Glimpses of India Class 10: Summary, Themes and Characters
Updated 14 October 2026 · Fact-checked
Glimpses of India is a prose chapter in First Flight with three parts: A Baker from Goa, Coorg and Tea from Assam. Together they show how varied India is in food, people, landscape and tradition. The board tests it through prose extracts, 40-50 word short answers and 100-120 word long answers.
What Glimpses of India is about
Glimpses of India is a prose chapter in First Flight with three short pieces by three writers. A Baker from Goa (Lucio Rodrigues) is a fond pen-portrait of the village baker, or pader. Coorg (Lokesh Abrol) is a travel piece on Karnataka's coffee country. Tea from Assam (Arup Kumar Datta) follows two schoolboys to a tea estate. In one line, the chapter shows how varied and charming India is.
In the board paper, this chapter can come as the prose extract in Q6 (1-mark objective parts and a 2-mark inference part in 30-40 words). It can also come as a 3-mark short answer in Q8 (40-50 words) or a 6-mark long answer in Q10 (about 100-120 words). The long answer often asks you to go beyond the text, so you need both the facts and your own judgement.
In real board papers: asked in 2 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 0.8 marks per paper. See the questions
Glimpses of India: summary
In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.
Part I: A Baker from Goa
The writer remembers the Portuguese days in Goa. The Portuguese who ate the famous loaves have gone, but the bakers remain. Their old furnaces still burn, and in some places you can still hear the thud and jingle of the baker's bamboo in the morning. Often the son carries on the father's work. These bakers are still called pader.
In the writer's childhood, the baker was a friend, companion and guide. He came twice a day: once on his morning round and again when his basket was empty. The children ran to him, not for the loaves, which the maid-servant bought, but for the bread-bangles and the sweet bread. He announced himself with a 'jhang, jhang' of his bamboo staff. He greeted the lady of the house and rested his basket on the upright bamboo. The children were pushed aside but climbed a bench or parapet to peep in. The writer jokes that they did not bother to brush their teeth, because hot tea could clean everything.
Bread is part of every occasion. Marriage gifts need the sweet bread bol, a feast needs bread, an engagement needs sandwiches, and Christmas needs cakes and bolinhas. So the baker's furnace is essential to a village. Bakers once wore a knee-length frock called the kabai. Later they wore trousers between full and half length, so anyone in such a half pant is still teased as being 'dressed like a pader'. Bills were collected monthly and recorded in pencil on a wall. Baking was profitable, and the baker's plump, 'jackfruit-like' body was proof of it.
Part II: Coorg
Coorg, or Kodagu, lies midway between Mysore and Mangalore. It is the smallest district of Karnataka, with evergreen rainforests covering thirty per cent of it, along with spices and coffee estates. Heavy monsoon rain keeps visitors away, but the season from September to March is perfect. Its proud, martial people may be of Greek or Arab descent. One story says part of Alexander's army settled here. Their long black coat, the kuppia, resembles the Arab kuffia. Coorgis are hospitable and love telling tales of valour. The Coorg Regiment is highly decorated, General Cariappa was a Coorgi, and Kodavus may carry firearms without a licence. The Kaveri gets its water here, rich in mahaseer fish. The region offers rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking. Visitors can see the Brahmagiri hills, the island of Nisargadhama and Buddhist monks from Bylakuppe.
Part III: Tea from Assam
Pranjol has invited his Delhi classmate Rajvir to his home in Upper Assam. On the train they drink tea, and Rajvir says over eighty crore cups are drunk daily worldwide. Pranjol reads his detective book while Rajvir admires the endless green tea gardens. Rajvir shares two legends: a Chinese emperor whose boiling water got a flavour from tea leaves, and Bodhidharma, whose cut eyelids grew into ten tea plants. He adds that tea was first drunk in China around 2700 B.C. and reached Europe in the sixteenth century as a medicine. Pranjol's parents meet them at Mariani junction and drive them to Dhekiabari Tea Estate. There, Rajvir surprises Mr Barua by knowing about the second-flush, May to July, which yields the best tea.
Themes and message
Unity in diversity: the variety of India
The three parts are set in three very different regions: coastal Goa, hilly Coorg in Karnataka, and Upper Assam. Each has its own food, dress, crops, history and way of life. Goa has Portuguese bread, Coorg has coffee and a martial culture, and Assam has tea gardens. Put together, the pieces suggest that India's charm lies in its differences. This is why the chapter is called 'Glimpses': each part is a small window, not the whole picture. You can use this theme to link all three parts in a long answer.
From the text: The book's own note says the chapter gives 'an idea of how varied and charming and beautiful our country is'. Coorg's culture is 'distinct from the Hindu mainstream', and Assam is called 'tea country'.
Tradition and continuity
In Goa, the Portuguese have gone, but their bread-making survives through the paders. The work passes from father to son, and the old furnaces still burn. In Coorg, the Kodavus keep their martial traditions, distinct dress and rites, and still carry firearms without a licence. We can infer that both writers value how a community holds on to its customs even as times change. The image of the fire still burning suggests that tradition is alive, not just a memory.
From the text: 'The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished.' Also: 'Maybe the father is not alive but the son still carries on the family profession.'
Nostalgia and childhood memory
A Baker from Goa is told by an adult looking back fondly at his childhood. He remembers the baker's sound, the bread-bangles and the smell of the loaves. Small, ordinary details become precious in memory. The tone is warm and gently humorous, like when he jokes about not brushing his teeth. This suggests that simple daily rituals, like waiting for the baker, shape a child's world and stay with us for life.
