Lost Spring [AHSEC Class 12 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

Lost Spring 

[AHSEC Class 12 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

About the Author

Anees Jung hails from an aristocratic family with her father being a renowned poet. Her mother and brother are also Urdu poets. After her education, she started working as a journalist. She has been an editor and columnist for major newspapers in India and abroad. She is most known for her book ‘Unveiling India’.

Brief Summary of the Lesson:

Lost Spring: Stories of stolen childhood focusses on children from less privileged or deprived backgrounds. The story follows the life of a few children. Saheb, a rag picker is desirous of going to school but unable to do so. Finally, he ends up working at a tea stall. Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic and drive a car but is destined to follow the family's traditional occupation of making bangles. Savita too, is involved in making bangles along with her family. The bangle makers are victims of middlemen who exploit them for their advantage.

Chapter-wise Summary:

A Rag Picker's Story

The author finds Saheb searching in the garbage dumps in her neighbourhood and asked him the reason for doing so. Saheb had left his home in Dhaka a long time ago. His mother informed him that their homes and fields had been swept away by many storms. He replied that he did not have anything else to do. She thoughtlessly advised him to go to school and then realised that the advice must have sounded meaningless. He points out that there is no school in his neighbourhood and says that when one is built, he would go. The author half-jokingly asks him if he would come if she started school. He smilingly agrees to it. After a few days, he runs up to her and asks if her school was ready. She is embarrassed at having made a promise that she had no intention of keeping and tells him that building a school requires more time. The author knows that in Saheb'sbleak world, there must have been many empty promises like what she had made. After several months, the author gets to know that Saheb'sfull name is Saheb-e-Alam, which means Lord of the universe. Unaware of the meaning of his name, he roams the streets, from morning till noon, with his friends, an army of boys without footwear. Over a period of time, the author knows she recognises each one of them. She questions one of them about why he does not wear chappals, to which he replied that his mother did not bring them down from the shelf. Another boy said that he wanted shoes.

Where Shoes are a Rarity

While travelling across the country, the author had come across many children walking barefoot, in cities and also villages. One explanation for this was that it was a tradition to be barefoot. The author wondered if the explanation was an excuse to hide poverty. The author recollects a story narrated to her by a man from Udipi. His father was a temple priest. On his way to school, he used to pass by the temple, where he used to stop and pray for a pair of shoes. Thirty years later, when the author visited his town and the temple, he saw a new priest. The priest's son was dressed in a school uniform with shoes and socks. Looking at him reminded the author of a prayer made by another boy when he got a pair of shoes. Many young children had the benefit of shoes, but many others like the rag pickers in her neighbourhood remained barefoot.

Life of the Migrants

Saheb's family lives in Seemapuri. Seemapuri is a place on the periphery of Delhi. People who came from Bangladesh in 1971 live there. At that time, it was a wilderness. Now, around 10,000 rag pickers live there in mud structures with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They have been there for thirty years, without an identity or permits but with ration cards. These cards enable them to buy grain and get their names on the voters' list. They do not complain about the lack of an identity as food is more important for survival than identity. They pitch their tents wherever they find food. The children also help by rag picking. Garbage becomes a source of their daily bread. Saheb said that at times he finds a rupee or even ten rupees. Once they find something, they are hopeful of finding more. For children, garbage is wrapped in wonder, and for adults, it is a means of survival. One winter morning, Saheb is seen watching a game of tennis, from the gate of the club. He likes the game, but it is beyond his reach. He is wearing tennis shoes that someone gave him. Saheb has started working at a tea stall for 800 rupees and his meals. He is no longer his own master, and his face no more looks carefree. Instead of the light bag that he used to carry earlier, he is carrying a steel canister.

Mukesh's Life

Mukesh, a boy from Firozabad, wants to be a motor mechanic. He wants to learn to drive a car. Firozabad is famous for its bangles and is the centre of India's glass-blowing industry. Every other family there is involved in making bangles, including Mukesh's family. They do not know that it is illegal to put children to work in dingy cells and hot furnaces where they lose the brightness of their eyes. Mukesh leads the author to his home, down stinking lanes filled with garbage, past dilapidated homes where humans and animals coexist. His house is a half-built shack. They are received by Mukesh's elder brother's wife, a thin young woman who is cooking the evening meal. When her father in law enters the room, she veils her face as custom demands. Mukesh's father is a bangle maker, who has taught his sons his trade. Mukesh's grandmother says that it is their destiny to make bangles. All around, in hutments, nearby boys and girls sit with their parents' welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Many of them end up losing their eye-sight before they become adults.

