12th English Chapter 2 : Lost Spring  Questions and Answers

Phrase and Meaning from Chapter Lost Spring 

(i) looking for : in search of or to try to find.

(ii) slog their daylight hours : They (the children) work hard and steadily before the furnace during the day.

(iii) roof over his head : He has somewhere a place to live or a house of any kind.

(iv) imposed the baggage on the child : They have put an extra burden on the child’s head.

(v) perpetual state of poverty : when poverty remains with a person for ever or continuously.

(vi) dark hutments : very small hutlike places which are filled with darkness.

 

Lost Spring  Questions and Answers 

Question 1.

What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps ? Where is he and where has he come from ?

Answer:

Saheb is looking for or trying to find valuable things or money in the garbage dumps. He is in Delhi living at Seemapuri, which is at the outskirts of Delhi. He has come from Bangladesh.

 

Question 2.

What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear ?

Answer:

One explanation for the children remaining barefoot is that it is not lack of money but a tradition to remain barefoot. The author feels that this is only an excuse to explain away a continuous state of poverty.

 

Question 3.

Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall ? Explain.

Answer:

I do not think Saheb is happy working at the tea-stall. Though he has regular income, yet his face has lost the carefree look and he is no longer his own master, as the author comments. On this basis we can say that he is not happy working at the tea-stall.

 

Lost Spring  Questions and Answers Part 02 

Question 1.

What makes the city of Firozabad famous ?

Answer:

The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles.

 

Question 2.

Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry ?

Answer:

Working in the glass bangles industry is tedious and unhealthy. They have to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dark cells without air and light. Working continuously throughout the day under such conditions is too hazardous for the health and eyes, especially for a large number of children working there. They often lose the brightness of their eyes.

 

Question 3.

How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family ?

Answer:

Mukesh’s attitude to his situation differs from his family as he wants to be a motor mechanic whereas his family has spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles.

 

Lost Spring Depth Question Answer 

Question 1.

What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities ?

Answer:

A large number of people are forced to migrate to cities from their villages, looking for various means of livelihood. The land in the villages is limited for agriculture. When the families grow, they are not able to accommodate all the members in their ancestral agricultural profession. As a result of it, they go to the cities to earn their livelihood. Sometimes because of frequent natural calamities like storms etc.

 

which swept away their fields and homes, they are forced to come to big or small cities. However, some villagers also come to the cities being attracted and fascinated by the facilities which the city life provides. Moreover most of the big industries which provide employment to a large number of people are in the cities.

 

That is why to seek employment people from villages come there. Many rickshaw pullers and some auto rickshaw drivers also come from the villages to earn money. Some villagers also start jobs like dairy farming and supply milk in the cities to enhance their incomes.

 

Question 2.

Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept ? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text ?

Answer:

It is generally seen that promises made to the poor children are most often not kept. For instance, in this lesson the author asks Saheb to go to school. When Saheb replies that there is no school in the neighbourhood, the author asks him half-jokingly that if she starts a school, then he would come.

 

The promises thus made with the poor children are not real or serious or they are made “half-jokingly’. Saheb, like other poor children, takes the promises made to them seriously, and asks the author if her school is ready. That is why the author says that, ‘But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world’.

 

Similarly, promises made to poor children or steps supposed to be taken for their welfare by government or other agencies hardly materialise either because of lack of sincerity or excuse of having not enough resources.

 

Question 3.

What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty ?

Answer:

Firozabad is famous for its bangles and bangle industry. There families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass and making bangles. There are around 20,000 children working in miserable conditions in bangle industry of Firozabad. But the workers involved in this industry are forced to lead a life of poverty.

 

They cannot send their children to schools nor they can provide sufficient food for their family-members. Most of them have not enjoyed even one full meal in their entire lives. It is because the vicious circle of middlemen take most of their profit. They are entrapped throughout their lives in “a web of poverty” caused by a vicious circle of the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. They are entrapped in this web from one generation to another.

 

Lost Spring Other Question Answer 

Question 1.

How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream ?

Answer:

Mukesh belongs to Firozabad, where every other family is engaged in making bangles. Mukesh’s family also is doing the same job for the last many generations. But Mukesh does not want to adopt his family profession. Rather, he wants to become a motor mechanic. Mukesh is justified in thinking so. He has seen that despite working so hard and so steadily under unhealthy and hazardous conditious, his family is so poor that it is difficult to maintain or provide even the bare necessities of life.

 

In my opinion, Mukesh can realise his dream of being a motor mechanic because of the indomitable will power and firm determination he seems to possess. Though his family- members are unlikely to agree to what he wishes to do leaving the long-preserved art of bangles-making, yet I hope he will be able to overcome the resistance.

 

He has many reasons to convince his family-members that what he wishes to do is right and ultimately beneficial for him and his family. Besides economic advantages, Mukesh can convince his family- members that the job of a motor mechanic will be good for his health. Moreover, he would not face the risk of gradually losing eyesight as he would if he becomes a bangle-maker.

 

Question 2.

Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Answer:

It is tedious and unhealthy to do working under unhygenic conditions in the glass bangles industry. They have to work on the furnaces with high temperature, in dark cells without air and light. Moreover they have to inhale suspended particles of the material used for making bangles. Working with continuous hours throughout the day and night under such dreary conditions is too hazardous for the health especially for the lungs and eyes. A large number of children working there are forced to lose their brightness of childhood even.

