Lost Spring
Anees Jung’s Lost Spring is a moving account of the grinding poverty that forces countless children in India into lives of labour and deprivation, robbing them of their childhood. The chapter consists of two related sketches, both highlighting the contrast between the beauty created by poor children and the ugliness of their living conditions.
The first part tells the story of Saheb-e-Alam, a ragpicker boy who migrates with his family from Dhaka to Seemapuri, a settlement on the outskirts of Delhi. Floods had destroyed their fields and homes in Bangladesh, leaving them with no option but to search for a livelihood elsewhere. For Saheb and hundreds like him, garbage dumps are a means of survival. To the adults, garbage means bread; to the children, it is wrapped in wonder, sometimes yielding coins or valuables. Ironically, though Saheb’s name means “lord of the universe,” his life is one of poverty and uncertainty. The author once casually promises to open a school for him, but never fulfils it, showing how the poor are used to empty assurances. Later, Saheb finds a job at a tea-stall, earning Rs. 800 and all his meals. Yet, though financially more secure, he loses his carefree independence. The plastic bag that once symbolised freedom is replaced by a heavy steel canister. His face loses its brightness, symbolising how child labour robs children of joy and innocence.
The second part shifts to Firozabad, the centre of India’s glass-bangle industry. Here, almost every family is engaged in bangle-making, a traditional occupation passed down through generations. The story focuses on Mukesh, a young boy who dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. The families live in abject poverty, working in dark, dingy furnaces and poorly ventilated rooms where children often lose their eyesight at an early age. They are trapped in a vicious circle of caste traditions, poverty, middlemen, moneylenders, and the indifference of the authorities. Despite long hours of work, their earnings are meagre, and they remain perpetually poor.
The irony is stark: bangles, which symbolise a woman’s marital happiness, are produced by people who know nothing but sorrow and suffering. Women in these families consider bangle-making their destiny, and men have resigned themselves to hopelessness. Children inherit the same fate, condemned to lifelong labour. Yet Mukesh dares to be different. He wants to break free from this cycle and work in a garage. Though his dream is small, his determination sets him apart from the resignation of his elders.
Through these two narratives, Anees Jung exposes the cruel realities of child labour. Poverty and social injustice rob children of the joys of spring – a season that symbolises childhood. The story portrays how children like Saheb and Mukesh lose their innocence and dreams while struggling for survival. It also highlights the indifference of society and government towards these children, whose lives remain trapped in despair.
The title Lost Spring is symbolic. Spring represents youth, beauty, and new beginnings, but for these children, it is lost to exploitation and poverty. The essay makes a powerful appeal for empathy, education, and social change so that children can enjoy the carefree days of childhood and realise their true potential.
Word Count: ~502