Victims of Middle Men

Savita, a young girl is busy soldering glass pieces. She sits beside an elderly woman doing this. The author wonders if she knew about the sanctity of the bangles that she was making. It signifies a woman's suhaag. Savita would realise it when she became a bride. The old woman says that she has not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire life. This cry is echoed in many of the homes involved in the business of bangle making. The bangle makers are victims of middlemen and are exploited by them. The author suggested to a group of young men that they should organise themselves into a cooperative. To this, they reply that even if they did so, they would be beaten up by the police and dragged to jail for doing something illegal. There is no leader amongst them, who could help them see things differently. Their talk revolves around poverty, apathy, greed and injustice. The author sees two distinct worlds there, one where families are caught up in a web of poverty and stigma of their caste. The other world is peopled by the sahukars, middlemen policemen, keepers of the law, bureaucrats and politicians. Together these have imposed a burden on the children, that they can't put down. The child accepts it as naturally as his father did it. Doing something else would mean to dare, and daring is not a part of his growing up. The author is happy to see a glimpse of this in Mukesh when he says that he wants to be a motor mechanic. When he is asked if he dreams of flying a plane, he murmurs in the negative.

Also Read: English AHSEC Class 12 Chapterwise Notes

Answer the following questions : 1 Marks

1. Who is the author of ‘Lost Spring’?

Ans. Anees Jung is the author of ‘Lost Spring’.

2. What is ‘Lost Spring’ about?

Ans. 'Lost Spring' is about two poor Indian children Saheb and Mukesh who owing to the poverty, had to lose their childhood happiness for the sake of supporting their family.

3. What is the original book from which this prose piece is an excerpt?

Ans. The prose piece is an excerpt from the book ‘Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood’, written by Anees Jung. The book details the life of deprived children who are poor and exploited under their existing circumstances.

4. Who is Saheb?

Ans. Saheb is a rag picker from Seemapuri. His family originally hails from Dhaka.

5. Whom does the author encounter every day in the street?

Ans. The author encounters Saheb every day in the street, searching through the garbage dumps in her neighbourhood.

6. What does Saheb do every other day?

Ans. Every other day, Saheb scrounges for gold in the garbage dumps of the author’s neighbourhood.

7. Where is the original home of Saheb? 2019 2020

Ans. Saheb is originally from Dhaka in Bangladesh.

8. Why have Saheb and his family migrated to Seemapuri?

Ans. Saheb and his family lived amid green fields in Dhaka. The storm had swept away Saheb's home and green fields in Dhaka. So, they left their place and migrated to Seemapuri.

9. What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps? 2016

Ans. Garbage becomes a means of survival for the poor migrants. Saheb looks for gold in the garbage, meaning something valuable or of use to them.

10. What is Saheb’s full name?

Ans. Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam.

11. What is the meaning of Saheb’s full name?

Ans. Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam, which means Lord of the universe.

12. Whom did Saheb observe standing at the fenced gate of the neighbourhood club?

Ans. Standing at the fenced gate of the neighbourhood club, Saheb was observing two young men, dressed in white, playing a game of tennis.

13. What was Saheb wearing when he was at the gate of the club?

Ans. When Saheb was standing at the gate of the club, he was wearing a discoloured shirt and shorts with a pair of tennis shoes with a hole in one of them.

14. Where is Seemapuri?

Ans. Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi. It was previously a wilderness but is now populated by migrants who came from Bangladesh in 1971.

15. Who is Mukesh?

Ans. Mukesh is a young boy from Firozabad, who is involved in the business of bangle making along with the members of his family.

16. Where does Mukesh live?

Ans. Mukesh lives in Firozabad, in a half-built house, located in a lane filled with and stinking of garbage.

17. What is Mukesh’s dream?  2020

Ans. Mukesh dreams of being a motor mechanic and driving a car.

