LOST SPRING

About the Author

Anees Jung is an Indian female author, journalist and columnist who writes for major
newspapers in India and abroad. She was born in Rourkela and belongs to an aristocratic family
in Hyderabad. Her father, Nawab Hosh Yar Jung, who was a renowned scholar and poet,
worked as the musahib (adviser) to the last Nizam (prince) of Hyderabad State. And her mother
and brother are also well-known Urdu poets.
Jung hit the headlines with the publication of ‘Unveiling India in 1987’, which is primarily a travel
diary that focuses on interviews with women. She went on write many subsequent books on the
same topic, and talked to women about their everyday lives, and wrote books like ‘Night of the
New Moon: Encounters with Muslim women in India’ (1993) and Seven Sisters (1994). Her book
‘Breaking the Silence (1997) includes conversations on women’s lives from around the world.

INTRODUCTION
The story, “Lost Spring” deals with the deplorable condition of poor children who are forced to
miss the simple joyful moments of childhood because of their socio-economic conditions. These
children are not given the opportunity of schooling and are compelled to start working early in
life. The author Anees Jung strives hard to eliminate child labour through her book. She
propagates the education of children and enforcement of strict laws against child labour by the
government. The message is to put an end to child exploitation and let all children enjoy their
days of the spring and joy. The chapter's theme is the perpetual poverty of certain groups of
people, as well as the traditions that force poor children to live a life of exploitation. They are
trapped in a vicious circle. The author's two stories describe the plight of street children who are
forced to work rather than attend school when they are young. The sufferings are exacerbated
by society's biased behavior.

TITLE

As we all know, spring is the season associated with optimism and hope. It also works as a
metaphor for the childhood stage of our life. Right from the time we’re born until late childhood,
every child hopes for new beginnings and a bright future. The phase of childhood is all about
innocence, energy, and tremendous inclination towards outdoors activities along with fun and
play. And playtime does not have any limits. It is also a time of getting more skill and knowledge
and going to school. Here, we take a look at a particularly impressive rendition – here is the lost
spring summary!
The ‘Lost Spring’ written by Anees Jung talks about the national shame of children being forced
to live a life of poverty and exploitation. The main two protagonists of the chapter, Saheb-e-
Alam and Mukesh don’t live their childhood as they have to carry the burden of poverty and
illiteracy. In their miserable stories of exploitation, the author provides glimpses of fortitude and
resilience.
 CHARACTER SKETCH
Saheb e Alam was a young boy whose family once lived in the green fields near
Dhaka. Violent storms swept away their fields and homes, so they shifted to India. In
India, he lived in Seemapuri, on the out skirts of Delhi and was a ragpicker.

Hard working and focused: Saheb would roam the streets with his friends , an army of
barefoot boys, scrounging in the garbage for valuable things to earn his livelihood.

Poor and illiterate: Despite being poor, he was full of hope and was always very
enthusiastic during his work in hope of finding money. He believed the author’s glib
promise of opening a school.

Mukesh lived in Firozabad and was born in a family of bangle makers. He aspired to
become a motor mechanic. Mukesh was determined to fight the vicious circle of poverty
that had shackled his father and brothers.

Strong and determined: He dreamed of becoming motor mechanic. He had the courage
to overcome the obstacles in his path, if the garage was far away, he would walk to get
there.

Realistic and practical: Mukesh’s dreams are grounded in reality. He is content to dream
of cars that he sees hurtling down the streets of his town. He doesn’t aspire to fly a
plane.

Courageous path breaker: Unlike the others in Firozabad who were burdened by the
stigma of caste in which they are born, Mukesh did not want to follow the traditional
profession of bangle making. He had a willingness to work hard and fulfill his desires.

SYNOPSIS

I – Sometimes I find a rupee in the garbage.

The first part talks about the writer’s impressions about the life of the unfortunate rag pickers.
The rag pickers migrate from Dhaka and find a settlement in Seemapuri. They end up losing
their fields and homes due to storms. They then come to the big city to find a living, but
are poor. The author then watches Saheb, the rag picker, every morning who is always
scrounging for “gold” in her neighbourhood. Garbage is actually the means of survival for the
elders and it is something wrapped in wonder for the children. Sometimes, the children find a
coin or two from it. Even these kids have desires and ambitions, but they have no clue about
how to achieve them. There are many things that are unreachable to them, for instance, shoes,
tennis and similar stuff. Later on, Saheb starts working at a tea stall where he earns 800
Rupees and also gets to eat all the meals. But the job takes away his freedom.