From the text: 'I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves.' The elders are 'reminiscing nostalgically' about Portuguese days.
Nature's beauty and the joy of travel
Coorg and Tea from Assam both celebrate landscape. Coorg is described as heavenly, with rainforests, rivers, wildlife, misty hills and adventure sports. In Assam, Rajvir is thrilled by a 'sea of tea bushes' against wooded hills, because he has never seen so much greenery. The contrast with Pranjol, who is used to it, shows how travel opens a city child's eyes. We can infer that people who live with such beauty may take it for granted.
From the text: 'It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before.' Coorg is 'a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of god'.
Curiosity and preparation for learning
Rajvir reads about tea before his trip. He knows its legends, its history and even the second-flush season. Instead of just sightseeing, he wants to understand the place. Mr Barua is surprised and pleased by this. Rajvir also says he hopes to learn much more while there. The message is that a curious, prepared traveller gets far more out of an experience, and that learning does not stop at the classroom.
From the text: Mr Barua says, 'You seem to have done your homework before coming.' Rajvir replies, 'But I hope to learn much more while I'm here.'
Characters
The baker (pader)
The central figure of A Baker from Goa, a traditional village bread-seller remembered from the writer's childhood.
- Cheerful and friendly
- Hardworking and regular
- Essential to village life
- Prosperous
- Polite
He came twice a day and was the children's 'friend, companion and guide'. He greeted the lady of the house with 'Good morning'. Bread was needed for marriages, feasts, engagements and Christmas, so his furnace was 'absolutely essential'. His plump body was 'an open testimony' that the family never starved.
The Kodavus (people of Coorg)
The people of Coorg described in Part II, presented as a community, not as individuals.
- Martial and brave
- Fiercely independent
- Hospitable
- Proud of their heritage
- Culturally distinct
They are 'a proud race of martial men'. Coorgi homes 'have a tradition of hospitality' and recount 'tales of valour'. The Coorg Regiment is among the most decorated, and their rites are 'distinct from the Hindu mainstream'.
Rajvir
A schoolboy from Delhi visiting his classmate's tea estate in Assam; the curious traveller of Part III.
- Curious and well-read
- Observant and appreciative of nature
- Enthusiastic
- Humble and eager to learn
He shares tea facts and legends, gazes at the scenery instead of reading, cries 'Hey, a tea garden!' excitedly, and tells Mr Barua he hopes 'to learn much more'.
Pranjol
Rajvir's classmate, born and brought up on a tea plantation in Assam; the host.
- Used to plantation life, so unexcited
- Fond of detective stories
- Mildly sceptical
- Proud of Assam
He 'buried his nose in his detective book' and 'didn't share Rajvir's excitement'. He 'scoffed', 'Tell me another!', at the legend, but proudly says Assam has the largest concentration of plantations.
Mr Barua
Pranjol's father, manager of Dhekiabari Tea Estate.
- Welcoming
- Appreciative of knowledge
- Responsible
He and his wife meet the boys at Mariani junction and drive them home. He slows down for a tractor carrying tea leaves and is surprised that Rajvir has 'done your homework'.
How it is written
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Nostalgic first-person tone | In A Baker from Goa, the writer recalls 'During our childhood in Goa' and 'I can still recall the typical fragrance of those loaves.' | The personal, warm voice turns a description of a trade into a living memory. It makes the reader feel affection for the pader, unlike a dry factual account. |
| Humour | 'The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all!' Also the 'jackfruit-like' baker and the joke about being 'dressed like a pader'. | The light, childlike logic keeps the piece cheerful and shows the children's carefree attitude. |
| Vivid imagery and exaggeration | Coorg is 'a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of god'; squirrels and langurs drop fruit to enjoy 'the splash and the ripple effect'. | The picture-like language helps you see, hear and almost smell the place. It works like a travel invitation. |
| Contrast | Rajvir is excited by the greenery while Pranjol reads his book; the 'magnificent view' contrasts with 'an ugly building with smoke billowing out of tall chimneys'. | It shows how a newcomer and a local see the same place differently, and how industry sits within natural beauty. |
| Dialogue and metaphor | Tea from Assam is told largely through the boys' conversation; the tea pluckers seen from the train are 'doll-like figures' amid 'a sea of tea bushes'. | Dialogue makes the facts about tea lively and natural. The metaphors show distance and vastness: the workers look tiny, and the bushes stretch like water. |
Key quotations
Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.
Those eaters of loaves might have vanished but the makers are still there.
narrator: Opening of A Baker from Goa, about the Portuguese leaving Goa.
Sets up the theme of continuity: the rulers left, but the bread-making tradition survives.
The fire in the furnaces has not yet been extinguished.
narrator: The writer describes the old furnaces of Goan bakers that still exist.
The burning fire works as a symbol of a living tradition.
Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread known as the bol
narrator: The writer lists occasions in Goa that need bread.
Shows bread's place in Goan social and cultural life, a key point for 'importance of the baker' answers.
The tiger never brushed his teeth.
narrator: The writer jokes that as children they skipped brushing their teeth before eating the bread.
Gives the piece its humorous, childlike tone.
a piece of heaven that must have drifted from the kingdom of god
narrator: Opening description of Coorg's location between Mysore and Mangalore.
The exaggeration captures Coorg's unearthly beauty in one image.