18. Who is Savita?

Ans. Savita is a young girl from Firozabad. She helps her family in their business of bangle making.

19. Why is Mukesh proud to take the author to his home?

Ans. Mukesh is proud to take the author to his home, as his home is being rebuilt.

20. Who is in charge of Mukesh’s household?

Ans. Mukesh’s elder brother’s wife, the daughter in law of the house is in charge of Mukesh’s household.

21. Why do you do this? Who is the speaker? To whom is the question addressed?

Ans. The speaker is the author Anees Jung. The question is addressed to Saheb, whom she sees everyday searching through the garbage dumps in her neighbourhood.

22. Where is Dhaka? Why is it important?

Ans. Dhaka is in Bangladesh. It is important as most of the people in Seemapuri are migrants from Bangladesh, who have been staying there since 1971.

23. ‘But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world. ‘

(i) Why do promises abound in Saheb’s world?

Ans. Promises abound in Saheb’s world because several people like the author make meaningless promises to him. They make promises that they have no intention of keeping.

(ii) Why is his world bleak?

Ans. His world is bleak as there is no apparent hope for a better future.

25. Who is described as 'morning birds'? Why?

Ans. Saheb and his friends, who are rag pickers, are described as 'morning birds'. They are so described as they appear in the morning and disappear in the afternoon.

26. Who lived in Seemapuri?

Ans. Migrants who came from Bangladesh in 1971, lived in Seemapuri in mud structures with roofs of tin and tarpaulin.

27. What does the ’garbage’ mean for the children of Seemapuri?

Ans. For the children of Seemapuri, ‘garbage’ is wrapped in wonder. They look forward to finding valuable things in it.

28. What does the ‘garbage’ mean for the elders of Seemapuri?

Ans. For the elders at Seemapuri, ‘garbage’ is a means of survival.

29. Give another word for ’scrounging’.

Ans. Another word for scrounging is scavenging.

30. What does not bother Saheb regarding the shoes he gets to wear at one time?

Ans. Saheb is not bothered by the hole in the shoes when he gets to wear them.

31. What is out of Saheb’s reach?                                                

Ans. Playing the game of tennis is beyond Saheb’s reach.

32. What is the 'Karam' of Mukesh's father, according to his grandmother?

Ans. According to Mukesh's grandmother, the 'Karam' or destiny of Mukesh's father is making bangles.

33. Give an English equivalent of ‘Karam'.

Ans. An English equivalent of ‘Karam' is destiny.

Answer the following questions : 2 Marks

 1. What is Saheb’s explanation as to why he scrounged the heaps of garbage dumps?

or

What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from? 2014

Ans. The author, Anees Jung, encounters Saheb every day as he scrounges the heaps of garbage dumps in her neighbourhood. He searches through the garbage heaps for gold.  Gold here is symbolic of something valuable to him. He says that he does it because he does not have anything else to do.

2. Why does the advice sound hollow?

                                             Or

'Go to school', I say glibly, realising immediately how hollow the advice must sound. Why was the advice hollow?

Ans. Anees Jung advises Saheb to go to school, instead of scrounging the garbage dumps.  The advice sounds hollow because the author knows that he is a rag picker. He is from a poor migrant family, and his parents cannot afford the cost of sending him to school to get education.

3. What is the irony inherent in Saheb’s full name?  2013 2014 2019

Ans. Saheb's full name is Saheb-e Alam. It means lord of the universe. If he knew its meaning, he would find it difficult to believe it as it was contradictory to his situation in life. The irony is that he is lord of the universe in his name only. His name does not go in line with the work he does. He is a poor migrant and scrounges through garbage dumps everyday to meet his basic survival needs.

4. Why isn’t Saheb wearing ‘Chappals’?

Ans. Saheb is not wearing chappals because he comes from a very poor family. His parents do not have enough money to buy him a pair of chappals. Life is a battle of survival for him and his family.

5. Why are most rag picking children barefoot?

Ans. Most of the children who pick rags are barefoot. The author asks several children about why they do not wear chappals to which she gets different replies. One said that his mother didn't get it down from the shelf. Some don't have chappals, and some others prefer to remain barefoot.  

