LESSON 2
LOST SPRING : STORIES OF STOLEN CHILDHOOD
QUS / ANS
1. In what sense is garbage gold to the ragpickers?
Or
What does garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents?
Ans. Garbage is gold to the ragpickers because in the garbage, they hope to get something useful for them, or
some money, or some articles which can be sold at the junk shop to fetch them money. For the ragpickers,
garbage is a means of their livelihood. For children of the ragpickers, garbage is wrapped in wonder. They find
new things in the garbage every day.
2. 'Seemapuri is on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it metaphorically. What does the author
mean by this?
Ans. Seemapuri is on the periphery of Delhi which is a metropolitan city and the capital of India. The living
conditions in Seemapuri are highly pathetic. This place is devoid of even basic facilities such as sewage,
drainage and running water. The houses are made of mud with roof of tin and tarpaulin. It is beyond imagination
that such a place is part of a progressive and developed capital of the country.
3. Together they have imposed the baggage on the child that he cannot put down? Who do they refer to?
What is the baggage' and why can the child not get rid of it?
Ans. "They' refer to the sahukars, middlemen, bureaucrats, politicians and policemen. Together all these forces
have created a vicious circle for the bangle makers. The "baggage refers to the burden or the compulsion to work
in the bangle factories. The child cannot refuse to work in these factories in hazardous conditions due to the
heavy debt on his parents.
4. Justify the title Lost Spring'.
Ans.’Spring' symbolizes 'childhood'. In the chapter 'Lost Spring, Anees Jung has described the lost childhood of
thousands of poor children who live in slums like Seemapuri or work in the bangle industry of Firozabad.
5. "For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival." What kind of life do the
ragpickers of Seemapuri lead?
Ans. Ragpickers of Seemapuri survive in pathetic conditions where living each day is a challenge. These
squatters came from Bangladesh way back in 1971. They live in sub-standard conditions where there is no food,
electricity and drinking water. Their houses are made of mud with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. Seemapuri is devoid
of basic amenities. Garbage to them is gold and the only means of survival. Their traditions also condemn them
to a life of poverty and exploitation.
Children grow up with them and are their partners in survival and survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking.
Children look at garbage as something wrapped in wonder as they find a silver coin Or a rupee sometimes. But
for adults, it is their livelihood, their daily bread. Life of ragpickers of Seemapuri is ridden with misery and abject
poverty.
6. Garbage to them is gold. How do ragpickers of Seemapuri survive?
(Delhi 2017)
Ans.
Ragpickers of Seemapuri survive in pathetic conditions where living each day is a challenge. The squatters came
from Bangladesh way back in 1971. They live in sub-standard conditions where there is no food, electricity and
drinking water. Their houses are made of mud with roots of tin and tarpaulin. Seemapuri is devoid of basic
amenities. Garbage to them is gold and the only means of survival. Their traditions also condemn them to a life of
poverty and exploitation.
Children grow up with them and are their partners in survival and survival in Seemapuri means ragpicking.
Children look at garbage as something wrapped in wonder as they find a silver coin or a rupee sometimes. But
for adults, it is their livelihood, their daily bread. Life of ragpickers of Seemapuri is ridden with misery and abject
poverty.
Ans.
7. "Saheb is no longer his own master. Mukesh insists on being his own master.' Discuss.
Ans. Both Saheb and Mukesh, symbolise the exploited children in India who are forced to live a life of poverty.
Saheb is a ragpicker who lives at Seemapuri. His only means of survival is the garbage. He lives in a subliminal
condition. Finally, he starts working at a tea stall where he completely loses his freedom and childhood. But he
has compromised with his fate. He has accepted his condition, and has completely given up.
Mukesh, on the other hand, is a boy who also belongs to a very poor family but doesn't give up and compromise
with circumstances. Though he belongs to a bangle maker's family and is destined to work as a bangle maker, he
refuses to accept it. He has his own ambition to become a motor mechanic. He doesn't want to be dominated and
exploited by others. He wants to be his own master and take his own decisions.
8. Justify the title of the story 'Lost Spring'.
Ans. Childhood is considered the spring of human life. It is full of exuberance and playfulness. But the
children of ragpickers of Seemapuri and bangle makers of Firozabad are deprived of this period of their life.
They never enjoy the carefreeness of their childhood. They have to assist their poor parents in earning their
living since the very tender age.
In fact, the story brings out the reality of our society where poor children work as ragpickers and bangle
bakers in inhuman and hazardous conditions. The plight of these children highlights the apathy of the rich
and powerful people of the society who have no concern for them.
'Lost Spring' refers to those moments of childhood which should be full of happiness, growth and carefree
spirit and which have been snatched from the children of Seemapuri and Firozabad. The title 'Lost Spring'
justifies the story which sensitizes the people towards these poor children. It emphasizes the need to save
the childhood of these poor children and provide them with their basic rights of a decent life and good
education.
9. Describe the irony in Saheb’s name.
Ans. Saheb's full name was Saheb-E-Alam. It means the Lord of the Universe. The irony in
Saheb's name was he was a poor ragpicker who did not even have chappals to wear.
Though his name meant that he was the lord of the universe, in reality he did not have
money to even meet the most basic needs.