II – I want to drive a car.

The second part is about the life of Mukesh, who comes from the family of bangle-makers.
Firozabad is quite popular for its glass-blowing industry. A staggering 20,000 children are a part
of this business and any law that forbids child labour is brutally ignored here. Also, the working
environment and the living conditions are pathetic. Children live in dingy cells and work around
hot furnaces that make them blind when they enter adulthood. Since they are weighed down by
debt, they cannot think or find any way to escape this trap. The politicians, policemen,
middlemen and bureaucrats obstruct their way of progress. Most women in such families think
that this is their fate and just follow the tradition. But Mukesh is very different from the rest of the
folks there. He has dreams of becoming a motor mechanic. The garage is quite far from his
house but he shall walk.

Short answer type questions:

1. Life of the bangle makers of Firozabad shows the grinding state of poverty and traditions that
condemn thousands of people to live a life of misery. Elaborate.

Ans. The bangle-makers lead their life in utter miseries and grinding poverty. These people are
burdened by the stigma of caste in which they are born. They work in the dingy cells without air and
light. Further, the network of powerful people like sahukars, middlemen, policemen, etc. makes sure
that the generations of bangle makers of Firozabad are never able to get out of this trade.

2. For most women bangles are dreams in glass but for bangle makers of Firozabad they are a
vicious circle that they cannot escape. Describe the vicious circle.

Ans. Bangle makers are trapped in a vicious circle of the sahukars , the middlemen, the policemen, the
keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. They are forced to practice their ancestral
profession. They remain ill fed and ill clad throughout life. They have no money to switch over their
profession. Their hard work is mind numbing. The police do not allow them to form cooperatives.
 3. What changes occur in Saheb's life? Is it a change for the better or worse?
Ans. The change that occurs in Saheb's life is that he started working at a tea stall. He was paid 800
Rupees and all his meals were also taken care of but he had lost his freedom. The steel canister seemed
heavier than the plastic bag he used to carry. He had to obey the owner of the tea stall and hence he
was no longer his own master.

4. Why do the bangle makers of Firozabad live in poverty?

Ans. The network of those with money and power, the belief that bangle making is their caste and
"karam", vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the
bureaucrats and the politicians highlight lack of law enforcement as well lack of initiative on the part of
bangle makers, collude together to ensure that bangle makers of Firozabad lead an impoverished life.

5. Why are the bangles of Firozabad so pessimistic about their future?

Ans. Even before the younger generation realizes, they find themselves in dingy cells, working with glass
furnaces. This mind numbing toil has killed all initiative, enthusiasm and ability to dream. Since every
generation of bangle makers seems to be stuck in the same vicious circle of poverty, caste and
oppression, the bangle makers of Firozabad are pessimistic about their future.

6. How bad were the living conditions in which Mukesh and his family survived?
Ans. They lived in a dilapidated house constructed in stinking lanes. Even by working very hard for years
Mukesh's father could not change the family's condition. According to the author, the only boon these
people had was of having a roof to cover their heads but they couldn't manage getting proper meals in a
day.

7. What difficulties do the people living in Seemapuri face in their day- to- day life?
Ans. Rag-picking is the only way for survival in Seemapuri. Garbage to them is gold. People here live in
utter poverty. They are devoid of even the basic amenities of life. Health, education, sports etc. are not
even in their dreams. Their poverty doesn’t allow them to live a hygienic and healthy life. They cannot
even think of a good life and keep engaged in ragpicking or some type of menial jobs. Even small
children work as rag pickers in the midst of danger of a number of diseases.

8. Why does Anees Jung say that bangle makers are caught in a vicious web?
Ans. The author says that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty, to
indifference, then to greed and finally to injustice.The bangle makers in Firozabad are exploited at the
hands of the Sahukars, middlemen, policemen, law makers, bureaucrats and politicians. Mind-numbing
toil kills their hopes and dreams.
 9. 'Garbage to them is gold.' Why does the author say so about the rag pickers of Seemapuri?

Ans. For the ragpickers of Seemapuri, garbage is gold because their livelihood depends on it. They
scrounge through garbage to look for items to sell and earn money.