 

Question 3.

Why should child labour be eliminated and how ?

Answer:

Child labour is a curse on humanity and civilisation. But unfortunately it has been prevalent in developed, underdeveloped or undeveloped countries since times immemorial. Not to speak of countries like India, at one time or another it has been prevalent in countries like England a few centuries ago.

 

But fortunately now more and more countries are passing laws to eliminate this menace. The worst part is that child labour has been exploited to a great extent because labour laws were not applicable on them. Moreover the poor and helpless children had been working off the record, without any protection provided in the labour laws.

 

For too long a period and even now to some extent, in many industries in India child labour was employed to do various unskilled jobs. Child labour was engaged in carpet making, ‘beedi’- making, bangles-making and in so many other industries. Now in most of the countries, including India, child labour has been banned by law. But still there are many kinds of industries where child-labour is engaged.

 

I think child-labour can be abolished not merely by imposing laws, but also to make the people realise that it is against humanity. A child is supposed to go to school and develop as a good and useful member of the society. But even this awareness is not enough. We have to realise why a child is forced to do menial jobs. It is because of poverty. So, not only education of such children should be free, but they should be provided with other stipends and scholarships also. In any case, they should not be deprived of studying and become worthy of earning when they grow up.

 

Lost Spring  language literary devices

Although this text speaks of factual events and situations of misery it transforms these situations with an almost poetical prose into a literary experience. How does it do so ? Here are some literary devices :

 

(i) Hyperbole is a way of speaking or writing that makes something sound better or more exciting than it really is. For example : Garbage to them is gold.

 

(ii) A Metaphor, as you may know, compares two things or ideas that are not very similar. A metaphor describes a thing in terms of a single quality or feature of some other thing; we can say that a metaphor ‘transfers’ a quality of one thing to another. For example: The road was a ribbon of light.

 

(iii) Simile is a word or phrase that compares one thing with another using the words “like” or “as”. For example: As white as snow.

 

Carefully read the following phrases and sentences taken from the text. Can you identify the literary device in each example ?

1. Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality.

2. Drowned in an air of desolation.

3. Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.

4. For the children it is wrapped in wonder: for the elders it is a means of survival.

5. As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make.

6. She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes.

7. Few airplanes fly over Firozabad.

8. Web of poverty.

9. Scrounging for gold.

10. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art.

11. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulders.

Answer:

1. Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality : Contrast.

2. Drowned in an air of desolation : Metaphor.

3. Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically: Contrast.

4. For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival: Contrast.

5. As. her hands moved mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make : Simile.

6. She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes : contrast/metaphor

7. Few aeroplanes fly over Firozabad; Contrast.

8. Web of poverty : Metaphor.

9. Scraunging for gold : Hyperbole.

10. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the properties of a fine art : Hyperbole.

11. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulders : Contrast.

 

 

Lost Spring Extra Questions and Answers

Question 1:

What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents?

Or

In what sense is garbage gold to the rag pickers?

Or

‘Garbage to them is gold.’ Why does the author say so about the rag pickers?

Answer:

Garbage means ‘gold’ to the poor rag pickers because some of it can be sold for cash, thus becoming a means of survival for the children of Seemapuri and for their parents. It is providing them their daily bread and a roof over , their heads.

 

Question 2.

What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps?

Or

What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?

Answer:

In the garbage dumps, Saheb looks for useful items which can be sold for cash. As these items can be traded for money, they are just like ‘gold’ for him. Saheb and his family live in Seemapuri, a slum on the periphery of Delhi. His family had migrated from Bangladesh.

 

Question 3.

“It is his karam, his destiny.” What is Mukesh’s family’s attitude towards their situation?

Or

How is Mukesh different from the other bangle-makers of Firozabad ?

Or

How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?

Answer:

Mukesh’s grandmother says this, as she believes in destiny, meaning that their family cannot escape from their God-given lineage of bangle-makers and will remain bangle-makers, continuing to suffer. But Mukesh has the courage to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, thus breaking free from destiny.

 

Question 4.

How was Saheb’s life at the tea stall?

Or

What job did Saheb take up? Was he happy?

Or

Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Explain.

Answer:

Saheb took up the job of performing odd jobs at a tea stall, but was unhappy because he was tied down by the work he had to do, thus losing his independence, which he had earlier as a rag picker.

 

Question 5:

Describe Mukesh as an ambitious person.

Answer:

Mukesh is an ambitious person because he wants to become a motor mechanic by breaking free from the vicious web of generations of families being involved in bangle-making. He has the courage to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, thus breaking free from destiny.

 

Question 6:

What kind of gold did the people of Seemapuri look for in the garbage?

Answer:

The people of Seemapuri look for items in the garbage which can be traded for money, meaning ‘gold’, as it helps them earn their daily bread and have a roof over their heads. For a child, garbage may mean something wrapped in wonder, whereas for the elders it is a means of survival.

 

Question 7:

Why had the ragpickers come to live in Seemapuri?

Or

To which country did Saheb’s parents originally belong? Why did they come to India?

Or

Why did Saheb’s parents leave Dhaka and migrate to India?

Answer:

Once Saheb’s parents lived in Bangladesh, amidst the green fields of Dhaka. There were many storms that swept away their fields and homes. That’s why they migrated to Delhi and settled down in Seemapuri looking for an occupation.

 

Question 8:

Whom does Anees Jung blame for the sorry plight of the bangle-makers?

