A baker had an important place in the village life of Goa. Marriage gifts were meaningless without bol or sweet bread, cakes and bolinhas at Christmas and other festivals. In the old days, the bakers used to wear a peculiar dress — kabai – a single-piece long frock reaching down the knees. Later they started wearing a shirt and trousers which were longer than the shorts and shorter than the full-length pants. They used to be prosperous. They, their family and servants never starved. Their plump physique was a testimony of their prosperity and good income. The baker used to be a good friend, companion and guide for the author. He would come twice a day and then, the children of the house would crowd around his basket to choose the bread-bangles. Even today, baking and bakers are famous in Goa. They still use traditional furnaces to bake bread and cakes. These bakers are known as paders in Goa.