Kodavus are the only people in India permitted to carry firearms without a licence.
narrator: Part of the account of Coorgi valour and military tradition.
Highlights the special martial identity and status of the Kodavus.
Assam has the largest concentration of plantations in the world.
Pranjol: Pranjol responds calmly to Rajvir's excitement at seeing a tea garden.
Shows Pranjol's familiarity and quiet pride, and establishes Assam as tea country.
You seem to have done your homework before coming,
Mr Barua: Rajvir correctly describes the second-flush period on the drive into Dhekiabari.
Praises Rajvir's curiosity and preparation, the key to his character.
Glimpses of India in real life
Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Tradition and continuity
Imagine the old milkman who has cycled to your colony every morning for years, ringing his bell so that everyone knows he has come. Your mother keeps his monthly account in a notebook. Now he is unwell, and his son has started coming instead.
In what ways is this milkman like the Goan pader, and what does his son's choice show? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Compare the sound that announces arrival (bell and bamboo).
- Compare daily visits and monthly payment (pader's accounts on a wall).
- Link the son taking over to 'the son still carries on the family profession'.
- State the idea: traditions survive across generations.
Answer: Like the pader, the milkman announces his arrival with a familiar sound, visits daily and is paid monthly, so families trust him. His son taking over is like the pader's son carrying on the family profession; it shows how traditions survive across generations.
Memory hook: Bell or bamboo, the son keeps the round going: that is the pader's tradition.
Nature's beauty and the joy of travel
Suppose you have grown up in a hill town where mist and pine trees are everyday sights. Your cousin from a big city visits and keeps clicking photos of every cloud, while you barely look up from your phone.
Compare this situation with Rajvir and Pranjol on the train to Assam. What lesson can you draw? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Identify yourself with Pranjol, raised on a plantation and unexcited.
- Identify the cousin with Rajvir, who had never seen so much greenery.
- Draw the lesson about familiarity and wonder.
Answer: I am like Pranjol, who grew up on a plantation and did not share Rajvir's excitement at a tea garden. My cousin is like Rajvir, seeing such greenery for the first time. The lesson is that familiarity can make us blind to beauty around us.
Memory hook: The local yawns, the visitor gasps: Pranjol and Rajvir at the window.
Curiosity and preparation for learning
Imagine a new classmate from Manipur invites you to her home during the summer vacation. You have a week before the journey and know very little about the place.
How would you follow Rajvir's example, and why would it help? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Recall what Rajvir did: read as much as he could about tea.
- Apply it: read about the place's history, food, festivals.
- Benefit: better questions, respect for the host, like Mr Barua's surprise.
- Keep Rajvir's attitude: hope to learn much more.
Answer: Like Rajvir, who read about tea before visiting Assam, I would read about Manipur's history, food and festivals. This would let me ask good questions and show respect to my host's family, just as Rajvir's homework surprised Mr Barua. I would still go eager to learn more.
Memory hook: Do your homework before the trip, the way Rajvir did before Assam.
Unity in diversity: the variety of India
Suppose your school holds a 'Regions of India' exhibition and your group must show three regions on one chart. A classmate argues that the regions are so different that they do not belong on one chart.
Using the three parts of 'Glimpses of India', reply to your classmate in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Name one distinct feature each of Goa, Coorg and Assam.
- Point out that each is a glimpse of the same country.
- Argue that variety itself is India's charm.
Answer: Goa's Portuguese-style bread, Coorg's coffee and martial Kodavus, and Assam's tea gardens look completely different. Yet each is a glimpse of the same country. Their variety in food, dress, landscape and customs is exactly what makes India charming, so they belong together on one chart.
Memory hook: Bread, coffee, tea: three cups, one table, one India.
Topics in this chapter
- A Baker from Goa Summary and ExplanationComing soon
- Coorg Summary and ExplanationComing soon
- Tea from Assam Summary and ExplanationComing soon
- Glimpses of India Question AnswersComing soon
- Legends of Tea in Tea from AssamComing soon
How the board asks Glimpses of India
The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.
| Question type | How it is asked | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Extract-based (Q6) | A prose passage from any of the three parts, followed by an inference about a character, a True/False with a reason, a word or phrase substitution, and a 2-mark part in 30-40 words that links the extract to a wider idea. | Read the whole extract before answering. For inference, state a trait and point to the exact line that shows it. For True/False, check the reason given, not just the fact. For substitution, choose the option with the same meaning in context. In the 2-mark part, give one clear point plus one supporting detail from the extract, within 40 words. |
| Direct short answer (Q8, 3 marks) | Factual-plus questions such as where a place is and two traits of its people, what the boys did on the train and why, or what the baker wore. | Answer every part of the question; a 'why' carries marks. Use 2-3 accurate facts from the text in your own words and stay within 40-50 words. Content earns 2 marks and expression 1. |
| Justify or analyse (Q8, 3 marks) | 'Justify that the baker plays a significant role in Goan society' or 'How does the writer make Coorg sound attractive?' | Open with a one-line claim, then give two pieces of evidence, such as bol for marriages and cakes for Christmas, or imagery and adventure sports. End with a short link back to the claim. |
| Long answer (Q10, 6 marks) | A 100-120 word answer that asks you to evaluate or extrapolate, for example comparing how two parts show India's diversity, or writing as Rajvir describing the trip. | Plan three points with evidence. Write in a clear opening, body and close. If a format such as a diary entry is asked, follow it. Keep text facts accurate while adding your own judgement. Content earns 3 marks, expression 2 and accuracy 1. |
| Character comparison or value-based | Contrast Rajvir and Pranjol, or what we learn from Rajvir's preparation; why traditions like the pader's are worth keeping. | Name the trait, give the action that shows it, and say what it means. For value questions, connect the text's example to a clear lesson, and do not drift into a general essay. |
Tricks to remember Glimpses of India
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
The order of the three glimpses: Bread, Beans, Brew
Travel west to south to east: Goa gives Bread (the pader), Coorg gives coffee Beans (coffee country), Assam gives the tea Brew. B-B-B in that order.