Answer:

Anees Jung blames the vicious circle of the sahukars (moneylenders), middlemen,

policemen, bureaucrats and politicians for the sorry plight of the bangle-makers. They don’t allow the bangle-makers to organise themselves into a cooperative.

 

Question 9:

What is Mukesh’s dream? Do you think he will be able to fulfil his dream? Why? Why not?

Or

Who is Mukesh? What is his dream?

Or

Is it possible for Mukesh to realise his dream? Justify your answer.

Or

What was Mukesh’s dream? In your opinion, did he achieve his dream?

Or

Why is Mukesh’s dream of learning to drive a car a mirage?

Answer:

Mukesh belongs to the bangle-makers of Firozabad where each family is engaged in bangle-making. On asking, Mukesh says, “I will be a motor mechanic. I will learn to drive a car.” Thus, he wants to be his own master. However, because he is caught up in the vicious cycle created by others, he will not be able to realize his dream and will remain a bangle-maker.

 

Question 10:

In spite of despair and disease pervading the lives of the slum children, they are not devoid of hope. How far do you age?

Answer:

In spite of growing up amidst despair and disease, children who live in slums have the desire to achieve something big in life. This shows that they are not devoid of hope. Saheb, a ragpicker, is eager to go to a school and learn. Mukesh, who works in dark, dingy cells making bangles, dreams of becoming a motor- mechanic, against his family tradition.

 

Question 11:

Why could the bangle-makers not organise themselves into a cooperative?

Answer:

The bangle-makers could not organize themselves into a cooperative because they were trapped in the vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians, who exploited them.

If they tried to organize themselves, they would be beaten by the police and put in jail.

 

Question 12:

Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Answer:

The glass bangles industry has a very hazardous working environment. People work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light. Most end up losing their eyesight even before they become adults. Adding to their misery, they are caught in a vicious circle of people who exploit them.

 

Question 13:

Why does the author say that the bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web?

Or

What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?

Answer:

The bangle-makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the law makers, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Thus they remain steeped in poverty. They cannot form cooperatives for their betterment. Moreover, their children are also compelled to join the same trade at an early age, thus remaining in the vicious web.

 

Question 14:

What does the title ‘Lost Spring’ convey?

Answer:

Spring is associated with childhood. Just as spring is the season when flowers bloom, similarly, childhood is’ the period when an individual blooms and grows. Anees Jung here presents the horrific truth about the life of children in India who are victims of child labor and are not allowed to grow and bloom freely. Their childhood or springtime is lost.

 

Question 15:

What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?

Answer:

Some of the children simply do not care to take the trouble of taking their slippers down from the shelf to wear them. Another explanation she receives is that not wearing footwear is a tradition. However, she feels that it is simply an excuse to hide a perpetual state of poverty, as many families cannot afford to buy footwear for their children.

 

Question 16:

What makes the city of Firozabad famous?

Answer:

Firozabad is famous for its bangle-making industry. Beautiful bangles can be seen all over. Every second family is engaged in the business of bangle-making. It is the center of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations working around furnaces.

 

Question 17:

What would be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to the cities?

Answer:

People migrate from villages to cities in search of a better livelihood. Poverty and poor facilities in the villages are a major ‘push’ factor. Life in the cities has a charm of its own and attracts the villagers. Many people also come to the cities looking for work, leaving behind fields which are unproductive.

 

Question 18:

Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

Answer:

Children are the future of the nation and, if brought up properly, can serve as strong pillars in a country’s development. Child labor robs the children of the very essence of childhood, and often leaves them overburdened, undernourished, uneducated and diseased. Increased awareness and strict enforcement of laws can help in eliminating child labor.

 

Question 19:

Bring out the irony in Saheb’s name.

Answer:

Saheb is A poor ragpicker who lives in Seemapuri. His full name is ‘Saheb-e-Alam’, which means ‘Lord of the Universe’.

The irony lies in the meaning of his name itself. According to his name, he should be a king and enjoy all the luxuries of life. But unfortunately, he is a barefoot ragpicker, who lacks even the basic necessities.

 

Question 20:

‘It is his karam, his destiny’. Explain.

Answer:

Mukesh’s grandmother believes in destiny. She believes that they cannot escape from the God-given lineage. It is their destiny to suffer like this. They were born in the caste of bangle-makers and will always be one, for they do not have any control over their destiny.

 

Lost Spring Extra Questions Long Answer Type

 

Question 1:

Describe the difficulties the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives.

Or

Describe the circumstances which keep the workers in the bangle industry in poverty.

Answer:

The bangle makers of Firozabad are exposed to multiple health hazards while working. Many of them are children who work near hot furnaces during daylight, often losing their eyesight before adulthood. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to even think of taking up another profession.

 

They are not able to organize themselves into a cooperative due to bullying and exploitation by the politicians, authorities, moneylenders and middlemen. They live in stinking lanes choked with garbage, having homes with crumbling walls, wobbly doors, no windows, overcrowded with families of humans and animals coexisting in a primeval state. They have not even enjoyed even one full meal in their entire lifetime because of their poverty.

 

Question 2:

How is Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb? Why?

Answer:

Mukesh belongs to a bangle-making family, but he is not content with this profession. He dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic and driving cars. He has strong will power and wants to achieve what he dreams about, unlike other people in his family. In contrast to this, Saheb is a rag picker who is content with his life, but becomes unhappy when he gets a job at a tea stall, even though now he is probably earning more and on a regular basis.