6. Where did Saheb work after giving up rag picking?

Ans. After giving up rag picking, Saheb worked at the tea stall down the road. He is paid 800 rupees and provided all his meals.  He is seen carrying a heavy steel canister and is on his way to the milk booth. His face has lost its carefree appearance, and he is no longer his own master.

7. How did Saheb get the shoes he is wearing?

Ans.  Sahib is wearing a pair of tennis shoes. He says they were given to him by someone. One of the shoes has a hole in them and must have been discarded by a boy whose parents were rich enough to buy him another pair of shoes. He is pleased to get the shoes and is not bothered about the hole in one of them.

8. Does Saheb like his job? Why or why not?

                                        Or

Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Why  2102 2014 2020

Ans.  Saheb has a job at the tea stall down the road for which he is paid 800 rupees and given all his meals. He does not look happy. His face has lost the carefree look that it used to have before. The light plastic bag he used to carry earlier is replaced by the heavy steel canister, which seems heavier than the plastic bag. He is no longer his own master and has lost the freedom to roam about with his army of barefoot boys.

9. What did the man from Udipi pray for at the temple as a young boy?

Ans. As a young boy, the man from Udipi did not have a pair of shoes. His father was a priest in the temple, and he used to pass this temple daily on his way to school. He used to stop at the temple and pray for a pair of shoes. When he got the much desired for shoes, he prayed that he would never lose them.

10. What is the change seen now in the temple and the town of Udipi?

Ans.  After thirty years, when Anees Jung visits Udipi, she finds the place has changed. The temple wears a desolate look. The new priest lives in the backyard, and there are red and white plastic chairs. The son of the priest wore shoes.

11. Who are the inhabitants of Seemapuri?

Ans. Seemapuri was previously a wilderness. Now it is inhabited by migrants from Bangladesh who came there in 1971. They live in mud structures with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. They do not have an identity and permits but have a ration card. The ration card enables them to get food and also get their names on the voters' list.

12. Why don’t children like Saheb ever give up hope?

Ans. Children like Saheb lead a very tough life. They have to fend for themselves and do not have a normal upbringing like children should have. However, we find that Saheb is hopeful. He wants to go to school. Although his world is filled with empty promises, he does not lose hope.

13. How does one survive in Seemapuri?

Ans. Rag picking serves as a means for survival in Seemapuri.  Rag picking has assumed the proportion of fine art for them. It enables them to have a roof over their head and is a source of their daily bread.

14. What are the two different worlds in Firozabad? 2018

Ans. There are two distinct worlds in Firozabad, one of the poor bangle makers and the other of the sahukars and the middlemen. The bangle makers are burdened by poverty and the stigma of caste. They are exploited by the nexus of sahukars, middlemen, policemen and politicians, who oppress them at every given opportunity and refuse to allow them to rise.

15.  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?

Ans. The bangle-makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the Sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the lawmakers, 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.

16. Why is Mukesh’s dream a mirage?

Ans. Mukesh dreams of being a motor mechanic and driving a car. He comes from a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. Most of the families in Firozabad are involved in the business of bangle making. It is considered their traditional occupation. Mukesh’s dream stands out like a mirage against this reality, where the children follow the occupation of their parents and do not dare to think of doing something different.

17. What is the significance of bangles in Indian society? 2012 2017

Ans. Bangles are very significant in Indian society and culture. It symbolises a woman’s suhaag and has an auspicious role to play in the ritual of marriage. A bride wears red bangles on her wrists. In Indian culture, all married women wear bangles and are not seen without them.

18. Why doesn’t Mukesh ever dream of flying a plane?

Ans. Mukesh dreams of driving a car and wants to be a motor mechanic. He doesn’t dream of flying a plane as he has not seen a plane fly.  Few planes fly over Firozabad. He is content to dream of driving a car since he has seen cars going on the roads in Firozabad.

19. What kinds of bangles are made in Firozabad?

                                                  Or

What makes the city of Firozabad famous?  2015

Ans. Firozabad is famous for its bangles and is the biggest manufacturer of glass bangles in the world. They make bangles for women across the country. Bright gold, paddy green, royal blue, pink, purple, bangles of every colour born out of the seven colours of the rainbow are made here.

20. Why does Mukesh's grandmother believe that a 'god-given lineage' can never be broken?

Ans. Mukesh's grandmother believes that a 'god-given lineage' can never be broken because they are born into the caste of bangle makers. She believes in the caste system and the traditional occupation followed by heir caste.