Use it when: Keeps the three parts and their authors (Lucio Rodrigues, Lokesh Abrol, Arup Kumar Datta) in the right sequence.
The baker's B-list
Bamboo (jhang, jhang), Bangles (bread-bangles for kids), Bol (marriage gifts), Bolinhas (Christmas), Bills on a wall (monthly, in pencil), Big body (plump, jackfruit-like). Add the K: Kabai, his old frock.
Use it when: Quick recall of every detail for a character sketch of the pader.
KAVERI for Coorg
K: Kodavus and the kuppia; A: Alexander's army story; V: valour (Coorg Regiment, General Cariappa); E: evergreen rainforests (thirty per cent); R: rafting and rappelling; I: island of Nisargadhama. The river Kaveri itself rises from Coorg's hills and forests.
Use it when: Covers people, origin theory, nature and tourism in one word.
Tea numbers and the route
80 crore cups a day; China 2700 B.C.; Europe in the 16th century (as medicine); second flush May to July. Route: train, then Mariani junction, then a cattle-bridge into Dhekiabari.
Use it when: Answers fact-based questions on Rajvir's knowledge and the journey.
Glimpses of India: extract-based questions
Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.
Extract 1: A Baker from Goa: the baker's musical arrival
He would greet the lady of the house with “Good morning” and then place his basket on the vertical bamboo. We kids would be pushed aside with a mild rebuke and the loaves would be delivered to the servant. But we would not give up.
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
Earlier in the passage the baker's staff makes a ‘jhang, jhang’ sound. What did this sound announce?
(a) that the loaves were sold out
(b) the arrival of the baker
(c) the start of a festival
(d) that the children were late for school(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Which word in the extract means 'an expression of disapproval; a scolding'?
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
Choose the statement that is correct according to the extract.
(a) The baker handed the loaves straight to the children.
(b) The baker greeted the lady of the house with 'Good morning'.
(c) The baker kept his basket on the ground.
(d) The children ignored the baker's arrival.(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
'But we would not give up.' What does this line suggest about the children's feelings towards the baker's visit? Answer in 30-40 words.
Show the answersAnswers
- (b) the arrival of the baker
- rebuke
- (b) The baker greeted the lady of the house with 'Good morning'.
- Though pushed aside with a mild rebuke, the children would not give up. This persistence suggests that they longed for the treats in the baker's basket and found his daily visit a joyful, exciting event.
Extract 2: Coorg: hospitality and valour of the Kodavus
The Coorg Regiment is one of the most decorated in the Indian Army, and 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.
(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
The phrase 'most decorated' in the extract means
(a) dressed in the finest uniforms
(b) having received the maximum number of awards for bravery in war
(c) having the largest number of soldiers
(d) the oldest regiment in the army(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Who was the first Chief of the Indian Army, according to the extract?
(3) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Fill in the blank with a word from the extract: Kodavus may carry firearms without a ______.
(4) · 2 marks · Short answer
How does the extract show that the Kodavus are proud of their martial tradition? Answer in 30-40 words.
Show the answersAnswers
- (b) having received the maximum number of awards for bravery in war
- General Cariappa, who was a Coorgi.
- licence
- Coorgi families proudly recount tales of valour about their sons and fathers. Their regiment's many bravery awards, General Cariappa's Coorgi roots and their right to carry firearms without a licence suggest that bravery is central to their identity.
Glimpses of India: board-level solved questions
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.
Example 1: Why the baker's furnace matters · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Why does the writer of 'A Baker from Goa' say that the presence of the baker's furnace in the village is 'absolutely essential'? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Bread is linked to every Goan celebration.
- Marriage gifts are meaningless without the sweet bread called bol; a party or feast loses its charm without bread.
- The lady of the house must prepare sandwiches for her daughter's engagement.
- Cakes and bolinhas are a must for Christmas and other festivals.
- Conclusion: so the furnace is essential to village life.
Answer: In Goa, bread is part of every celebration. Marriage gifts mean nothing without the sweet bread called bol, and parties lose their charm without bread. Sandwiches are a must for a daughter's engagement, while cakes and bolinhas are needed for Christmas and other festivals. Hence the furnace is essential.
Example 2: Explaining the Kodavus' distinct identity · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
The customs of the Kodavus are described as 'distinct from the Hindu mainstream'. How does the text try to explain this? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The fiercely independent Kodavus are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent (a possibility, not a fact).
- One story: part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled here when return became impractical.
- They married locals; this could explain their distinct martial traditions, marriage and religious rites.
- The Arab theory draws support from the kuppia, a long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt, like the kuffia of the Arabs and Kurds.
Answer: The text suggests the fiercely independent Kodavus are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent. One story says part of Alexander's army settled here and married locals, which could explain their distinct martial, marriage and religious traditions. The Arab theory draws support from their kuppia, resembling the Arab kuffia.