 

Saheb is unhappy because he has lost his independence, which he had as a rag picker. However, Saheb accepts his new situation, whereas Mukesh dares to want to break free from tradition. This is because Mukesh is more courageous and determined than Saheb will ever be.

 

Question 3:

Give a brief account of life and activities of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri.

Answer:

Seemapuri is a slum area located on the periphery of Delhi. Most of the residents of Seemapuri consist of people who are refugees from Bangladesh. Saheb’s family is among them. The area consists of mud structures, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. It does not have facilities of sewage, drainage or running water.About 10000 rag pickers live here.

 

Their only means of livelihood is finding saleable items from rubbish. Thus, for them, the rubbish is as valuable as gold, for their survival depends on these. These rag pickers have lived here for more than thirty years without any identity. They do not have permits but have ration cards, thanks to the selfish whims and wishes of the politicians. With these they can get their name on the voter’s lists and also buy grains for themselves at a subsidized rate.

 

Question 4:

‘Lost Spring’ explains the grinding poverty and traditions that condemn thousands of people to a life of abject poverty. Do you agree? Why/why not?

Answer:

Yes, I do agree that ‘Lost Spring’ narrates the grinding poverty and traditions to which thousands of people have succumbed. The story written by Anees Jung revolves around the pitiable condition of poor children who have been forced to live in slums and work hard in dirty conditions. The first part tells the writer’s impression about the life of poor ragpickers who have migrated from Bangladesh but now are settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.

 

The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle-makers in Firozabad. The stark reality of these families is that, in spite of back-breaking hard work that they put in, they cannot even afford two square meals a day. Besides, false and blind belief in traditions does not let their children take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial situation.

 

Question 5:

The bangle-makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles and make everyone happy but they live and die in squalor. Elaborate.

Answer:

Firozabad is the center of India’s glass-blowing industry. Families have spent generations in this business, making beautiful bangles of all hues and colors. But their own life is steeped in filth and misery. People work round the clock in glass furnaces at high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light.

 

These workers are exposed to health hazards. They often end up losing their eyesight. Moreover, they are stuck in a vicious circle of exploitation. Even if they try to form a cooperative, they are beaten up and jailed for doing something illegal. They live in filthy homes in lanes choked with garbage. In such conditions, families of humans and animals exist together in a primeval state. Thus, the bangle-makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles but live and die in squalor.

 

Question 6:

“Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi, yet miles away from it, metaphorically.” Explain.

Answer:

Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi where 10000 ragpickers and their families live. The people living there are squatters who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971. The ragpickers live in structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, devoid of sewage, drainage or running water.No one can imagine that such a place exists on the periphery of Delhi, the capital of India. It stands in stark contrast to the metropolitan city of Delhi.

 

The main city of Delhi, and Seemapuri at its periphery, provide an exemplary case of contradiction. In Delhi there is luxury and affluence, there are a host of opportunities and dreams, and in Seemapuri there is squalor, hopelessness and despair. There is no chance for the inhabitants of this area to strive towards the attainment of the prospects offered by Delhi. Thus, although Seemapuri is located at the periphery of Delhi, in the real sense, Delhi is as far as miles away from it.

 

Question 7:

Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?

Answer:

It often happens that promises made to poor children are rarely kept. It is mostly the people belonging to affluent classes who indulge in making false promises to innocent children.These promises act as a bait in some cases. In others, they are meant to avoid these children because they are regarded as a nuisance by most people.

 

When the author, Anees Jung, asks Saheb about school, his matter-of-fact reply that there is no school in his area forces her to say casually that she will build one. What the author does not realise at the moment is the fact that the innocent child has taken it rather seriously. When he questions her again about the school, though she feels embarrassed at her false promise, it has left a deep impact on the child. Later in life, Saheb may never actually believe the promises made by people.

 

Question 8:

‘Saheb is no longer his own master.’ Comment.

Answer:

Grinding poverty and the necessity for a life of subsistence have involved Saheb, in ragpicking. Rummaging through garbage does not provide him with a regular income but gives him freedom. He has all the liberty in the world to roam with his friends in the streets without any worries to bother him.

 

Also, he can hunt for ‘gold’ in the garbage dumps. It provides him a hope and a thrill everyday in the form of a rupee or a ten-rupee note. So, he looks forward to it. The job he takes up at a tea stall is one of his’ attempts to become his own master. Ironically this further enslaves him. He is now not free to roam aimlessly in the streets. His new occupation binds him to serve somebody else.

 

Question 9:

How in your opinion, can Mukesh realize his dream?

Answer:

Mukesh belongs to a family of bangle-makers, but his attitude to his situation is different from that of others.

He is a daring boy and he dreams of becoming a motor-mechanic and learning to drive a car. The determination and strong will of becoming a motor-mechanic and learning to drive a car seems to be very strong. That is why he says that he will walk to the garage. There he will have to meet the owner of the garage and request him to become a motor-mechanic.

 

He must request for any petty work pertaining to the garage. Through his sincere efforts and hard work and the guidance of his owner, he can attain the skills of a mechanic and then gradually that of car driving. In this way, he can surely realize his dream.

