge (vii) wild creatures

Now, students, we have completed the second section, "Coorg." Let me quickly recap what we learned: We learned about Coorg, a beautiful district in Karnataka known for its coffee plantations, rainforests, and adventure sports. We learned about the Kodavu people and their possible Greek or Arabic descent, their martial traditions, and their hospitality. Now, let us move on to the third section, "Tea from Assam" written by Arup Kumar Dutta.

This section begins with a story about two friends, Pranjol from Assam and Rajvir, who is studying 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.

The scene opens on a train. A vendor calls out "CHAI-GARAM... garam-chai" in a high-pitched voice. He comes up to their window and asks, "Chai, sa'ab?" Rajvir asks for two cups. They sip the steaming hot liquid. Almost everyone in their compartment is drinking tea too.

Rajvir says, "Do you know that over eighty crore cups of tea are drunk every day throughout the world?" Pranjol exclaims, "Whew! Tea really is very popular."

The train pulls out of the station. Pranjol buries his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir is also an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he is keener on looking at the beautiful scenery.

It is green, green everywhere. Rajvir has never seen so much greenery before. Then the soft green paddy fields give way to tea bushes.

It is a magnificent view. Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills, a sea of tea bushes stretches as far as the eye can see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants are tall sturdy shade-trees, and amidst the orderly rows of bushes, busily move doll-like figures.

In the distance is an ugly building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys.

Rajvir cries excitedly, "Hey, a tea garden!"

Pranjol, who was born and raised on a plantation, doesn't share Rajvir's excitement. He says, "Oh, this is tea country now. Assam has the largest concentration of plantations in the world. You will see enough gardens to last you a lifetime!"

Rajvir says, "I have been reading as much as I could about tea. No one really knows who discovered tea but there are many legends."

"What legends?" asks Pranjol.

"Well, there's the one about the Chinese emperor who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves."

"Tell me another!" scoffed Pranjol.

"We have an Indian legend too. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep."

"Tea was first drunk in China," Rajvir added, "as far back as 2700 B.C.! In fact words such as tea, 'chai' and 'chini' are from Chinese. Tea came to Europe only in the sixteenth century and was drunk more as medicine than as beverage."

The train clatters into Mariani junction. The boys collect their luggage and push their way to the crowded platform.

Pranjol's parents are waiting for them.

Soon they are driving towards Dhekiabari, the tea-garden managed by Pranjol's father.

An hour later, the car veers sharply off the main road. They cross a cattle-bridge and enter Dhekiabari Tea Estate.

On both sides of the gravel-road are acre upon acre of tea bushes, all neatly pruned to the same height. Groups of tea-pluckers, with bamboo baskets on their backs, wearing plastic aprons, are plucking the newly sprouted leaves.

Pranjol's father slows down to allow a tractor, pulling a trailer-load of tea leaves, to pass.

"This is the second-flush or sprouting period, isn't it, Mr Barua?" Rajvir asked. "It lasts from May to July and yields the best tea."

"You seem to have done your homework before coming," Pranjol's father said in surprise.

"Yes, Mr Barua," Rajvir admitted. "But I hope to learn much more while I'm here."

Now let us look at the "Thinking about Language" section for this passage. There are three parts.

The first part is about word formation. We are given words like upkeep, downpour, undergo, dropout, walk-in. They are built up from a verb and an adverb or particle. We need to use these words in sentences.

(i) A heavy downpour has been forecast due to low pressure in the Bay of Bengal. (ii) Rakesh will undergo major surgery tomorrow morning. (iii) My brother is responsible for the upkeep of our family property. (iv) The dropout rate for this accountancy course is very high. (v) She went to the Enterprise Company to attend a walk-in interview.

The second part asks us to fill in blanks by combining verbs with words from the box: over, by, through, out, up, down.

(i) The Army attempted unsuccessfully to overthrow the Government. (throw + over) (ii) Scientists are on the brink of a major breakthrough in cancer research. (break + through) (iii) The State Government plans to build a bypass for Bhubaneswar to speed up traffic on the main highway. (pass + by) (iv) Gautama's outlook on life changed when he realised that the world is full of sorrow. (look + out) (v) Rakesh seemed unusually cast down after the game. (cast + down)

The third part is about -ing and -ed adjectives. Notice how these adjectives are used. The -ing adjectives show the qualities that something has — they cause a feeling. The -ed/-en adjectives show your mental state or how you feel in response to something.

We need to think of suitable -ing or -ed adjectives to answer questions about how we would describe different situations.

(i) a good detective serial on television? — interesting / interested (ii) a debate on your favourite topic 'Homework Should Be Banned'? — exciting / excited (iii) how you feel when you stay indoors due to incessant rain? — bored (iv) how you feel when you open a present? — excited (v) how you feel when you watch your favourite programme on television? — excited / entertained (vi) the look on your mother's face as you waited in a queue? — worried / anxious (vii) how you feel when tracking a tiger in a tiger reserve forest? — excited / thrilled (viii) the story you have recently read, or a film you have seen? — interesting / exciting

Now, we are asked to use these adjectives to write a paragraph about Coorg. Let me write a sample paragraph: Coorg is an exciting place for adventure lovers. The most laidback individuals become excited about the high-energy adventure sports available there. River rafting and canoeing are exciting activities that attract many tourists. The panoramic view of the misty landscape is breathtaking and creates an unforgettable experience. The weather is pleasant, and the people are welcoming. The culture and traditions of the Kodavus are unique and interesting. Overall, Coorg is an exciting destination that offers something for everyone.

Now let us look at the Speaking and Writing activities. The first activity asks us to collect information about tea, its evolution as a drink, and its beneficial qualities. Then we need to form groups and play roles: a tea planter, a sales agent, a tea lover, a physician, and a tea-shop owner. Each person has to put forward their views about tea using the given phrases.

The second activity asks us to imagine we are the sales executive of a famous tea company and to draft an advertisement for the product using the information collected.

Now, students, we have completed all three sections of the chapter "Glimpses of India." Let me give you a brief summary of what we have learned.

In the first section, "A Baker from Goa," we learned about the traditional bakers in Goa, called "pader," who have been an important part of Goan society for generations. We learned about how they sell bread door-to-door, the special bread they make for different occasions like marriages and Christmas, and how the profession has changed over time. We also learned about the Portuguese influence on Goan baking.

In the second section, "Coorg," we learned about Coorg, a beautiful district in Karnataka known for its coffee plantations, rainforests, and adventure sports. We learned about the Kodavu people and their possible Greek or Arabic descent, their martial traditions, and their hospitality. We also learned about the wildlife in Coorg and how to reach there.

In the third section, "Tea from Assam," we learned about the journey of Rajvir and Pranjol to Assam, where tea is grown. We learned about the legends of how tea was discovered, the history of tea drinking, and the process of tea cultivation. We also learned about the different stages of tea production, like the second-flush period.

We also covered various language exercises, including vocabulary, collocations, word formation with particles, and -ing and -ed adjectives. We discussed the importance of traditional professions and how they are changing in modern times. We learned about the diversity of India — from the Portuguese-influenced Goa to the coffee-rich Coorg to the tea gardens of Assam.

This chapter has given us wonderful glimpses into three different parts of our beautiful country. Each region has its own unique culture, traditions, and products. This shows us how rich and diverse India is. We should appreciate and preserve these traditions while also embracing progress.

Now, students, our lesson is complete. I hope you have enjoyed this journey through Goa, Coorg, and Assam. Remember to revise the chapter thoroughly and practice answering the questions we discussed. Thank you for listening attentively. Have a great day, and see you in the next class!