Chapter 2: Lost Spring – Stories of Stolen Childhood
By Anees Jung
Page 16 – Comprehension Check
Q1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
Answer: Saheb looks for coins, scraps, and other valuables in the garbage dumps. For him, garbage is like “gold.” He lives in Seemapuri on the outskirts of Delhi, but originally he came from Dhaka (Bangladesh), where floods had destroyed his fields and home.
Q2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Answer: The author offers two explanations:
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Lack of money – poverty prevents them from buying shoes.
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Tradition – some people say it is customary to stay barefoot.
But the real reason is the perpetual state of poverty in which they live.
Q3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Answer: No, Saheb is not happy. Earlier, while ragpicking, he was his own master, carrying his bag freely. But at the tea-stall, he earns Rs. 800 and meals, yet he loses his independence. The steel canister he carries now belongs to the tea-shop owner, not to him. His face has lost the carefree look.
Page 19 – Understanding the Text
Q1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
Answer: Reasons include:
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Natural calamities like floods or droughts destroying crops and homes.
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Lack of employment in villages.
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Hope of better livelihood in cities.
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Availability of food and basic survival facilities.
Q2. 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: Yes, such promises are rarely kept. For example, the author’s promise of starting a school for Saheb was never fulfilled. This happens because the privileged often make casual promises without understanding the hardships of the poor. Poverty and lack of accountability ensure such promises remain unfulfilled.
Q3. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
Answer: The workers are trapped in a vicious circle created by:
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Caste-based occupation and traditions.
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Exploitation by middlemen and moneylenders.
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Indifference of politicians and officials.
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Harsh working conditions that destroy their health.
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Lack of education and awareness.
Together, these forces ensure that generations remain poor.
Page 19 – Talking about the Text
Q1. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
Answer: Mukesh can realise his dream of becoming a motor mechanic by joining a garage, learning the required skills, and working hard with determination. His willingness to walk long distances shows his resolve.
Q2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangle industry.
Answer: Hazards include:
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Working in dingy, poorly ventilated rooms with furnaces.
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Risk of losing eyesight due to glass dust and poor lighting.
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Long hours of work leading to physical and mental exhaustion.
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Health issues like respiratory problems, malnutrition, and stunted growth.
Q3. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
Answer: Child labour robs children of their childhood, education, and health. It perpetuates poverty across generations. It should be eliminated through:
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Strict enforcement of laws against child labour.
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Free and compulsory education.
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Awareness among parents.
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Providing alternative livelihoods to poor families.
Page 19 (end) – Additional Questions
Q1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
Answer: Firozabad is famous for its glass-blowing industry and for making bangles. Almost every family there is engaged in this work.
Q2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer: Hazards are loss of eyesight, poor health due to unhygienic conditions, long hours of exhausting work, and exposure to high temperatures and glass dust.
Q3. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
Answer: Unlike his family, who have accepted bangle-making as their destiny, Mukesh dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic. He shows determination to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Page 20 – Thinking about Language
Q1. Identify the literary devices in the given examples:
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Saheb-e-Alam… → Irony.
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Drowned in an air of desolation. → Metaphor.
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Seemapuri… miles away from Delhi, metaphorically. → Metaphor.
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For children it is wrapped in wonder… → Contrast/Metaphor.
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Hands move mechanically like tongs… → Simile.
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Bangles on wrist, not light in eyes. → Irony/Metaphor.
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Few airplanes fly over Firozabad. → Irony/Hyperbole.
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Web of poverty. → Metaphor.
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Scrounging for gold. → Hyperbole/Metaphor.
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Rag-picking… proportions of fine art. → Hyperbole.
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Steel canister seems heavier… → Metaphor.
Page 21 – Things to Do
Task: The beauty of bangles contrasts with the misery of their makers.
Answer (Sample paragraph, 200–250 words):
The glass bangles of Firozabad sparkle with every colour of the rainbow and symbolise a woman’s marital happiness. Yet the lives of the bangle makers are full of misery. Generations slog in dark, unhygienic furnaces where children lose their eyesight and adults live in poverty. The irony is that those who create beauty are themselves condemned to ugliness and suffering. This paradox is also visible in the lives of diamond miners, carpet weavers and construction workers, whose labour produces wealth and beauty, but their own lives remain impoverished. Society must address this contradiction with empathy and reform.