 

Lost Spring Extra Questions Value Based Type

 

Question 1:

Most of us do not raise our voice against injustice in our society and tend to remain mute spectators. Anees Jung in her story, ‘Lost Spring’ vividly highlights the miserable life of street children and bangle makers of Firozabad. She wants us to act. Which qualities does she want the children to develop?

Answer:

Anees Jung wants the children to become free . from the vicious cycle of poverty into which they have fallen due to the middlemen, sahukars and law enforcement officials. She wants them to be bold enough to raise their voice against their oppressors. She wants them to be fearless and optimistic so that they can dream of taking up other occupations, just like Mukesh, who wants to be a motor-mechanic.

 

She wants them to become free from their traditional occupation so that they can realize their life’s ambitions. She sees the spark of such a quality in Mukesh, who is willing to go to any lengths to become a motor-mechanic. She wants some people to help them develop these qualities so that they can be free from injustice and exploitation, taking up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial condition.

 

Question 2:

‘Lost Spring” brings out the condition of some children in India who do not go to school, work in inhuman conditions and live in slums. We, as Indians, have failed in our duty in some way. What values do we need to inculcate among the people to bring back the spring’ in the lives of these poor children?

Answer:

In ‘Lost Spring’ Mukesh, Savita and Saheb are all victims of child labor. We have not understood their situation adequately. To bring back the ‘spring’ in the lives of these poor children, we must inculcate the values to

 

have a strong will to ensure that all children get basic education. This may be done by helping them join the ‘open school’ system.

have a sense of commitment of wanting to help these children; an example can be to find better employment for the adults in their families.

say ‘NO’ to child labor in any work related to us during the children’s school hours.

feel the need to do something for such children, exemplifying the saying, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.

create Awareness in society about the plight of the underprivileged so that people in power can help them.

Lost Spring Extra Questions Miscellaneous

 

Question 1:

Carefully read the following phrases and sentences taken from the text. Can you identify the literary device in each example?

 

Saheb-e-Alam, which means the lord of the universe, is directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality.

Drowned in an air of desolation.

Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.

For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival.

As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make.

She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes.

Few airplanes fly over Firozabad.

Web of poverty.

Scrounging for gold.

And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art.

The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulders.

Answer: 

Hyperbole

Metaphor

Contrast

Contrast

Simile

Contrast

Contrast (When compared to the perception of people in other cities)

Metaphor

Hyperbole

Hyperbole

Contrast

Q1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?

Ans. Saheb is looking for gold in the garbage dumps. He is in the neighbourhood of the author. Saheb has come from Bangladesh. He Came with his mother in 1971. His house was set amidst the green fields of Dhaka. Storms swept away their fields and homes. So they left the country.

 

Q2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?

Ans. One explanation offered by the author is that it is a tradition to stay barefoot. It is not lack of money. He wonders if this is only an excuse to explain away a perpetual state of poverty. He also remembers the story of a poor body who prayed to the goddess for a pair of shoes.

 

Q3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.

Ans. No, Saheb is not happy working at the tea-stall. He is no longer his own master. His face has lost the carefree look. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulder. The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the tea-shop.

Q1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?

Ans. The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry. Families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for the women in the land. 

 

Q2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry?

Ans. Boys and girls with their fathers and mothers sit in dark hutments, next to lines of flames of flickering oil lamps. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. They often end up losing eyesight before they become adults. Even the dust from polishing the glass of bangles is injurious to eyes. Many workers have become blind. The furnaces have very high temperature and therefore very dangerous.

 

Q3. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?

Ans. Mukesh’s grandmother thinks that the god-given lineage can never be broken. Her son and grandsons are bom in the caste of bangle makers. They have seen nothing but bangles.

Mukesh’s father has taught them what he knows—the art of making bangles. But Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic. He will go to a garage and learn, though the garage is far away from his home.

 

Q1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?

Ans. People migrate from villages to cities in search of livelihood. Their fields fail to provide them means of survival. Cities provide employment, jobs or other means of getting food. The problem in case of the poor is to feed the hungry members. Survival is of primary concern.

 

Q2. Would you agree that promises made to the poor children are rarely kept? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?

Ans. The promises made to the poor are rarely kept. The author asks Saheb half-joking, whether he will come to her school if she starts one. Saheb agrees to do so. A few days later he asks if the school is ready. The writer feels embarrassed at having made a promise that was not meant. Promises like hers abound in every comer of their bleak world.

 

Q3. What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?

Ans. Certain forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty. These include the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they impose a heavy burden on the child.

Q1. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?

Ans. Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle-maker of Firozabad. Most of the young men of Firozabad have no initiative or ability to dream, but Mukesh is an exception. He has the capacity to take courage and break from the traditional family occupation. He has strong will power also. He does not want to be a pawn in the hands of the middlemen or moneylenders. He insists on being his own master by becoming a motor mechanic.

He can realise his dream by joining a garage and learn the job of repairing cars and driving them. He will have to overcome many hurdles before he succeeds. Then comes transport problem. Money is the first one. He will have to earn some money himself. The garage is a long way from his home. He will have to cover it twice everyday anyhow—by walking on foot.

Patience, hardwork, firm will and the determination to learn will help him realise his dream. 

Q3. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

Ans. Child labour should be eliminated because the children employed at tender age as i domestic servants, dish-washers at road-side dhabas and in hazardous industries making glass bangles, biris, crackers etc. lose the charm of the spring of their life. Their childhood is stolen. Burdened by the responsibility of work, they become adults too soon. Most of them are undernourished, ill-fed, uneducated, and poor. They have a stunted growth.

