NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Prose 2: Lost Spring

The city of Firozabad is famous for its bangles. Every other family in Firozabad is engaged in making bangles.

(i) looking for : in search of or to try to find.
(ii) slog their daylight hours : They (the children) work hard and steadily before the furnace during the day.
(iii) roof over his head : He has somewhere a place to live or a house of any kind.
(iv) imposed the baggage on the child : They have put an extra burden on the child’s head.
(v) perpetual state of poverty : when poverty remains with a person for ever or continuously.
(vi) dark hutments : very small hutlike places which are filled with darkness.

Lost Spring Think as you read (Page 17)

Saheb is looking for or trying to find valuable things or money in the garbage dumps. He is in Delhi living at Seemapuri, which is at the outskirts of Delhi. He has come from Bangladesh.

One explanation for the children remaining barefoot is that it is not lack of money but a tradition to remain barefoot. The author feels that this is only an excuse to explain away a continuous state of poverty.

I do not think Saheb is happy working at the tea-stall. Though he has regular income, yet his face has lost the carefree look and he is no longer his own master, as the author comments. On this basis we can say that he is not happy working at the tea-stall.

Lost Spring Think as you read (Page 20)

Working in the glass bangles industry is tedious and unhealthy. They have to work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dark cells without air and light. Working continuously throughout the day under such conditions is too hazardous for the health and eyes, especially for a large number of children working there. They often lose the brightness of their eyes.

Mukesh’s attitude to his situation differs from his family as he wants to be a motor mechanic whereas his family has spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass, making bangles.

A large number of people are forced to migrate to cities from their villages, looking for various means of livelihood. The land in the villages is limited for agriculture. When the families grow, they are not able to accommodate all the members in their ancestral agricultural profession. As a result of it, they go to the cities to earn their livelihood. Sometimes because of frequent natural calamities like storms etc.

which swept away their fields and homes, they are forced to come to big or small cities. However, some villagers also come to the cities being attracted and fascinated by the facilities which the city life provides. Moreover most of the big industries which provide employment to a large number of people are in the cities.

That is why to seek employment people from villages come there. Many rickshaw pullers and some auto rickshaw drivers also come from the villages to earn money. Some villagers also start jobs like dairy farming and supply milk in the cities to enhance their incomes.

It is generally seen that promises made to the poor children are most often not kept. For instance, in this lesson the author asks Saheb to go to school. When Saheb replies that there is no school in the neighbourhood, the author asks him half-jokingly that if she starts a school, then he would come.

The promises thus made with the poor children are not real or serious or they are made “half-jokingly’. Saheb, like other poor children, takes the promises made to them seriously, and asks the author if her school is ready. That is why the author says that, ‘But promises like mine abound in every corner of his bleak world’.

Similarly, promises made to poor children or steps supposed to be taken for their welfare by government or other agencies hardly materialise either because of lack of sincerity or excuse of having not enough resources.

Firozabad is famous for its bangles and bangle industry. Their families have spent generations working around furnaces, welding glass and making bangles. There are around 20,000 children working in miserable conditions in the bangle industry of Firozabad. But the workers involved in this industry are forced to lead a life of poverty.

They cannot send their children to schools nor can they provide sufficient food for their family-members. Most of them have not enjoyed even one full meal in their entire lives. It is because the vicious circle of middlemen takes most of their profit. They are entrapped throughout their lives in “a web of poverty” caused by a vicious circle of the moneylenders, the middlemen, the policemen, the keepers of the law, the bureaucrats and the politicians. They are entrapped in this web from one generation to another.

Mukesh belongs to Firozabad, where every other family is engaged in making bangles. Mukesh’s family also is doing the same job for the last many generations. But Mukesh does not want to adopt his family profession. Rather, he wants to become a motor mechanic. Mukesh is justified in thinking so. He has seen that despite working so hard and so steadily under unhealthy and hazardous conditious, his family is so poor that it is difficult to maintain or provide even the bare necessities of life.

In my opinion, Mukesh can realise his dream of being a motor mechanic because of the indomitable will power and firm determination he seems to possess. Though his family- members are unlikely to agree to what he wishes to do leaving the long-preserved art of bangles-making, yet I hope he will be able to overcome the resistance.

He has many reasons to convince his family-members that what he wishes to do is right and ultimately beneficial for him and his family. Besides economic advantages, Mukesh can convince his family- members that the job of a motor mechanic will be good for his health. Moreover, he would not face the risk of gradually losing eyesight as he would if he becomes a bangle-maker.