Example 3: Pranjol's calm and Rajvir's excitement · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Why did Pranjol not share Rajvir's excitement on seeing the first tea garden? What does this contrast show? Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Pranjol was born and brought up on a plantation, so tea gardens were ordinary for him.
- He said Rajvir would see enough gardens to last a lifetime.
- Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before, so he was thrilled.
- Inference: familiarity can dull our sense of wonder.
Answer: Pranjol had been born and brought up on a plantation, so tea gardens were ordinary to him; he even said Rajvir would see enough to last a lifetime. Rajvir, a newcomer who had never seen such greenery, was thrilled. The contrast shows that familiarity dulls wonder.
Example 4: Theme: the variety and charm of India · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
'Glimpses of India' takes us to three very different regions. How do the three parts together show the variety and charm of our country? Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Introduction: three regions, Goa, Coorg and Assam, each a different face of India.
- Goa: the pader keeps a bread tradition from Portuguese days alive; bol for marriage gifts, cakes for Christmas show a foreign influence absorbed into local life.
- Coorg: smallest district of Karnataka; rainforests, coffee estates, adventure sports; Kodavus possibly of Greek or Arab descent with distinct customs.
- Assam: Rajvir sees a sea of tea bushes, learns legends of tea and watches pluckers at work.
- Conclusion: differences in food, dress, landscape and history, yet one India: unity in diversity.
Answer: The three parts take us to Goa, Coorg and Assam, each showing a different face of India.
In Goa, the pader keeps alive a bread-baking tradition from Portuguese days. His bol and cakes are a must at weddings and Christmas, showing how a foreign influence has become part of local life.
Coorg, the smallest district of Karnataka, offers rainforests, coffee estates and adventure sports. Its proud Kodavus, possibly of Greek or Arab descent, follow customs distinct from the mainstream.
In Assam, Rajvir discovers a sea of tea bushes, the legends of tea and pluckers at work.
Each region differs in food, dress, landscape and history, yet all three belong to one India. Together they show its unity in diversity.
Example 5: Can the pader survive a modern bakery? · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose a large modern bakery opens near a Goan village. Using details from 'A Baker from Goa', explain why villagers might still stay loyal to their pader. Answer in 40-50 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The pader is more than a seller: friend, companion and guide.
- He came to the doorstep at least twice a day and greeted families personally.
- He collected bills at the end of the month (trust).
- His bol and cakes are tied to weddings and festivals (tradition).
- Judgement: trust and tradition could keep villagers loyal.
Answer: The pader is more than a seller. He comes to the doorstep twice a day, greets families personally and lets them pay at month's end. His bol and cakes are tied to weddings and festivals. Such trust and tradition could keep villagers loyal despite a modern bakery.
Example 6: Rajvir's diary on reaching Dhekiabari · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Imagine you are Rajvir. On your first night at the Dhekiabari Tea Estate, write a diary entry recording your journey and your feelings. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Diary format: 'Dear Diary' opening, first person, signed off as Rajvir.
- The train journey: Pranjol reading his detective book; Rajvir gazing at the greenery.
- The first tea garden: sea of tea bushes, shade-trees, doll-like figures in rows.
- Sharing legends of tea; Pranjol scoffing.
- Arrival at Mariani junction, drive to Dhekiabari, pluckers with bamboo baskets.
- Mr Barua's surprise at Rajvir's knowledge of the second flush; Rajvir's wish to learn more.
Answer: Dear Diary,
Today I finally reached Dhekiabari Tea Estate! On the train, Pranjol kept his nose in his detective book, but I could not stop gazing out. I have never seen so much green. Paddy fields gave way to a sea of tea bushes under tall shade-trees, with workers moving like dolls between the rows.
I told Pranjol the legends of the Chinese emperor and Bodhidharma, but he only scoffed. At Mariani junction his parents met us. On the estate, pluckers with bamboo baskets were picking fresh leaves. Mr Barua looked surprised when I mentioned the second flush. I am glad my reading helped, but I want to learn much more here.
Rajvir
Where the marks are
How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.
How does Rajvir show that he has done his homework before visiting Assam? Answer in 40-50 words. (3 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content point 1: He shares facts and legends about tea: eighty crore cups a day, the Chinese emperor and Bodhidharma legends, tea in China in 2700 B.C., reaching Europe in the sixteenth century. | 1 |
| Content point 2: He identifies the second-flush period (May to July, yielding the best tea), and Mr Barua remarks in surprise that he has done his homework. | 1 |
| Expression: a clear, connected answer within 40-50 words (up to 1 mark may be deducted for spelling and grammar errors). | 1 |
Write a character sketch of the Goan baker (pader), showing his importance in village life. Answer in about 100-120 words. (6 marks)
| Step | Marks |
|---|---|
| Content: his role in the children's lives (musical arrival with bamboo, friend, companion and guide, bread-bangles). | 1 |
| Content: his role in social life (bol for marriage gifts, bread for feasts, sandwiches for engagements, cakes and bolinhas for Christmas; furnace essential). | 1 |
| Content: his prosperity and continuity (monthly accounts on a wall, plump physique, kabai, son carries on the profession). | 1 |
| Expression: organised paragraphs, linked ideas, own words, within 100-120 words. | 2 |
| Accuracy: correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. | 1 |
Where students lose marks in Glimpses of India
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Claiming the bakers disappeared with the Portuguese
The opening line says the opposite: the eaters of loaves vanished, but the makers are still there.