Child labour can be eliminated only through concerted efforts on the part of government agencies, NGOs (Non-Government Organisations), co-operative societies and political leaders. Mere passing of law will not help. Laws should be enacted faithfully. The children thrown out of work should be rehabilitated and given proper food, clothes, education and pocket money. Their feelings, thoughts and emotions should be respected. Let them enjoy sunshine and fresh air.

Lost Spring  Questions and Answers SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q1. Who was Saheb? What was he doing and why?

Ans. Saheb was a young boy of school-going age. He was looking for gold in the garbage dumps of the big city. He had left his home in Dhaka, Bangladesh and came to the big city in search of living. He has nothing else to do but pick rags.

 

Q2. “But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world.” What promise does the author recall? In what context was it made? Was it fulfilled?

Ans. The author asked Saheb about going to school. Saheb explained that there was no school in his neighbourhood. He promised to go to school when they built one. Half joking, the author asked whether he would come in case she started one. Saheb smiled broadly and agreed to come. After a few days, he ran upto the author and asked if the school was ready. The author felt embarrassed. She had made a promise that was not meant. 

 

Q3. What is the meaning of Saheb’s full name? Does he know it? How does he conduct himself?

Ans. His full name is “Saheb-e-Alam”. It means the lord of the universe. He does not know it. If he knew it, he would hardly believe it. He roams the streets barefoot with other rag-pickers. This army of arefoot boys appears in the morning and disappears at noon.

 

Q4. How does the author focus on the ‘perpetual state of poverty’ of the children not wearing footwear?

Ans. The author notices that most of the young children engaged in rag picking are not wearing footwear. Some of them do not have chappals. Others want to wear shoes. Some say it is tradition to stay barefoot. To the author it seems lack of money. Poverty forces them to walk without footwear.

 

Q5. Explain: “For children, garbage has a meaning different from what it means to their parents. ”

Ans. Small children scrounge heaps of garbage. They expect to get some coin, note or valuable thing in it. Sometimes they find a rupee or even a ten rupee note. This gives the hope of finding more. They search it excitedly. For children, garbage is wrapped in wonder. For the elders it is a means of survival. Thus, garbage has two different meanings.

 

Q6. Where does the author find Saheb one winter morning? What explanation does Saheb offer?

Ans. The author finds Saheb standing by the fenced gate of a neighbourhood club. He is watching two young men, dressed in white, playing tennis. Saheb says that he likes the game, but he is content to watch it standing behind the fence. He goes inside when no one is around. He uses the swing there.

 

Q7. What job did Saheb take up? Was he happy ?

Ans. Saheb took up the job at a tea-stall. But he was not happy with it. He was no longer his own master. His face had lost the carefree look. Although he earned ? 800, even then he was not satisfied.

 

Q8. How has “a dream come true” for Saheb but what is “out of his reach?”

Ans. Saheb is wearing discarded tennis shoes. One of them has a hole. Saheb does not bother about the hole. For one who has walked barefoot, even shoes with a hole is a dream come true. But tennis, the game he is watching so intently, is out of his reach.

 

Q9. How does Saheb’s life change when he starts working at the tea-stall?

Ans. Saheb now has a regular income. He is paid 800 rupees and all his meals. Thus, food is no problem. But his face has lost the carefree look. The steel canister in his hand now seems a burden. He is no longer his own master. He may have to work for longer hours. The helplessness of doing things at his own will makes him sad.

 

Q10. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream? Why does it look like “a mirage amidst the dust?”

Ans. Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle-maker of Firozabad, where every other family is engaged in making bangles. His poor father has failed to renovate his house or send his two sons to school. Mukesh insists on being his own master. His dream is to be a motor mechanic. He wants to drive a car. Given the conditions of existence, his dream looks like a mirage amidst the dust.

 

Q11.What do you learn about Firozabad from this chapter ?

Ans. Firozabad is famous for its glass bangles. It is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry.

Families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles for all the women in the land. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles.

 

Q12. “Born in the caste of bangle-makers they have seen nothing but bangles.” Where do they ‘see’ bangles?

Ans. Children like Mukesh are bpm in the caste of bangle-makers. They know no other work. They see bangles in the house, in the yard, in every other house, every other yard, every street in Firozabad. The spirals of bangles lie in mounds in unkempt yards. They are piled on four wheeled hand carts.

 

Q13. What contrast do you notice between the colours of the bangles and the atmosphere of the place where these bangles are made?

Ans. The bangles are of every colour bom out of the seven colours of the rainbow. These are sunny gold, paddy green, royal blue, pink and purple. Boys and girls work in dark hutments, next to the flickering flames of oil lamps around furnaces, blowing glass, welding and soldering it to make bangles.

 

Q14. What are most of the bangle-makers ignorant of? What would happen if law were enforced strictly?

Ans. Most of the bangle-makers are ignorant of the fact that employing children in bangle making is illegal. This is a hazardous industry. Many children become blind before reaching tHeir adulthood. If the law were enforced strictly, 20,000 children would be released from working hard throughout the day at hot furnaces with high temperatures. *

 

Q15. Where is Mukesh’s house located? What is he proud of?