Moreover, it is gold also because the ragpickers can find stray coins and currency notes in it.

10. Garbage to them is gold. How do ragpickers of Seemapuri survive?

Ans. Rag picking was the means of survival for the rag pickers. According to the author, it is their daily
bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a leaking roof. Thus, it is equivalent to gold for them. Besides,
for the children it is wrapped in wonder for they, at times, chance upon a rupee, even a ten-rupee note.

11. What are the two most admirable qualities in Mukesh?

Ans. Mukesh belonged to a family of bangle makers but he was very different from the rest of the folk
there. His two most admirable qualities are his ambition and determination. His dream was to become a
motor mechanic even though his family had always been making bangles. To reach this goal Mukesh was
even ready to walk from his house to the distant garage.

12. What is Mukesh's dream? How can he achieve it?

Ans. Though Mukesh belonged to a poor family of bangle makers, he had bigger goals. His dream was to
be a motor-mechanic. In order to achieve this, he would have to go to the garage to learn. He was even
ready to walk to the garage though it was far away.

13. Describe the life led by the migrants from Bangladesh who are living in Seemapuri.

Ans. Seemapuri is located in the outskirts of Delhi. Seemapuri was occupied by squatters from
Bangladesh in 1971. They are basically refugees from Bangladesh and they involved themselves in rag
picking for their survival. These people lived in mud structures with roofs made of tin and tarpaulin.
They lived illegally without any identity or permits. The ration cards were provided to them which
helped them to buy grains to meet their family needs.

14. "Listening to them, I see two distinct worlds…" In the context of Mukesh , the bangle maker's
son, which two worlds is Anees Jung referring to?
Ans. Anees Jung by going around Firozabad observes that the bangle makers of Firozabad are caught in
two distinct worlds. On one hand, families of bangle makers and their impoverished state, as well as
their caste, force the younger generation of bangle makers to take up their ancestor's trade. On the
other hand, the network of middlemen, sahukars, policemen, and other people in power ensnare these
bangle makers in a vicious circle of poverty.

15. Which industry was a boon and also bane for the people of Firozabad? How?
Ans. The glass-bangles making industry was a boon and also bane for the people of Firozabad. The
industry has given them a means of livelihood but the hazardous working conditions in the hot furnaces
take a toll on their physical health causing severe respiratory problems and loss of eyesight.

16. What does the reference to chappals in 'lost spring' tell us about the economic condition of
the rag pickers?
Ans. Chappals in 'Lost Spring' are symbolic of impoverished living conditions of
rag-pickers from Seemapuri. The lack of chappals in the feet of these rag-pickers
tells us that they lack even the basic necessities of life. In fact, it is from
scrounging through garbage that these children find things necessary for
survival.

17. How is the bangle industry of Firozabad a curse for the bangle makers?

Ans. Men have to work in dingy cells without air and light. As a result, they lose
the brightness of their eyes and go blind to the dust from polishing the glass
bangles. They are also exploited by moneylenders, police, bureaucrats and
politicians were They live in a state of intense poverty and have to go without
food for days. Therefore it is a curse for them.

18. "It is his karam ,his destiny" that made Mukesh's grandfather go blind. How did Mukesh
disapprove this belief by choosing a new vocation and making his own destiny?
Ans. Mukesh disproved the belief of “his karam, his destiny” by choosing a new vocation in an attempt
to make his own destiny. He decided to become a motor mechanic. He mustered the courage to break
free from the family lineage of bangle making. Mukesh dares to dream of a different life and
decides not to pursue his family business of bangle-making. He does not want to accept his life
of misery in the name of destiny.
 19. How is Mukesh’s attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb? Why?
Ans. Mukesh's attitude was much different from that of Saheb. Mukesh was optimistic about a bright
future unlike Saheb. Saheb lacked determination and had simple dreams. But Mukesh had a clear dream
of becoming a motor mechanic and he was very determined to fulfill this dream. He was ready to face
any hurdle that would come on his way, whereas Saheb made no efforts to achieve the things he
wanted in life. In fact he gave up his freedom and dreams and took up a job at a tea stall.

20. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? What did garbage mean to the children of
Seemapuri and to their parents?