Wrong working
After the Portuguese left, the bakers of Goa also vanished.
Right working
The Portuguese eaters of loaves have vanished, but the bakers remain; their furnaces still burn and sons carry on the family profession.
Do this: Re-read the first paragraph and keep the contrast 'eaters vanished, makers remain' clear.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 Content marks in a 3-mark answer.
Mistake: Mixing up which bread goes with which occasion
Several breads appear in one paragraph, and students swap them.
Wrong working
Bol is a must for Christmas and sandwiches are given as marriage gifts.
Right working
Bol is essential in marriage gifts, sandwiches for a daughter's engagement, and cakes and bolinhas for Christmas and other festivals.
Do this: Pair them: Bol-Bride, Sandwich-engagement, Cakes and bolinhas-Christmas.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 Content mark.
Mistake: Stating the Greek or Arab origin of the Kodavus as a proven fact
The text uses 'possibly' and 'As one story goes'; it offers theories, not facts.
Wrong working
The Kodavus are descendants of Alexander's soldiers.
Right working
The Kodavus are possibly of Greek or Arabic descent; one story says part of Alexander's army settled in Coorg.
Do this: Copy the text's caution words: possibly, one story, the theory draws support from.
Usually costs: Can cost 1 Content mark for inaccuracy.
Mistake: Swapping Rajvir and Pranjol
Both are boys on the same train, so students muddle who is excited and who reads.
Wrong working
Pranjol was thrilled by the tea garden while Rajvir read his detective book.
Right working
Rajvir gazed at the greenery and cried out at the tea garden; Pranjol, raised on a plantation, kept reading his detective book.
Do this: Remember: Rajvir is the visitor from Delhi; Pranjol is the Assam boy whose father, Mr Barua, manages Dhekiabari.
Usually costs: Can cost 1-2 Content marks, sometimes the whole point.
Mistake: Retelling the story instead of answering, and going over the word limit
A question on what Mr Barua's remark reveals is not a request for a summary of the journey.
Wrong working
Rajvir and Pranjol drank tea on the train, then saw paddy fields, then tea bushes, then reached Mariani junction, then drove... (70 words, no point made).
Right working
Mr Barua's surprised remark that Rajvir had done his homework shows that Rajvir had read about tea, even the second flush, before coming, revealing his curiosity and eagerness to learn.
Do this: Answer the question in the first sentence, add one text detail as proof, and count your words (40-50).
Usually costs: Can cost the Expression mark and part of Content.
Glimpses of India: previous year questions
- Asked in 2 of the 21 board papers we hold (2023 to 2026), on average 0.8 marks per paper; 2 questions in all, counting OR alternatives. In 1 of 4 sample papers.
Counted from the real papers on our previous year papers page, not estimated. Average marks are over every board paper we hold, with an OR pair counted once. Chapter tags are ours.
Solved board questions from Glimpses of India
Real questions from recent papers. Try each one first, then open our step-by-step solution with marks per step.
2024, set 2/2/1, Q6(a) · 5 marks · Case-basedCompetency-based
Read the given extract and answer the questions :
The train pulled out of the station - Pranjol buried his nose in his detective book again. Rajvir too was an ardent fan of detective stories but, at the moment he was keener on looking at the beautiful scenery. It was green, green everywhere. Rajvir had never seen so much greenery before. Then the soft green paddy fields gave way to tea bushes. It was a magnificent view. Against the backdrop of densely wooded hills a sea of tea bushes stretched as far as the eye could see. Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall, sturdy, shade-trees and amidst the orderly rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures.
(Glimpses of India - Tea from Assam)
- (i)1 mark
State any one inference about Rajvir from the given context :
"Rajvir too was an ardent fan of detective stories, but at the moment he was keen on looking at the beautiful scenery." - (ii)1 mark
State True or False :
The reason Rajvir was interested in looking at the beautiful scenery was that the detective book he was reading, was not interesting. - (iii)2 marks
People who live in big cities are always fascinated by the natural beauty and abundant greenery. Elaborate in about 40 words, with reference to the extract.
- (iv)1 mark
Which phrase would correctly substitute 'doll-like figures', in the given sentence from the extract ?
Dwarfing the tiny tea plants were tall sturdy shade-trees and amidst the orderly rows of bushes busily moved doll-like figures.
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 1 mark
(i) Rajvir loved nature and appreciated greenery, or he was curious and observant about his surroundings.
- 1 mark
(ii) False.
- 2 marks
(iii) Rajvir lived in Delhi and had never seen so much greenery. He found the tea gardens against wooded hills magnificent after concrete city life.
- 1 mark
(iv) tea pluckers / tiny people.
Answer: (i) Rajvir loved nature; (ii) False; (iii) he was a city boy awed by greenery; (iv) tea pluckers / tiny people
Where the marks are
- (i) Valid inference (1 mark)
- (ii) False (1 mark)
- (iii) Any two points from the extract (2 marks)
- (iv) Tea pluckers (1 mark)
2023, set 2/1/1, Q8 · 12 marks · Short answer
Answer the following.
- (a)3 marks
Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each. What did Pranjol and Rajvir do during the journey ? Why ?
- (b)3 marks
Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each. Who read the letter sent by Lencho ? What did he do then ?
- (c)3 marks
Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each. Where is Coorg located ? Write any two characteristics of the people of Coorg ?
