Will this – become this?

Twilight in Goa has its own unique features. The usual sights include birds in the trees, a last (or perhaps first) glimmer of light on the horizon, people getting into a certain stride, be it coming home for the last time that day or leaving for the first time, in similar vein. There are characteristic sounds (yes, sounds) as well. For instance, the aforementioned birds will chirp, the odd traveller of the hour will whizz past on an open road, and of course there is the ‘honk’ of a rubber horn, which announces that the pao (local bread) is at your doorstep. The pao is brought forth to every home by the local poder (Konkani for baker, though now extended to the delivery people as well) after it has been taken out of its clay oven, on a little wicker basket covered with cloth, on the back of a bicycle. Upon hearing said honk, people step outside their homes, pick up the amount of bread they require, and pop back in. However, with a price hike in the rate of pao from July 1, 2016, a pao weighing 30 grams is being sold at Rs 3 and a pao weighing 50 grams, which was earlier sold at Rs 3, has its price raised to Rs 5. With a near doubling of the price, one can’t help but wonder whether the price hike will see a shift in the fan-base of the pao, to the more commercially viable sliced bread. “There will be some that will be affected by the inflation in price. However, I’m sure that they will figure out a way to adjust, as it is a basic necessity. In the past, we have observed the size of bread decrease while the price stayed the same. If the consistency in size remains, people will accept the change. If not, people might switch to sliced bread,” opines Macazana-based photographer, Lui Estibeiro. Lloyd Rodrigues, an IT Specialist from Raia, says, “Pao is the best. It’s a traditional thing for me and my family. My household will not be affected by the price rise, but I’m sure that it will affect others.” Francisco Xavier Miranda, a public-sector professional from Margao, believes, “The price hike might reduce consumption. Pao will become more of a novelty. That being said, on an emotional level, sliced bread cannot be a substitute for pao. The hike is sure to affect the bakers, as the household consumption of pao would reduce, thereby affecting the demand.” The question of one’s daily bread is one that will perhaps be answered in time, but for the sake of things that are typically Goan, one can but hope that the financial aspect of the hike will be embraced and accepted, so as to keep the culinary and cultural aspects of things alive.