Ans. Saheb is looking for or trying to find valuable things or money in the garbage dumps. Small
children look for something valuable in heaps of garbage. They expect to get some coin, note or
a valuable thing in it. Sometimes, they find just one rupee or at times even a ten rupees note.
This gives them a hope to find more. Thus, for children, garbage is a source of wonder.
For elders on the other hand, it is a means of survival. They earn from it. Thus, garbage has two
different meanings for the children and for their parents.

21. "It is his karam, his destiny." What is Mukesh's family's attitude towards their situation?

Ans. Mukesh’s grandmother regards it as their destiny. She says that they were born
in the caste of bangle-makers and have seen nothing but bangles in their lives.
Mukesh's family have accepted their misery and impoverished conditions as factors that
have been ordained by destiny. Years of deprivation and suffering has made them
accept their condition passively in the name of fate or destiny.

22. Describe Mukesh has an ambitious person.

Ans. Mukesh was a very ambitious person. He did not want to follow the traditional profession. He
thought in an unconventional way and wanted to accomplish his dreams to be motor mechanic .He had
already chalked out the path to achieve his goal. He had decided to go to garage and learn about cars.
He was not prepared to give in to the inevitable life that his family lived.

23. What kind of gold did the people of Seemapuri look for in the garbage?
Ans. Garbage is gold to the ragpickers of Seemapuri because it provides them items which can
be sold for cash, which can buy them food and is a means of survival. Moreover, it is gold also
because the ragpickers can find stray coins and currency notes in it.
 24. Why could the bangle makers not organised themselves into a cooperative?

Ans. The bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty to indifferences
then to greed and finally to injustice. Mind-numbing toil kills their hopes and dreams.
The bangle makers of Firozabad were not able to organise themselves into a cooperative because
they had got trapped in a vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the
bureaucrats and the politicians. Together they had imposed a baggage on these people which
they could not put down.

25. Why does the author say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious web?
Ans. The bangle makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the Sahukars, middlemen,
policemen, law makers, bureaucrats and politicians. They toil day and night, but are not paid
appropriate wages and are 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 and cannot dare
to take up any other profession.

26. What does the writer mean when he say, 'Saheb is no longer his own master'?
Ans. Since Saheb now works in a tea-stall, he is now bound to his master and feels burdened.
The steel canister he carries is very heavy as compared to his light plastic bag. The bag was his
own and the canister belongs to his master whose orders he now has to follow. So he is no
longer his own master. Even though, he now gets a fixed income of rupees 800 along with all his
meals, he has lost his freedom and his carefree days.

27. Is it possible for Mukesh to realize his dream? Justify your answer.
Ans. Mukesh’s determination is going to prove instrumental in helping him to realize his
dream. His dream can become a reality only if he is able to find a garage where he can be
taken in as an apprentice and then he will have to learn how to drive a car. He will then be
able to graduate himself to be a good mechanic.

28. "Little has moved with time, it seems, in Firozabad." State the reasons why the writer says
this.
Ans. Poverty and hunger, social customs and traditions, stigma of caste and the intrigues of
powerful lobby that thrives on their labor combine to keep them poor, uneducated and hungry.
The moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the
politicians—all are ranged against them. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and
ability to dream.

Long answer type questions:

1. Mukesh dares to dream of a different life. What circumstances forced Mukesh not to pursue
his family business of bangle making?

Ans. Mukesh dreams of driving a car and becoming a motor mechanic. Hailing from the family
of bangle makers in Firozabad, Mukesh dares to dream of a different life.
For generations, bangle makers of Firozabad have been stuck in dingy rooms with glass
furnaces burning at high temperature. Young children like Mukesh are sent by their parents to
work here. Slogging in these factories, life, eyesight and imagination are sucked out of these
children.
Bangle makers of Firozabad earn just enough to continue investing in the trade of bangle
making and being able to build a house is a luxury for them.
Further, these bangle makers are at the mercy of those in power such as middlemen and
policemen who haul them as per their wishes.
To escape these circumstances, Mukesh is ready to walk miles in order to learn about cars.
Mukesh refuses to let the brightness of his dream be contained by the darkness that surrounds
the life of a bangle maker.

2. Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. How do they affect his
life and that of the other bangle makers?
Ans. Mukesh finds himself caught between two distinct worlds. One was the one which he was
born in – the life of the poor bangle makers. The second was the world of the sahukars,
policemen, politicians, lawmakers and bureaucrats. The latter had trapped the lives of the
former in a vicious circle from which there was no escape. The workers and their children were
forced to work in deplorable conditions, with no access to basic minimum facilities. They had to
live and work in the dark for long hours and their work also posed a serious hazard to their
health and hygiene.
Mukesh finds himself caught between both these worlds, as he cannot escape from either. He
accepts it naturally like his father when he is unaware of this, but later, on gaining awareness,
he refuses to accept the so-called god given lineage of bangle-making which is more of a trap.
The others consider this action to be something to be feared and very unusual, for it is beyond
their imagination to lead a life like that.
 3. Mukesh is not like the others his ‘dreams loom like a Mirage amidst the dust of
streets that fill his town Firozabad’. Justify the statement in light of contrast in the
mindsets of Mukesh and the people of Firozabad.
Ans. Mukesh is not like others. He is different from the other bangle makers of
Firozabad because unlike others he wants to break the chains of age–old family lineage
and aspires to become a motor mechanic. He wants to come out of the vicious circle of
poverty. He dares to dream, unlike his peers, who have accepted bangle making as
their profession. Mukesh is a rebel and to fulfill his dream, he is determined to walk to a
garage and learn to drive in a city where most families are engaged in making bangles.
No one dares to do anything else but work sitting around furnace, which is physically
and mentally hazardous. Mukesh’s passion to be a mechanic would help him break
away from the tradition of bangle making and achieve his goal.
At Firozabad, almost everyone is engaged in making bangles and the same is
passed down to the next generation. His father couldn’t renovate their house nor
educate his two sons. Mukesh insists on being his own master.
His dream looked like a mirage amidst the dust because considering his current living
situation his dream looked unreal and very difficult to achieve. But he had already taken
the first big step to change by daring to dream and he believed that with courage,
willpower, and determination he could fulfill his dream and follow his passion.

4. “For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the elders it is a means of survival.”
What kind of life do the rag-pickers of Seemapuri lead?
Ans. Garbage, for the ragpickers of Seemapuri, is considered to be nothing less than gold.
Picking garbage helps them to earn their daily bread, gives them a roof over their head and is
their only means of livelihood and survival. For the innocent children garbage is wrapped in
wonder as they marvel at the prospect of finding a coin, a currency note or a curio that sustains
their hope. These children grow up to become partners in survival with their parents.
Seemapuri houses around 10,000 ragpickers mostly Bangladeshi refugees, who have lived
there for more than thirty years without an identity and without permits. These people live in
mud structures with roofs made of tin and tarpaulin. The ration cards that enable them to get
their names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain and garbage are their means of
survival. Food is more important to them for survival than an identity.
It has acquired the proportions of a fine art for them. Most of the barefoot rag-pickers roam the
streets early in the morning and finish their activities by noon. They see to carry the plastic bag
lightly over their shoulders. They are clothed in discoloured shirts and shorts and denied the
opportunity of schooling.
5. Do the poor have the right to dream why then does the author call Mukesh's
dream a mirage?
Ans. Everyone has the right to dream-even Mukesh in spite of the challenges of his life. But his
dream is like a mirage. Mukesh belonged to a marginalized family. He disliked the profession of
bangle-making and wanted to become a motor mechanic. He lives in such poor conditions that it
is impossible for him to learn to drive a car. He is bound by the traditional family of working in
the bangle industry. Working for years in those bangle-making mills will make him blind. The
bangle-making communities are not equipped to break out of the vicious circle of politicians
middlemen etc. So the dream is compared to a mirage/hallucination.

Mukesh belongs to a family of glass bangle makers in Firozabad. Even though the children of
such families usually carry on their family profession, Mukesh wants to be a motor mechanic
and drive a car. Unlike his family members, and others of his community, he has dared to
dream. His grandmother’s words about the unbreakable lineage represent the attitude they have
towards their situation in life. They believe that it is their destiny to toil as bangle makers. But
Mukesh dreams of a better and safer career. The resolute boy is willing to walk a long distance
from his home to learn to be a mechanic, exemplifying the saying, ‘where there is a will, there is
a way’.

