Class – XII
English
Lost Spring
Summary
The author tells us stories of her interactions with children from deprived backgrounds. She
describes their poor condition and life in an interesting manner. The story touches the reader
and is thought provoking.
The author described two of her encounters with children from deprived backgrounds.
Through them she wants to highlight the plight of street children forced into labour early in
life and are denied the opportunity of schooling. Also, she brings out the callousness of
society and the political class towards the sufferings of the poor. The first encounter is with a
rag picker boy named Saheb – E – Alam who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971 and lives in
Seemapuri in Delhi. These ragpicker children look for ‘valuables’ in the garbage – things like
a coin or torn shoes which are as precious as ‘gold’ for them.
They could hardly manage some food for themselves, other things like identity, education,
shoes and sports are their unfulfilled dreams. Their parents scrounged the garbage
searching for things which helped them survive – afford food, clothing and shelter for the
family. The children hunted through the garbage heaps looking for things which could
partially fulfil their unfulfilled dreams.
One day the writer saw the boy, holding a steel can, going towards the milk booth. He had
got a job at a tea stall. He was happy that he would get eight hundred rupees and all the
meals. The writer noticed that Saheb had lost the freedom of being his own master which he
had enjoyed as a rag picker.
The second boy was Mukesh who belonged to a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. The
boy had a dream of becoming a car mechanic. On the contrary, his family was traditionally
engaged in bangle making, although the profession harmed them physically and they hardly
earned any money out of it.
Still, no one dared to dream of doing something else due to the fear of the police and the
middlemen. The family elders were content that other than teaching the art of bangle –
making to their children, they had been able to build them a house to live in. The boy wanted
to be a car mechanic. Cars were all that Mukesh had seen on the roads of his town and so,
he could not dream any further.
Question Answers
Think As You Read
1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come
from?
A. Saheb is looking for any precious thing which he cannot afford to buy. Things like a rupee,
silver coin or a pair of shoes. He has come to the garbage dump in the writer’s
neighbourhood. He lives in Seemapuri in Delhi and has come from Dhaka.
2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
A. The author says that they do not wear footwear because it is a tradition in their families to
remain barefoot.
3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
A. Saheb is happy that he has got work at the tea stall. He will get eight hundred rupees
every month and his meals too.
4. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
A. Firozabad is famous for glass blowing industry.
5. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
A. People who work in the glass bangle industry lose their eyesight.
6. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
A. Mukesh dares to dream and has a way out of his situation. He aspires to become a motor
mechanic. On the other hand, his family does not dare to dream. They are too tired and
scared to do something to come out of their grim situation.
Understanding the text
Q1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
A. People migrate from villages to cities in search of a better life. They want to earn money
so that they can lead a good life and rear their children in a better way. As cities have more
opportunities for work, this makes them migrate from the villages to these big cities.
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?
A. Yes, I agree that the promises made to poor children are rarely fulfilled. In the story the
writer jokingly offers the rag picker boy to join a school that she would open. In fact, she
does not intend to open a school. She speaks mindlessly but the boy takes it to be true and
later asks her if the school has opened. There are many such hollow promises in the boy’s
life because the person who makes the promise never intends to fulfil it.
Q3. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in
poverty?
A. The writer tells us that the bangle – makers of Firozabad are poverty – stricken. They are
burdened by the fact of the particular caste in which they are born – bangle – makers. They
have to continue the traditional profession. Further, the society has formed a harsh circle
around them. The money – lenders, middlemen, policemen, law – keepers, officers and
politicians altogether form a barrier around them and tie them in the grip of poverty. They
cannot escape from it.
Q4. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
A. Mukesh dared to dream and wanted to become a motor mechanic. He wanted to drive
cars too. He took the initial step by aspiring to do something different from the family
business. I think that Mukesh can realize his dream with determination and hard work.
Q5. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
A. The poor bangle makers in Firozabad work in dangerous conditions. The furnaces have
very high temperatures and no ventilation. Hence, they are prone to ailments like lung
cancer. While polishing the bangles, the dust harms their eyes and many lose their vision.
They remain in dark for long hours and so are unable to see during the daytime.