It is tedious and unhealthy to work under unhygienic conditions in the glass bangles industry. They have to work on the furnaces with high temperature, in dark cells without air and light. Moreover they have to inhale suspended particles of the material used for making bangles. Working with continuous hours throughout the day and night under such dreary conditions is too hazardous for the health especially for the lungs and eyes. A large number of children working there are forced to lose their brightness of childhood even.

Child labour is a curse on humanity and civilisation. But unfortunately it has been prevalent in developed, underdeveloped or undeveloped countries since times immemorial. Not to speak of countries like India, at one time or another it has been prevalent in countries like England a few centuries ago.

But fortunately now more and more countries are passing laws to eliminate this menace. The worst part is that child labour has been exploited to a great extent because labour laws were not applicable on them. Moreover the poor and helpless children had been working off the record, without any protection provided in the labour laws.

For too long a period and even now to some extent, in many industries in India child labour was employed to do various unskilled jobs. Child labour was engaged in carpet making, ‘beedi’- making, bangles-making and in so many other industries. Now in most of the countries, including India, child labour has been banned by law. But still there are many kinds of industries where child-labour is engaged.

I think child-labour can be abolished not merely by imposing laws, but also to make the people realise that it is against humanity. A child is supposed to go to school and develop as a good and useful member of the society. But even this awareness is not enough. We have to realise why a child is forced to do menial jobs. It is because of poverty. So, not only education of such children should be free, but they should be provided with other stipends and scholarships also. In any case, they should not be deprived of studying and become worthy of earning when they grow up.

1. Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality : Contrast.
2. Drowned in an air of desolation : Metaphor.
3. Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically: Contrast.
4. For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival: Contrast.
5. As. her hands moved mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make : Simile.
6. She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes : contrast/metaphor
7. Few airplanes fly over Firozabad; Contrast.
8. Web of poverty : Metaphor.
9. Scrounging for gold : Hyperbole.
10. And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the properties of a fine art : Hyperbole.
11. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly over his shoulders : Contrast.

Note-making

Garbage means ‘gold’ to the poor rag pickers because some of it can be sold for cash, thus becoming a means of survival for the children of Seemapuri and for their parents. It is providing them their daily bread and a roof over their heads.

In the garbage dumps, Saheb looks for useful items which can be sold for cash. As these items can be traded for money, they are just like ‘gold’ for him. Saheb and his family live in Seemapuri, a slum on the periphery of Delhi. His family had migrated from Bangladesh.

Mukesh’s grandmother says this, as she believes in destiny, meaning that their family cannot escape from their God-given lineage of bangle-makers and will remain bangle-makers, continuing to suffer. But Mukesh has the courage to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, thus breaking free from destiny.

Saheb took up odd jobs at a tea stall, but was unhappy because he was tied down by the work he had to do, thus losing his independence, which he had earlier as a rag picker.

Mukesh is an ambitious person because he wants to become a motor mechanic by breaking free from the vicious web of generations of families being involved in bangle-making. He has the courage to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, thus breaking free from destiny.

The people of Seemapuri look for items in the garbage which can be traded for money, meaning ‘gold’, as it helps them earn their daily bread and have a roof over their heads. For a child, garbage may mean something wrapped in wonder, whereas for the elders it is a means of survival.

Once Saheb’s parents lived in Bangladesh, amidst the green fields of Dhaka. There were many storms that swept away their fields and homes. That’s why they migrated to Delhi and settled down in Seemapuri looking for an occupation.

Anees Jung blames the vicious circle of the sahukars (moneylenders), middlemen,
policemen, bureaucrats and politicians for the sorry plight of the bangle-makers. They don’t allow the bangle-makers to organise themselves into a cooperative.

Mukesh belongs to the bangle-makers of Firozabad where each family is engaged in bangle-making. On asking, Mukesh says, “I will be a motor mechanic. I will learn to drive a car.” Thus, he wants to be his own master. However, because he is caught up in the vicious cycle created by others, he will not be able to realize his dream and will remain a bangle-maker.

In spite of growing up amidst despair and disease, children who live in slums have the desire to achieve something big in life. This shows that they are not devoid of hope. Saheb, a ragpicker, is eager to go to a school and learn. Mukesh, who works in dark, dingy cells making bangles, dreams of becoming a motor- mechanic, against his family tradition.