6. Describe the difficulties the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives.

Ans. Through the story of the bangle-makers of Firozabad, the author expresses her concern
over their exploitation in the hazardous job of bangle-making. Extreme poverty, hard work and
dismal working conditions result in the loss of the childhood of children who are in this
profession. The working conditions of all bangle-makers are pathetic and miserable. They work
in high temperature, badly lit and poorly ventilated glass furnaces due to which child workers
especially are at risk of losing their eyesight at an early age and get prone to other health
hazards. The stinking lanes of Firozabad are choked with garbage and humans and animals live
together in these hovels. There is no development or progress in their lives with the passage of
time. They have no choice but to work in these inhuman conditions. Mind-numbing toil kills their
dreams and hopes. They are condemned to live and die in squalor, subjected to a life of poverty
and perpetual exploitation.

They cannot organise themselves into cooperatives. Their families are caught in a web of
poverty and in a vicious circle of the sahukars, the middlemen, the keepers of law, the
policemen, the bureaucrats and the politicians who impose on them a baggage which they
cannot put down. They move in a spiral from poverty, to apathy, to greed and to injustice.

7. Give a brief account of the life and activities of the people like saheb e Alam settled in
Seemapuri.

Ans. Most of the people like Saheb-e-Alam settled in Seemapuri were refugees from
Bangladesh
who had fled their country and migrated to Delhi from Dhaka in the wake of the 1971 Indo- Pak
war. Their dwellings were structures of mud, tin and tarpaulin with no sewage, drainage or
running water. Picking garbage and rags helped them to earn their daily bread, gave them a
roof over their heads and was their only means of livelihood and survival. Though these
squatters of Seemapuri have no identity but they do have valid ration cards that enable them to
buy grain.
Living in Seemapuri, which is on the periphery of Delhi, is like living in hell. Children here grow
up to become partners in survival to their parents. An army of barefoot children appears every
morning, carrying their plastic bags on their shoulders and disappear by noon. They are forced
to live a life of abject poverty that results in the loss of childhood innocence.
Saheb, a ragpicker, roamed in the streets, scrounging for garbage, barefoot and deprived of
education. Later he starts working in a tea stall but he loses his freedom and carefree life as he
is no longer his own master.
Seemapuri houses around 10,000 ragpickers mostly Bangladeshi refugees, who have lived
there for more than thirty years without an identity and without permits. These people live in
mud structures with roofs made of tin and tarpaulin. The ration cards that enable them to get
their names on voters’ lists and enable them to buy grain and garbage are their means of
survival. Food is more important to them for survival than an identity.

8. Lost spring explain the grinding poverty and traditions that content thousands of people to a
life of object poverty do you agree why not

‘Lost Spring’ is a good narration of grinding poverty and traditions to which thousands of
people have succumbed. The story revolves around the pitiable condition of poor
children who have been forced to live in slums and work hard in dirty conditions. The
story is divided into two parts. The first part tells the writer’s impression about the life of
poor ragpickers who have migrated froin Bangladesh, but now have settled in the
Seemapuri area of Delhi.

The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle makers in the town of Firozabad. The
stark reality of these families is that in spite of backbreaking hard work that they put in, they
cannot have two square meals a day. Besides, they are victims of exploitation by those above
them and also suffer the consequences of blind belief in traditions.

The ragpickers' youngsters have acknowledged their destiny to be shoeless as their custom.
Additionally, bangle producers endure with bangle making, saying it is their karma and fate.
This is indeed a depiction of the crushing neediness and customs that sentence a huge
number of individuals to the existence of wretched destitution.

Value based questions:

1. Saheb and others like him spend their life on unfulfilled promises. What role should the youth plan
to improve the condition of the underprivileged sections of society? Give your views.

Promises made to the impoverished are almost never honoured. Half-jokingly, the author asks
Saheb if he will come to her school if she opens one. Saheb contests this. He asks if the school
is ready a few days later. The author is embarrassed for making a promise he intends to keep.
Promises are made and then forgotten, so his reality stays as bleak as ever.

Therefore,Child labour should be eliminated because the children employed at a teen-age as

domestic servants, dish-washers at road-side dhabas, and in hazardous industries making glass
bangles, biris, crackers, etc. lose the charm of the spring of their life. Their childhood is stolen.
Burdened by the responsibility of work, they become adults too soon. Most of them are
undernourished, ill-fed, uneducated, and poor. They have stunted growth.
Child labour can be eliminated only through concerted efforts on the part of government
agencies, NGOs (Non-Government Organisations), co-operative societies, and political leaders.
Mere passing of law will not help. Laws should be enacted faithfully. The children thrown out of
work should be rehabilitated and given proper food, clothes, education, and pocket money.
Their feelings, thoughts, and emotions should be respected. Let them enjoy the sunshine and
fresh air. So that children like Saheb, Mukesh and others won't spend their life on unfulfilled
promises.