- (d)3 marks
Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each. How does the poem ‘The Tale of Custard The Dragon’ differ from the traditional ballad ?
- (e)3 marks
Attempt any four out of the five questions given below in 40-50 words each. What does the Buddha say about the world ?
Try it first, then show our solutionSolution
- 3 marks
(a) During the journey Pranjol either read detective stories or listened to Rajvir. Rajvir enjoyed the greenery outside and shared his knowledge of tea with Pranjol. Pranjol had lived in a tea garden since childhood, so it did not excite him. Rajvir found the experience new and thrilling.
- 3 marks
(b) The postmaster read Lencho's letter. He became serious and was impressed by Lencho's faith in God. He decided to help him. He collected contributions from his employees and added some money himself. He put it in an envelope with a letter signed 'God'.
- 3 marks
(c) Coorg lies midway between Mysore and the coastal town of Mangalore. Its people are fiercely independent and brave. They also have martial traditions and are very hospitable.
- 3 marks
(d) A traditional ballad tells a story of courage and heroism. 'The Tale of Custard the Dragon' departs from this by using humour. The hero Custard is a cowardly dragon, while the others are brave. The poem makes fun of the ballad form.
- 3 marks
(e) The Buddha says that everything in the world is transitory. Peace comes only when one accepts this truth and gives up selfishness and attachment.
Answer: Model answers given for (a)-(e); any four are to be attempted
Where the marks are
- Each answer: complete content (2 marks)
- Each answer: organised expression (1 mark)
- Deduct ½ mark for more than 3 language errors
Every Glimpses of India question, by year
Practice questions on Glimpses of India
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
What did the bakers wear in the Portuguese days and in the author's childhood? What comment does this dress still give rise to? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Two different outfits, then the joke about half pants.
Answer
Value points: kabai, a single-piece long frock reaching the knees; in the author's childhood, shirt and trousers shorter than full-length and longer than half pants; knee-length half pant invites the comment 'dressed like a pader'.
Model answer: In Portuguese days, bakers wore the kabai, a single-piece frock reaching the knees. In the author's childhood, they wore a shirt and trousers shorter than full-length but longer than half pants. Today, anyone whose half pant reaches just below the knees is told he is dressed like a pader.
Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
What makes Coorg attractive to both adventure lovers and nature lovers? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Split your answer: sports first, then birds, animals and views.
Answer
Value points: rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing, mountain biking; walking trails for trekkers; birds, butterflies, macaques, langurs, slender loris; Brahmagiri view; Nisargadhama island.
Model answer: Coorg turns even laidback visitors into adventurers with river rafting, canoeing, rappelling, rock climbing and mountain biking, and its walking trails delight trekkers. Nature lovers enjoy birds, butterflies, langurs and slender loris, the misty view from the Brahmagiri hills and the island of Nisargadhama.
Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
'The tiger never brushed his teeth. Hot tea could wash and clean up everything so nicely, after all!' What is the author's tone here, and what does it reveal about his childhood? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Is the adult writer seriously defending not brushing?
Answer
Value points: playful, humorous, naughty tone; mock excuses (the tiger, hot tea); carefree childhood; children more eager for bread-bangles than for routine.
Model answer: The tone is playful and humorous. The grown-up author pretends to defend his childhood laziness with a funny comparison to the tiger and the excuse of hot tea. It reveals a carefree childhood, where eager children cared more about bread-bangles than about brushing.
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Narrate briefly the two legends about the discovery of tea that Rajvir shares. What does Pranjol's reaction suggest? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
One Chinese legend, one Indian legend, then 'Tell me another!'
Answer
Value points: Chinese emperor boiled water; leaves from burning twigs fell in and gave a delicious flavour; Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids, ten tea plants grew, leaves banished sleep; Pranjol scoffed.
Model answer: In the Chinese legend, leaves from burning twigs fell into an emperor's boiling water, giving it a delicious flavour. In the Indian one, ten tea plants grew from Bodhidharma's cut eyelids and their leaves banished sleep. Pranjol's scoffing suggests he found such stories hard to believe.
Q5 · 6 marks · Long answerHarder board level
The author calls the baker 'our friend, companion and guide'. Write a character sketch of the Goan pader, showing his place in village life. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Cover three circles: the children, the family and festivals, and the tradition itself.
Answer
Value points: musical arrival with bamboo; polite greeting; friend to children (bread-bangles, sweet bread); essential for marriages, feasts, engagements, Christmas; monthly accounts on a wall; plump and prosperous; sons carry on the profession.
Model answer: The pader of Lucio Rodrigues's memory is far more than a bread-seller. He arrives twice a day, announcing himself with the 'jhang, jhang' of his bamboo staff, balancing a huge basket on his head. He greets the lady of the house politely, and for the children he is a friend who brings bread-bangles and sweet bread.
He is also central to social life: no marriage, feast, engagement or Christmas is complete without his bol, bread, cakes or bolinhas. He trusts his customers, recording monthly accounts on a wall in pencil.
His plump, prosperous look shows that baking paid well. Above all, sons still carry on the family profession, so the pader stands for a living tradition.
Q6 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
How does the writer use imagery to describe the first tea garden Rajvir sees from the train? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Look at size, colour, movement and the one 'ugly' detail.
Answer
Value points: a sea of tea bushes stretching as far as the eye could see; densely wooded hills as backdrop; tall sturdy shade-trees dwarfing tiny plants; doll-like figures in orderly rows; ugly building with smoke from chimneys as contrast.