The bangle-makers could not organize themselves into a cooperative because they were trapped in the vicious circle of sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians, who exploited them.
If they tried to organize themselves, they would be beaten by the police and put in jail.

The glass bangles industry has a very hazardous working environment. People work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light. Most end up losing their eyesight even before they become adults. Adding to their misery, they are caught in a vicious circle of people who exploit them.

The bangle-makers in Firozabad are exploited at the hands of the sahukars, the middlemen, the policemen, the law makers, the bureaucrats and the politicians. Thus they remain 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, thus remaining in the vicious web.

Spring is associated with childhood. Just as spring is the season when flowers bloom, similarly, childhood is’ the period when an individual blooms and grows. Anees Jung here presents the horrific truth about the life of children in India who are victims of child labor and are not allowed to grow and bloom freely. Their childhood or springtime is lost.

Some of the children simply do not care to take the trouble of taking their slippers down from the shelf to wear them. Another explanation she receives is that not wearing footwear is a tradition. However, she feels that it is simply an excuse to hide a perpetual state of poverty, as many families cannot afford to buy footwear for their children.

Firozabad is famous for its bangle-making industry. Beautiful bangles can be seen all over. Every second family is engaged in the business of bangle-making. It is the center of India’s glass-blowing industry where families have spent generations working around furnaces.

People migrate from villages to cities in search of a better livelihood. Poverty and poor facilities in the villages are a major ‘push’ factor. Life in the cities has a charm of its own and attracts the villagers. Many people also come to the cities looking for work, leaving behind fields which are unproductive.

Children are the future of the nation and, if brought up properly, can serve as strong pillars in a country’s development. Child labor robs the children of the very essence of childhood, and often leaves them overburdened, undernourished, uneducated and diseased. Increased awareness and strict enforcement of laws can help in eliminating child labor.

Saheb is A poor ragpicker who lives in Seemapuri. His full name is ‘Saheb-e-Alam’, which means ‘Lord of the Universe’.
The irony lies in the meaning of his name itself. According to his name, he should be a king and enjoy all the luxuries of life. But unfortunately, he is a barefoot ragpicker, who lacks even the basic necessities.

Mukesh’s grandmother believes in destiny. She believes that they cannot escape from the God-given lineage. It is their destiny to suffer like this. They were born in the caste of bangle-makers and will always be one, for they do not have any control over their destiny.

The bangle makers of Firozabad are exposed to multiple health hazards while working. Many of them are children who work near hot furnaces during daylight, often losing their eyesight before adulthood. Years of mind-numbing toil have killed all initiative and the ability to even think of taking up another profession.

They are not able to organize themselves into a cooperative due to bullying and exploitation by the politicians, authorities, moneylenders and middlemen. They live in stinking lanes choked with garbage, having homes with crumbling walls, wobbly doors, no windows, overcrowded with families of humans and animals coexisting in a primeval state. They have not even enjoyed even one full meal in their entire lifetime because of their poverty.

Mukesh belongs to a bangle-making family, but he is not content with this profession. He dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic and driving cars. He has strong will power and wants to achieve what he dreams about, unlike other people in his family. In contrast to this, Saheb is a rag picker who is content with his life, but becomes unhappy when he gets a job at a tea stall, even though now he is probably earning more and on a regular basis.

Saheb is unhappy because he has lost his independence, which he had as a rag picker. However, Saheb accepts his new situation, whereas Mukesh dares to break free from tradition. This is because Mukesh is more courageous and determined than Saheb will ever be.

Seemapuri is a slum area located on the periphery of Delhi. Most of the residents of Seemapuri consist of people who are refugees from Bangladesh. Saheb’s family is among them. The area consists of mud structures, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. It does not have facilities of sewage, drainage or running water.About 10000 rag pickers live here.

Their only means of livelihood is finding saleable items from rubbish. Thus, for them, the rubbish is as valuable as gold, for their survival depends on these. These rag pickers have lived here for more than thirty years without any identity. They do not have permits but have ration cards, thanks to the selfish whims and wishes of the politicians. With these they can get their name on the voter’s lists and also buy grains for themselves at a subsidized rate.

Yes, I do agree that ‘Lost Spring’ narrates the grinding poverty and traditions to which thousands of people have succumbed. The story written by Anees Jung revolves around the pitiable condition of poor children who have been forced to live in slums and work hard in dirty conditions. The first part tells the writer’s impression about the life of poor ragpickers who have migrated from Bangladesh but now are settled in the Seemapuri area of Delhi.