2. There is no school in my neighborhood. 'When they build one I will go' after reading the lesson. One
begins to reflect on the acute shortage of schools for the poor and the slum children. Express in about
120- 150 words the need to start schools for the underprivileged.

Educating the Underprivileged

Even the act RTE-Right to Education ensures education for all children between the ages of
four to fourteen. However, these movements and acts are not effectively implemented anywhere
especially among the underprivileged class. There are still many children who do not go to
school. They either work as domestic labourers or work in factories, dhabas, etc.

It is disturbing to note that our government’s plans are not bearing any fruit. It is all because of
the lack of awareness about these kind of movements. We all need the help of print media as
well as electronic media to spread the message of awareness to the masses. The
underprivileged children must be made to realize that they have the right to get an education.
So, they must go to school. The foremost thing is to discourage child-labour so as to give these
children a bright future.

Education is the most significant ingredient to change the world. Illiterate people suffer the
hardships of discrimination, untouchability and injustice prevailing in the society. With the
advancement of education, the weaker section can improve their quality of life. The growth of
every nation depends upon the kind of population it has. A well-educated population will make a
well-developed nation.

3. My acquaintance with the barefoot rag pickers leads me to Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of
Delhi yet miles away from it metaphorically.' express your concern on the severe poverty and ptable
condition of the slum dwellers.

The barefoot ragpickers of Seemapuri live on the periphery of Delhi yet, metaphorically
speaking, miles away from it, sums up the true condition of the ragpickers of Seemapuri.
Seemapuri is a slum area, which houses approximately 10,000 ragpickers. They live in mud
houses with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. There is no sewage, drainage or running water. They
came here from Bangladesh in 1971 and have been living here ever since without any identity
of their own or permits, but they have ration cards and their names figure in the voter’s list.
Women wear tattered saris. Survival in Seemapuri means rag picking.
No one can imagine that such a place exists on the periphery of Delhi, the capital of India. It
stands in stark contrast to the metropolitan city of Delhi.The main city of Delhi, and Seemapuri
at its periphery, provide an exemplary case of contradiction. In Delhi there is luxury and
affluence, there are a host of opportunities and dreams, and in Seemapuri there is squalor,
hopelessness and despair. There is no chance for the inhabitants of this area to strive towards
the attainment of the prospects offered by Delhi.

This is an example of the gross negligence and apathy of the Delhi Government. It has failed to
do anything for them. Though Seemapuri is so close to Delhi, almost on its periphery, the glitter
and glamour, advantages like education, proper facilities for living a clean and decent life are
beyond the reach of these slum dwellers of Seemapuri, which is so close to Delhi yet so far.

4. "Saheb is no longer is own master".The lesson depicts the plight of Street children forced into labor
early in life and denied the opportunity of schooling. Express your views on the malpractice of Child
labour.

Child labour: Children who are meant to be seen and not heard

Child labour is any work that harms a child mentally, physically and socially; it is a common
malpractice in several countries. One widespread form of child labour is the domestic child
labour which is invisible to people. There are numerous harmful consequences associated with
child labour, such as health problems or absenteeism at school.

This is so as children are often seen as not only cheap labour but also free labour. Further, by
being employed by parents or other family members there is no need of legal contracts. By
doing so, it is stated by the victims of domestic child labour that they often skip school in order
to help in the family business. As a result, these children are not educated nor they can
progress in their life. As a matter of fact, these children have lesser chance to move from higher
in the social ladder. Along with this, they are not only deprived from education but they also
suffer from health issues like skin problems, respiratory problems, neurologic deficits or
reproductive problems.

Well, the point here is that children are vulnerable, they barely have a say in their parents'
decisions. As a result, they are being deprived from one of their basic right and also domestic
child labour is a waste of human talent and potential.
5. "It is his karam, his destiny." Says Mukesh grandmother who has watched her home husband Go
Blind with the dust from polishing the glass of bangles can a god given lineage ever be broken the
lesson throws Light On The Mind-set of the poor to follow the traditional lineage education and
Government support will go a long way in changing their thought process highlight the measures
taken by the government and the NGOs to extend several opportunities to assist and guide the poor
thus enabling them to explore new avenues in about 120-150 words.