21.  Why do the children in Firozabad often lose their eye-sight before they become adults?

                                                                                            Or

Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry?

Or

Why do the young inhabitants of Firozabad end up losing their eye-sight?

Ans.  In Firozabad, boys and girls sit with their fathers and mothers in dark huts, by the flickering light of oil lamps welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes become more used to the dark than to the light outside. Due to this reason, the children in Firozabad often lose their eye-sight before they become adults.

22. What was the promise made by Anees Jung to Saheb? And why was she embarrassed? 2018

Ans.  Anees Jung promised Saheb that she would start a school.  He didn't go to school and she asked him if he would go to school if she opened one.  Later she realises that she had made a meaningless promise to him, which she had no intention of keeping. This made him embarrassed.

23. What is the lifetime achievement of the old man with the flowing beard?

Ans. The lifetime achievement of the old man with the flowing beard is that he made a house for his family to live in. They have a roof over their head. He has been in the business of bangle, making his entire life and knows nothing else other than bangles.

24. What has killed ‘all initiative and the ability to dream’ in Firozabad?

Ans. Years of mind-numbing toil has killed 'all initiative and the ability to dream' in Firozabad. The children continue to do what their parents did. With time nothing has changed, and the situation remains the same without any improvement in the lives of the bangle makers.

25. What ‘rings’ in every home in Firozabad?

Ans. The cry of not having money to meet any of their needs, except carrying on the business of making bangles, not even enough to eat, rings in every home in Firozabad. They do not have the satisfaction of having enjoyed a full meal even once in their entire life. They are burdened by poverty and acute wants.

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

Ans. They could not organise themselves into a cooperative as they would be beaten up by the police and dragged to jail if they tried to do so. There was no leader among them who could help them see things differently.

27. Why is Mukesh realistic about his dreams?

Ans. Mukesh has seen cars on the roads of Firozabad. He wants to be a motor mechanic when he grows up and drive a car. He is realistic because he longs to do something that he has seen and which will make him happy. He is determined to get the required training in order to fulfil his dream of being a motor mechanic.

28. 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?

Ans.  Mukesh is a young boy from Firozabad, who is involved in the business of bangle making along with the members of his family.  He dreams of being a motor mechanic and driving a car. He will be able to fulfil his dreams because he is determined to get the required training in order to fulfil his dream of being a motor mechanic. He also dares to think of doing something different.

29. What explanations does the author offer from the children not wearing footwear?    2015

Ans. 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.

30 ‘Garbage to them is gold’. Why does the author say so about the ragpicker? 2013

Ans. Garbage means 'gold' to the poor ragpickers 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 with their daily bread and a roof over their heads. 

Answer the following questions : 5 Marks

1. Describe Seemapuri. 2020

Ans. Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi. It was previously a wilderness but is now populated by the migrants from Bangladesh who came to stay there in 1971. They live in mud structures with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. More than 10,000 rag pickers live here without any facilities of sewage, drainage and running water. They have been living there for several decades without an identity and permits. Ration cards have been issued to them, which enable them to buy food grains. It also gets them access to voter cards, giving them the right to vote in elections. They left their homes and fields in their homeland and sought shelter in Seemapuri. They prefer to live there as at the end of the day, they are able to feed themselves, whereas, in their homeland, they had no grain and were starving. Rag picking has become a means of survival for the people in Seemapuri and the children also join them in this activity which sustains them and meets their needs.

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

Ans. Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi, yet miles from it metaphorically. This means that though Seemapuri is near the capital of the country, which is a developed place, Seemapuri lacks all development and sanitation. Its proximity to Delhi has done nothing to improve the quality of life for its residents who live in mud structures with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. There are no facilities for running water, sewage or drainage available. The people are involved in rag picking, which is a source of livelihood for them. Their children do not go to school. They walk barefoot and scrounge garbage dumps for survival.