The second part narrates the miserable life of the bangle-makers in Firozabad. The stark reality of these families is that, in spite of back-breaking hard work that they put in, they cannot even afford two square meals a day. Besides, false and blind belief in traditions does not let their children take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial situation.

Firozabad is the center of India’s glass-blowing industry. Families have spent generations in this business, making beautiful bangles of all hues and colors. But their own life is steeped in filth and misery. People work round the clock in glass furnaces at high temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light.

These workers are exposed to health hazards. They often end up losing their eyesight. Moreover, they are stuck in a vicious circle of exploitation. Even if they try to form a cooperative, they are beaten up and jailed for doing something illegal. They live in filthy homes in lanes choked with garbage. In such conditions, families of humans and animals exist together in a primeval state. Thus, the bangle-makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles but live and die in squalor.

Seemapuri is a place on the outskirts of Delhi where 10000 ragpickers and their families live. The people living there are squatters who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971. The ragpickers live in structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, devoid of sewage, drainage or running water.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. Thus, although Seemapuri is located at the periphery of Delhi, in the real sense, Delhi is as far as miles away from it.

It often happens that promises made to poor children are rarely kept. It is mostly the people belonging to affluent classes who indulge in making false promises to innocent children.These promises act as a bait in some cases. In others, they are meant to avoid these children because they are regarded as a nuisance by most people.

When the author, Anees Jung, asks Saheb about school, his matter-of-fact reply that there is no school in his area forces her to say casually that she will build one. What the author does not realize at the moment is the fact that the innocent child has taken it rather seriously. When he questions her again about the school, though she feels embarrassed at her false promise, it has left a deep impact on the child. Later in life, Saheb may never actually believe the promises made by people.

Grinding poverty and the necessity for a life of subsistence have involved Saheb, in ragpicking. Rummaging through garbage does not provide him with a regular income but gives him freedom. He has all the liberty in the world to roam with his friends in the streets without any worries to bother him.

Also, he can hunt for ‘gold’ in the garbage dumps. It provides him a hope and a thrill everyday in the form of a rupee or a ten-rupee note. So, he looks forward to it. The job he takes up at a tea stall is one of his’ attempts to become his own master. Ironically this further enslaves him. He is now not free to roam aimlessly in the streets. His new occupation binds him to serve somebody else.

Mukesh belongs to a family of bangle-makers, but his attitude to his situation is different from that of others.
He is a daring boy and he dreams of becoming a motor-mechanic and learning to drive a car. The determination and strong will of becoming a motor-mechanic and learning to drive a car seems to be very strong. That is why he says that he will walk to the garage. There he will have to meet the owner of the garage and request him to become a motor-mechanic.

He must request for any petty work pertaining to the garage. Through his sincere efforts and hard work and the guidance of his owner, he can attain the skills of a mechanic and then gradually that of car driving. In this way, he can surely realize his dream.

Anees Jung wants the children to become free . from the vicious cycle of poverty into which they have fallen due to the middlemen, sahukars and law enforcement officials. She wants them to be bold enough to raise their voice against their oppressors. She wants them to be fearless and optimistic so that they can dream of taking up other occupations, just like Mukesh, who wants to be a motor-mechanic.

She wants them to become free from their traditional occupation so that they can realize their life’s ambitions. She sees the spark of such a quality in Mukesh, who is willing to go to any lengths to become a motor-mechanic. She wants some people to help them develop these qualities so that they can be free from injustice and exploitation, taking up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial condition.

In ‘Lost Spring’ Mukesh, Savita and Saheb are all victims of child labor. We have not understood their situation adequately. To bring back the ‘spring’ in the lives of these poor children, we must inculcate the values to

1. have a strong will to ensure that all children get basic education. This may be done by helping them join the ‘open school’ system.

2. have a sense of commitment of wanting to help these children; an example can be to find better employment for the adults in their families.

3. say ‘NO’ to child labor in any work related to us during the children’s school hours.

4. feel the need to do something for such children, exemplifying the saying, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’.

5. create Awareness in society about the plight of the underprivileged so that people in power can help them.

1. Hyperbole

2. Metaphor

3. Contrast

4. Contrast

5. Simile

6. Contrast

7. Contrast (When compared to the perception of people in other cities)

8. Metaphor

9. Hyperbole

10. Hyperbole

11. Contrast