The government formulated several anti-poverty schemes to eradicate poverty such as National
Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) 2005, Prime Minister Rozgar Yojana (PMRY),
Rural Employment Generation Programme, Swarnajayanti Grant Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY),
Pradhan Mantri Gramodaya Yojana (PMGY), Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), National Food for
Work Programme. National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005

Villages and slum areas face numerous problems related to poverty, illiteracy, lack of skills, lack
of formal credit etc. These problems cannot be tackled at an individual level and need collective
efforts. Thus NGO’s can become a vehicle of change for the poor and marginalized. NGO’s rely
on the notion of “Self Help” to encourage self-employment and poverty alleviation.

It looks to build the functional capacity of the poor and the marginalized in the field of
employment and income generating activities. It resolves conflicts through collective
leadership and mutual discussion. It provides collateral free loan with terms decided by the
group at the market driven rates. Such groups work as a collective guarantee system for
members who propose to borrow from organised sources. The poor collect their savings and
save it in banks. In return they receive easy access to loans with a small rate of interest to start
their micro unit enterprise.

6. I see to distinct towards one of the family caught in a web of poverty burden by the stigma of cast
in which they are born other vicious circle of the sahukars the middleman the policeman the keepers
of law the bureaucrats and the politicians. Express the unique Joy experienced by sharing the burden
of the needy or destitute.

Joy or happiness is a state of mind. It is a feeling that keeps people healthy and fit. There is
a famous quote ‘The more you give of yourself, the more you find yourself.’ There are many
reasons why giving is important. It is a way to show appreciation, to say thank you, or to
show someone you care. Sometimes it is hard to express true feelings in words, but offering
a token of appreciation will not only represent your feelings, but will allow the recipient to
know how much you appreciate them.
Giving food to the needy, items of use to a family whose house may have burnt, even
monetary donations to a children’s charity can make a huge difference. Giving is an
important trait to teach children. Kahlil Gibran has well said, “I slept and I dreamed that life
is all joy. I woke and I saw that life is all service. I served and I saw that service is joy.”Yes,
it is a secret barter where we give something that we have and receive happiness without
asking for it.
Joy of Giving is an event that celebrates humanity. Giving to charity is one aspect of caring
and sharing. Nevertheless, we can do that individually too in various ways while we
celebrate the joy of giving. When we share something we somehow connect to others in
many ways. It’s a God like trait. ‘Giving’ can make a difference to others and in turn we
achieve a sense of empowerment, pride and accomplishment.To conclude, in the words of
Mother Teresa, “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into
giving.”

7. A firm resolve and an invincible determination translates dream into reality the youth of the
country must dream big and a complist the goal with clarity of thought and purpose highlighting the
significance of determination dedication and self discipline in the pursuit of One's goal in life in about
120- 150 words.

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an
awful determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort”.
—Jesse Owens

Discipline is the ability to control attention, emotion, and actions in the

presence of distractions whereas determination is the relentless pursuit of a
major goal regardless of setbacks and failures.
Your attitude determines you when you have nothing. Amitabh Bachchan was rejected and
could not find any work. But he did not give up and today he is one of the most famous
actors of Indian cinema. Dhirubhai Ambani rose to power through sheer grit and
determination from a clerk to heading the Reliance Industries. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter
was rejected 12 times but today she is one of the richest authors. Thus, the tales of these
people, from rags to riches, are filled with determination. These stories inspire people that
one can achieve success at any age.

Persons with disabilities have also created history with their remarkable determination. Stephen
Hawking, despite being challenged by motor neuron disease, was one of the most admired physicists.
Arunima Sinha is the world’s first female amputee to climb Mount Everest after toiling hard for 17
hours. An ant falls millions of times, yet it rises up each time with a fresh determination. While
learning cycling, a child falls many times, yet he/she has the zeal to learn cycling again.

You become what you choose to be. Your choices and decisions determine your fate and can change
your life. Remember, fortune favours the brave. Vince Lombardi said, “The price of success is hard
work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have
applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.” Nothing can stop you from achieving success if you
have a strong determination and the courage to get up even after falling. Never give up.
Determination has the power to make the impossible possible.