3. Why have the people of Firozabad lost their initiative and ability to dream?

Ans. The people of Firozabad are traditionally involved in the business of bangle making. They have lost their initiative and ability to dream. Years of mind-numbing toil has killed 'all initiative and the ability to dream' in Firozabad. The children continue to do what their parents did. With time nothing has changed, and the situation remains the same without any improvement in the lives of the bangle makers. They do not have money for anything apart from carrying on their business of bangle making. There is not enough food to eat at home. There are lots of wants and needs of the families that remain unfulfilled.

4. What hinders the young men from organising themselves into a cooperative?

Ans. The author asks the young men about why they could not organise themselves into a cooperative. The young men are in the vicious grip of the middlemen who trapped their fathers and forefathers before them. The middlemen and sahukars see to it that the bangle makers are not able to rise above the burden of caste and the web of poverty. They could not organise themselves into a cooperative as they would be beaten up by the police and dragged to jail if they tried to do so. There was no leader among them who could help them see things differently. Their fathers are as tired as they are. They talk about poverty and injustice but are not able to do anything to combat the situation.

5. “Food is more important for survival than an identity for the rag pickers”, says Anees Jung.  Elucidate.

Ans.  The rag pickers are migrants from Bangladesh who came to stay in Seemapuri in 1971. They left their homes and fields and moved to India in the hope of a better future. They prefer to live there as at the end of the day, they are able to feed themselves, whereas, in their homeland, they had no grain and were starving. Rag picking has become a means of survival for the people in Seemapuri and the children also join them in this activity which sustains them and meets their needs. They do not have an identity and permits, but they have been issued ration cards. This enables them to buy grain and ward off starvation. Having an identity in their own country did not feed them, and that is why the author says that food is more important for survival than an identity for the rag pickers.

6. Show how for children like Saheb owning “even shoes with a hole is a dream come true”.

Ans. Saheb doesn't wear footwear because he comes from a very poor family. His parents do not have enough money to buy him a pair of chappals. Life is a battle of survival for him and his family. The rag pickers do not have enough money to spend on buying things like shoes for their children. Sahib is seen by the author, wearing a pair of tennis shoes. He says they were given to him by someone. One of the shoes has a hole in them and must have been discarded by a boy whose parents were rich enough to buy him another pair of shoes. He is pleased to get the shoes and is not bothered by the hole in one of them. For someone who has always been barefoot, it is a dream come true to have shoes even with a hole.

7. "Little has moved with time in Firozabad. ", says Anees Jung.  What makes her comment thus?

Ans. Anees Jung comments that "little has moved with time in Firozabad". The exploitation of the bangle makers continues unchecked. The deadly nexus of sahukars, middlemen, law-keepers, policemen and politicians have the poor bangle makers in their vicious grip. With time nothing has changed, and the situation remains the same without any improvement in the lives of the bangle makers. They do not have money for anything apart from carrying on their business of bangle making. There is not enough food to eat at home. There are lots of wants and needs of the families that remain unfulfilled. The bangle makers are not able to rise above the burden of caste and the web of poverty.

8. “I wonder if this is only an excuse to explain away a perpetual state of poverty.” Explain.

Ans. In her travels across the country, the author Anees Jung has come across children walking barefoot both in rural areas and in cities as well. One explanation given, when she questions about it is that it is a tradition to remain barefoot. She is not convinced by this explanation. She feels that it is simply an excuse to hide a perpetual state of poverty. At times people will not like to confess that they are poor and do not have the required money to buy chappals or shoes for their children. It becomes more convenient to blame it on tradition instead. The people continue to remain poor and are not able to meet all their needs and requirements.

9. How does Jung bring out the naivety of the young girl Savita?

Ans. Savita is a young girl from Firozabad. She is dressed in a dull, pink dress. She is busy soldering pieces of glass to form circles of bangles. She goes about her work mechanically, and her hands move like the tongs of a machine. The author wonders at her innocence, whether she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps to make. Bangles are an integral part of a married woman's life, right from the time she becomes a bride. Savita will realise this as she becomes a bride one day and has red bangles rolled on her wrists.

10. “They talk endlessly in a spiral.” Explain.

Ans. They talk endlessly in a spiral that moves from poverty to apathy to greed and injustice. 'They' here refers to the young men from Firozabad who have fallen into the same vicious trap that their fathers and forefathers have fallen into. The middlemen and sahukars see to it that the bangle makers are not able to rise above the burden of caste and the web of poverty. They could not organise themselves into a cooperative as they would be beaten up by the police and dragged to jail if they tried to do so. There was no leader among them who could help them see things differently. Their fathers are as tired as they are. They talk about poverty and injustice but are not able to do anything to combat the situation.