Ans. Mukesh’s house is built in a slum-area. The lanes stink with garbage. The homes there are hovels with crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no windows. These are crowded with families of humans and animals. Most of these houses are shacks or huts. Mukesh is proud that his house is being rebuilt. His eyes shine as he volunteers to take the author to his home,

 

Q16. What impression do you form about Mukesh ‘s family on having a glimpse of their ‘house?’

Ans. Mukesh’s house is a half built shack with a wobbly door. One part of it is thatched with dead grass. There is a firewood stove. Spinach leaves are sizzling in a large vessel. More chopped vegetables lie on aluminium platters. The eyes of the frail young woman are filled with smoke, but she smiles. The scene depicts their grinding poverty but contentment with their lot.

 

Q17. Give a thumb-nail sketch of the “frail young woman” in the chapter ‘Lost Spring’.

Ans. The young woman is the wife of Mukesh’s elder brother. Her eyes are filled with the smoke of firewood. Though not much older in years, she commands respect as the daughter- in-law of the house. She adheres to customs and traditions. She veils her face before male elders. She gently withdraws behind the broken wall to do so.

 

Q18. How would you regard Mukesh’s father’s life and achievement?

Ans. Mukesh’s father was bom in the caste of bangle-makers. His father went blind with the dust from polishing the glass of bangles. He is an old and poor bangle-maker. He has worked hard for long years, first as a tailor and then as a bangle-maker. He has failed to renovate a house or send his two sons to school.

 

Q19. “Savita is a symbol of innocence and efficiency.” Comment.

Ans. Savita is a young girl. She has put on drab pink dress. She is soldering pieces of glass. Her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine. She is innocent as she is ignorant about the sanctity of the bangles she helps to make.

 

Q20. What do bangles symbolise? When, according to the author, will Savita know “the sanctity of the bangles she helps make?” How is the Indian bride dressed?

Ans. Bangles symbolise auspiciousness in marriage for an Indian woman. Savita will come to know “the sanctity” of the bangles when she becomes a bride. The head of a bride is draped with a red veil. Her hands are dyed with red henna. Red bangles are rolled on to her wrists.

 

Q21. “She still has bangles on her wrist but no light in her eyes.” What exactly does the author want to convey through this?

Ans. ‘She’ is an elderly woman who became a bride long ago. Since her husband, an old man with a flowing beard is still alive, she still has bangles on her wrist. She has, however, not enjoyed even one full nteal in her entire lifetime. So, there is no light in her eyes. This is just a comment on the abject poverty and helplessness of the bangle-makers.

 

Q22. “The young men echo the lament of their elders. ” What do you think is the common complain t ? How has it affected their lives?

Ans. The bangle-makers of Firozabad are quite poor. They do not have enough money to do anything except carry on the business of making bangles. Some even do not have enough to pacify their hunger. Building a house for the family is an achievement for them. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to dream.

 

Q23. Why do the bangle-makers not organise themselves into a cooperative?

Ans. Most of the young bangle-makers have fallen into the traps of the middlemen. They are also afraid of the police. They know that the police will haul them up, beat them and drag to jail for doing something illegal. There is no leader among them to help them see things differently. Their fathers are equally tired. They can do nothing except carrying on their i inherited business.

 

Q24. Which two distinct worlds does the author notice among the bangle-making industry ?

Ans. The families of the bangle-makers belong to one of these worlds. These workers are caught in the web of poverty. They are also burdened by the stigma of the caste in which they are bom. They know no other work. The other world is the vicious circle of the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.

 

Q25. How is Mukesh different from the other bangle makers of Firozabad? 

Ans. Mukesh is quite different from other bangle makers of Firozabad because he has the courage to take initiative and break from the traditional family occupation. He has strong will power also. He insists on being his own master by becoming a motor mechanic.

 

Q26. What do you think is the plight of the children born in the families of bangle-makers?

Ans. The vicious circle of the middlemen and their allies have entrapped the poor bangle- makers in their nets. The stronghold is suffocating. They have imposed a heavy burden on little children. They can’t put it down. Before they are able to think, they accept the baggages as naturally as their fathers.

 

Q27. What do you think is the theme of ‘Lost Spring, Stories of Stolen Childhood’?

Ans. The theme of the chapter is the grinding poverty and the traditions which condemn poor children to a life of exploitation. The two stories taken together depict the plight of street children forced into labour early in life and denied the opportunity of schooling. The callousness of the society and the political class only adds to the sufferings of these poor people.

 

VALUE-BASED QUESTIONS

Q1.Hunger knows no friend but its feeder. The downtrodden lead a miserable life. Elucidate the dictum keeping in mind the following lines:

“survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art. Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread a roof over their heads, “

Ans.                                                        Poverty: A Vicious Circle

It is a well known saying that poverty is the root cause of all evils. Corruption, loot, begging and incidents of theft are the offspring of abject poverty. The destitute lead a pitiable and miserable life. They do not get sufficient food. Lack of funds constrain them to take recourse to illegal activities. Slum dwellers always feel themselves dejected. They recognise only those beings who help them and feed them. Political leaders take undue advantages of their poverty. They are misused to win elections. Humanity, mankind, honesty, trust and love become significant when an individual succeeds in satisfying his hunger. Hungry people need only food. There is a dearth of people who are capable of converting obstacles into opportunities. These poor people are exploited ruthlessly by industrialists, politicians and other middlemen. They scrounge for gold in the garbage dumps to earn their livelihood. The hiatus between the rich and the poor seems difficult to be bridged. It is increasing day by day. The poor are becoming poorer and the rich richer. There is no human being who would like to work for their welfare. Their plight is pitiable and horrible. The residential areas of these people are packed with filth. They become habitual of foul smell. Poverty is a vicious circle. It never comes to an end. The unemployed youth are heading towards destruction. They do not remember anything except the help they receive from the opportunistic people who feed them to materialise their vested interests.