Model answer: The writer paints a vivid picture: a 'sea of tea bushes' stretching endlessly before densely wooded hills, tall sturdy shade-trees dwarfing tiny plants, and workers seen as doll-like figures in orderly rows. The 'ugly building' with billowing smoke adds contrast, showing industry within natural beauty.
Q7 · 6 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
The writer says visitors searching for 'the heart and soul of India' can find it in Coorg. Do you agree? Support your view with details from the text. Answer in about 100-120 words.
Hint
Think nature, people, customs and the different communities found there.
Answer
Value points: rich nature (rainforests, coffee, Kaveri, Mahaseer, wildlife, Brahmagiri); brave people (tales of valour, decorated regiment, General Cariappa); distinct customs, possibly Greek or Arab roots; hospitality; Tibetan monks at Bylakuppe; adventure sports; conclusion.
Model answer: I agree, because Coorg holds many sides of India within one small district.
Its nature is rich: evergreen rainforests, coffee estates, the Kaveri, Mahaseer fish, kingfishers, langurs and the misty view from the Brahmagiri hills. Its people are proud and brave; the Kodavus share tales of valour, the Coorg Regiment is highly decorated and General Cariappa was a Coorgi. Their distinct customs, possibly linked to Greek or Arab ancestors, add variety.
Coorg also welcomes others. Homes are hospitable, and Buddhist monks from the Tibetan settlement at Bylakuppe live nearby. Adventure sports turn even laidback visitors into adventurers.
Beauty, courage, hospitality and many cultures living side by side make Coorg a true miniature of India.
Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose your class is going on a trip to a place none of you has seen before. What can you learn from the way Rajvir approaches his visit to Assam? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
What did Rajvir do before the trip, and what did he say he still hoped for?
Answer
Value points: read as much as he could about tea; knew legends, history, second flush; surprised Mr Barua; still hoped to learn more; apply: prepare, observe, stay open.
Model answer: Rajvir read as much as he could about tea before the trip, so he knew its legends, history and the second-flush season. This surprised Mr Barua. Yet he still hoped to learn more. Like him, I would prepare beforehand, observe keenly and stay open to learning.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.What are the traditional bakers of Goa called?Show answer
Pader.
2.What is the bol, and when is it essential?Show answer
A sweet bread; marriage gifts are meaningless without it.
3.What was the kabai?Show answer
The baker's old dress: a single-piece long frock reaching down to the knees.
4.How and when was the baker paid?Show answer
He collected his bills at the end of the month; accounts were recorded in pencil on a wall.
5.Where is Coorg and what is it famous for?Show answer
Midway between Mysore and Mangalore; the smallest district of Karnataka, coffee country with rainforests and spices.
6.What is the kuppia, and which theory does it support?Show answer
A long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt, like the Arab kuffia; it supports the theory of Arab origin.
7.Where did the boys get off the train, and which estate did they go to?Show answer
Mariani junction; the Dhekiabari Tea Estate managed by Pranjol's father.
8.Who says 'You seem to have done your homework before coming,' and why?Show answer
Mr Barua, in surprise, after Rajvir correctly describes the second flush (May to July).
Quick revision checklist
The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?
- Can you explain why the author says the eaters of loaves vanished but the makers are still there?
- Can you list four occasions in Goa and the bread each needs?
- Can you describe the pader's arrival, dress, accounts and looks in four lines?
- Can you state both theories of the Kodavus' origin, with the word 'possibly'?
- Can you give three proofs of Coorgi valour from the text?
- Can you name five adventure sports and three places (Brahmagiri, Nisargadhama, Bylakuppe) in Coorg?
- Can you retell both tea legends and three tea facts Rajvir knows?
- Can you contrast Rajvir and Pranjol on the train and explain Mr Barua's remark?
Glimpses of India: frequently asked questions
Who are the authors of the three parts of Glimpses of India?
A Baker from Goa is by Lucio Rodrigues, Coorg is by Lokesh Abrol and Tea from Assam is by Arup Kumar Datta. All three parts are in the 2026-27 syllabus.
What is a pader and why was he important?
A pader is the traditional Goan village baker. He was important because bread was needed for every occasion: bol for marriage gifts, sandwiches for an engagement, and cakes and bolinhas for Christmas. That is why the writer calls the baker's furnace absolutely essential to a village.
What are the two legends about tea in Tea from Assam?
In the Chinese legend, an emperor always boiled his drinking water, and leaves from the burning twigs fell in and gave it a delicious flavour. In the Indian legend, Bodhidharma cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditation, and ten tea plants grew from them. The leaves of those plants banished sleep.
Why are the people of Coorg thought to be of Greek or Arab descent?
One story says part of Alexander's army moved south along the coast and settled in Coorg when returning became impractical. The Arab theory is supported by the kuppia, a long black coat with an embroidered waist-belt, which resembles the kuffia worn by Arabs and Kurds.
How are Rajvir and Pranjol different?
Rajvir is a Delhi boy seeing tea country for the first time, so he is excited and curious and has read up on tea. Pranjol grew up on a plantation, so he is unexcited, keeps reading his detective book and is a little sceptical of the legends.
What is the second-flush period?
According to Rajvir, the second-flush is the sprouting period of tea, which lasts from May to July and yields the best tea. Mr Barua is surprised that Rajvir already knows this.
Based on: CBSE English Language and Literature syllabus 2026-27; NCERT First Flight (Reprint 2026-27), Glimpses of India