11. “Few aeroplanes fly over Firozabad.” What is the significance of the quoted line so far as Mukesh and his dream is concerned?

Ans. This line means that usually, planes do not fly over Firozabad. Mukesh has not seen a plane fly and does not harbour dreams of flying planes. Mukesh dreams of driving a car and wants to be a motor mechanic. He is content(happy) to dream of driving a car since he has seen cars going by on the roads in Firozabad. He is realistic because he longs to do something that he has seen and which will make him happy. He is determined to get the required training to fulfil his dream of being a motor mechanic. He is also courageous enough to look beyond the occupation of bangle making and dream of doing something different.

12. Describe the miserable plight of the people of  Firozabad. 2012 2014 2015  2017

Ans. The bangle makers of Firozabad are oppressed by many people. They are exploited by sahukars and middlemen in the name of caste. They do not have enough money to meet any of their needs. The money only permits them to carry on their business of bangle making. In most of the homes, there is not enough food to eat. An elderly woman lamented that she had not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire life. This is a cry echoed by most of the bangle makers and their families. They live in utter squalor. Their homes are located in stinking lanes overflowing with garbage. They live in dilapidated(old and broken) houses, and many of them coexist with animals. The walls are crumbling, doors are wobbly, and there are no windows for the houses. Young boys and girls sit with their fathers and mothers in dark huts, by the flickering light of oil lamps welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes become more used to the dark than to the light outside. Due to this reason, the children in Firozabad often lose their eye-sight before they become adults. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all the initiative and the ability to even think of taking up another profession.

13. Who is Saheb, and what is ironical about his name? Describe Saheb's life and the life of the barefoot army of rag pickers at Seemapuri.

Ans.  Saheb is a rag picker from Seemapuri. His family originally has come from Dhaka in Bangladesh. Saheb's full name is Saheb-e Alam. It means lord of the universe. He is not aware of the meaning of his name and would have found it difficult to believe it. The irony is that he is lord of the universe in name only. He is a poor migrant and scrounges through garbage dumps everyday for his basic survival needs.

Saheb and the army of barefoot rag pickers are called morning birds by the author. They appear in the morning and disappear by afternoon. They roam the streets scrounging the garbage dumps for gold. Gold stands for something useful and valuable to them. Garbage is something like a wonder for them. At times they find a rupee or even ten rupees and are very gleeful about it. Despite poverty and adverse circumstances, they continue to remain hopeful and are joyous with carefree expressions on their face.

14. Describe the bangle makers of Firozabad. How does the vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen never allow them to come out of their poverty? 2018

Ans. The bangle makers of Firozabad are oppressed by many people. They are exploited by sahukars and middlemen in the name of caste. They do not have enough money to meet any of their needs. The money only permits them to carry on their business of bangle making. In most of the homes, there is not enough food to eat. An elderly woman lamented that she had not enjoyed even one full meal in her entire life. This is a cry echoed by most of the bangle makers and their families. The young men are in the vicious grip of the middlemen who trapped their fathers and forefathers before them. The middlemen and sahukars see to it that the bangle makers are not able to rise above the burden of caste and the web of poverty. The bangle makers could not organise themselves into a cooperative as they would be beaten up by the police and dragged to jail if they tried to do so. The police would haul them to jail, saying that they were doing an illegal activity. There was no leader among them who could help them see things differently. They talk about poverty and injustice but are not able to do anything to combat the situation.

15. What are the two different worlds that Anees Jung sees in Firozabad?

Ans. There are two distinct worlds that Anees Jung sees in Firozabad, one of the poor bangle makers and the other of the sahukars and the middlemen. The bangle makers are burdened by poverty and the stigma of the caste, they have been born into. They are exploited by the nexus of sahukars, middlemen, policemen and politicians, who oppress them at every given opportunity and refuse to allow them to rise. The deadly nexus of sahukars, middlemen, law-keepers, policemen and politicians have the poor bangle makers in their vicious grip. With time nothing has changed, and the situation remains the same without any improvement in the lives of the bangle makers. They do not have money for anything apart from carrying on their business of bangle making. There is not enough food to eat at home. There are lots of wants and needs of the families that remain unfulfilled. The bangle makers are not able to rise above the burden of caste and the web of poverty.