 

Q2. There is no denying the fact that ‘Life is action and not contemplation.’ Those who shirk work and waste their time in thinking about bitter consequences never achieve greatness. They lack enthusiasm. Substantiate the aphorism keeping in mind the following lines:

“I will be a motor mechanic’’ “I will learn to drive a car”. His dream looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets…”

Ans.                                        Life is Action and not Contemplation

Initiation is the law of nature. Success depends on the actions taken by an individual. One has to take actions without wasting time. Dreams give us directions. But it should not be forgotten that a man cannot become influential by only dreaming . One who does not utilise time fails to do anything significant in life. Actions shape the destiny of the beings. Contemplation destroys happiness. Aimless thinking aggravates woes and worries. It leads to nowhere. Such thinkers never get pleasure in this world of mortals. Those who believe in taking actions attain their long cherished goals with an astonishing ease. They never feel confused or perplexed. They never become a victim of depression. All the human beings are to perform their duties on the earth. Contemplation leads to idleness. Life is a judicious blend of contemplation and action. Contemplation transformed into action is of utmost importance. Action without contemplation may be disastrous. Contemplation without action is a sin. One should not waste time in thinking only. We should always remember that life is short and time is swift. Procrastination is the thief of time. One should not forget that there’s a time for everything. One should grab this opportune time to get success in life.

 

Q3. Dedication, determination and devotion are the factors responsible for phenomenal suc¬cess. Substantiate the above quoted statement in the light of the following lines:

“I want to be a motor mechanic,’ he repeats. He will go to a garage and learn. But the garage is a long way from his home. 7 will walk’, he insists.”

Ans.                                                             Key to Success

Hard work is the key to success. Dogged determination and strong will power are the essential ingredients of success. Industrious people never feel disheartened. They bum the mid night oil and strive hard to achieve the desired goals. It is said that between two stools one falls on the ground. Thus, one has to dedicate one’s life to a specific field. The long term goals and aims of life must be set thoughtfully and not whimsically. The capricious nature of a fellow does not allow him to reach the heights. Devotion always brings good results and rewards. The essence of devotion is trust or faith. If one has trust in performing the actions, one is able in winning the battle of life. Trust gives strength and strength gives birth to determination which leads to dedication. Devoted and dedicated people never become a part of a problem. They remain a part of the solution. They do not do different things but they do things differently. Their devotion to the field encourages them to have indepth knowledge. Those who dare to climb the hill conquer Mount Everest. Dedication has no substitute. It is the only way to great accomplishments.

 

Q4. Health plays an important role in the life of a mortal. But the destitute fail to get nutritious food and do not remain healthy. It is said that health is wealth. People believe that a sound mind lives in a sound body. Elucidate it taking ideas from the following lines:

“Ek waqt ser bhar khana bhi nahin Khaya.”

Ans.                                                           Health and Food

One has to accept the fact that if wealth is lost, something is lost and if health is lost, everything is lost. The proverb A sound mind lives in a sound body’ is apt. A healthy man can enjoy the beauty of this world. An unhealthy man misses one of the greatest boons given by the Almighty. A healthy beggar is better than an unhealthy king. A person who accumulates enormous wealth and suffers from chronic or fatal diseases cannot relish life.

He wastes his time in clinics and hospitals. Health is essential to have positive thoughts.

One should wake up early in the morning and take exercise. Nutritious food is indispensable for good health. Junk food must be avoided. The destitute suffer because they do not get : sufficeient food. They do not have any source of income. Undoubtedly good health plays a pivotal role in the life of a mortal. Pecuniary gains are of utmost importance but a strong and sturdy body free from ailments is of paramount importance. It has no substitute. A mortal cannot endure the loss of health. Creativity, productivity and innovation get enhanced if a man is healthy. Thus, one should be in the best of health so that one can lead a happy and contented life.

 

Q5. Child abuse is a very serious problem in our country. Children are forced by circumstances to work in various factories. Write an article, on the topic ‘Child Abuse’. Take ideas from the following lines:

“None of them knows that it is illegal for children like him to work in the glass furnaces 1 with high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light; that the law, if enforced, could get him and all those 20,000 children out of the hot furnaces where they slog their daylight /hours, often losing the brightness of their eyes.”

Ans.                                                             Child Abuse

Child abuse is a grave problem in India. Many children work for dhabas, factories and tea stall owners. These are those unfortunate children of this country who don’t get even . meals three times a day. It is a blemish on our nation. It is the duty of the governments to make arrangements of education for these children. Child labour is common in the fields of agriculture, domestic service, sex industry, carpet and textile industries, quarrying, bangle making and brick making. These children are forced to work in horrible conditions. There are no set working hours for these children. They are given low wages.

In some cases poverty of the household and low level of parental education are responsible , for child labour. Employing children in factories implies that the nation’s future is in dark. These children never feel happy. They become devoid of human emotions. They adoptillegal ways to earn their bread and butter when they become able-bodied. It gives rise to .violence and corruption. Child labour should be stopped and the governments should educate these children free of cost. At least elementary education should be given to all children.