16. How is Mukesh different from the other children of Firozabad? Why is the author cheered when she looks into his eyes?

Ans. Mukesh is different from the other children at Firozabad. He dreams of driving a car and wants to be a motor mechanic when he grows up. Bangle making is a traditional occupation followed at Firozabad. He wants to be his own master and is determined to work towards it. The other children normally follow in the footsteps of their fathers and do not aspire to do something different. The vicious middlemen are able to successfully bind the children to a life of bondage, the way they have done with their fathers and grandfathers. The children do not dare to dream, and they also lack the courage of wanting to do something different.

The author finds a refreshing change when she looks at Mukesh. She is happy to see that he has the ability and will to dream of a life beyond bangle making. She is cheerful when he expresses the desire to be a motor mechanic.

17. In what context does the author recount the story of Udipi?

Ans. The author recollects a story narrated to her by a man from Udipi. His father was a priest in the temple. On his way to school, he used to pass by the temple, stop briefly and pray for a pair of shoes.  When he got the much desired for shoes, he prayed that he would never lose them. After thirty years, when the author visits the place, she finds a new priest at the temple and his son wearing a pair of shoes.

It is in the context of shoes that the author recounts the story of Udipi.  The rag pickers in her neighbourhood continue to remain barefoot. There is no improvement in their life or circumstance. Basic necessities still elude them.

18. Write briefly on the hazard of working in the glass bangle industry. 2020

Ans. Firozabad is famous for its glass bangle industry. Most of the families there are involved in bangle making. Young boys and girls sit with their parents and works in dark huts, by the flickering light of oil lamps welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes become more used to the dark than to the light outside. Due to this reason, children  often lose their eye-sight before they become adults. Working in the glass bangle industry is hazardous for both young children and adults. However, they continue to do so as they are oppressed by the nexus of sahukars and middlemen, who are supported by powerful people in the exploitation of the poor bangle makers. They work in small dark rooms without air and light. They are affected by the high temperature of the furnace. The dust from the bangles harms their eyes. All these conditions are put significant risk to their health.

Exam Questions From 2012-2024

1 Marks Questions

1.      Who is the author of “Lost Spring”?          2012

2.      What does Mukesh want to be?         2012 2020

3.      Where was the original home of Saheb’s family?         2013 2020

                                      Or

              Where does Saheb originally hail from?        2016 2019

4.      What is ‘Lost Spring’ about?         2013

5.      Who is the author of ‘Lost Spring’?          2014

6.      What does the author of ‘Lost Spring’ find Saheb doing every morning?      2014 2015

7.      What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps?         2016

8.      Where has Saheb come from? 2016 (Same as q. no 3 above)

9.      What does the ‘garbage’ mean for the elders of Seemapuri?         2017

10.  Where does Mukesh live?         2017

11.  Why have Saheb and his family migrated to Seemapuri?          2018

2 Marks Questions:

1.      What is the significance of bangles in Indian society?         2012 2017

2.      Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Why          2102 2014 2020

3.      ‘Garbage to them is gold’. Why does the author say so about the ragpicker?         2013

4.      What is the irony inherent in Saheb’s full name?         2013 2016

                                            Or

What is the actual name of Saheb? What does it signify?          2019

5.      What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from? 2014

6.      What is Firozabad famous for and why?         2015

7.      What explanation does the author of 'Lost Spring' offer for the children, not warning footwear? 2015

8.      What are the two different world’s Firozabad?         2018

9.      What was the promise made by Anees Jung to Saheb?         2018

10.  Why do your inhabitants of Firozabad end up losing their eye-sight?         2016

11.  Give a brief description of Seemapuri.         2020

Long Questions- 5 marks

1.      Describe the miserable plight of the people of Firozabad.       2012     2014     2015  2017

2.      Describe the bangle makers of Firozabad. How does the vicious circle of the Sahukars, the middlemen never allow them to come out of their poverty?               2018

3.      Write briefly on the hazard of working in the glass bangles industry.         2020