Lost Spring

Short
1) Saheb wanted to be a master of his own destiny. Comment on this with reference to his
announcement of his name as “Saheb – e – Alam”.
Ans) Saheb took up work in a tea stall so that he could change his destiny. At least now he didn’t have
to scrounge garbage and could eat meals which were given to him by the owner of the tea shop. He
now earned eight hundred rupees. It is ironical that he called himself “Saheb – e – Alam”, which
means he didn’t realize meant Lord of the universe. He somehow wants to be that, but his current
situation is not so.
2) Comment on the reason behind “Rag picking is a means of survival for the residents of
Seemapuri”.
Ans) The people who live in the slum area of Seemapuri are the Bangladeshi migrants. They are lying
in the worst conditions with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, near sewerage and running water. They are
illiterate and poor. Rag picking is their profession and the only means of survival.
3) “The young men echo the lament of their elder”. What do the people of Firozabad lament
about?
Ans) The poor bangle makers of Firozabad have no money and are deprived of every comfort in their
lives and can do nothing except carrying on the business of making bangles. Some people do not have
money to satisfy their hunger. Building a house for their family is an achievement for them. Years of
mind numbing toil has killed their ability to dream and to dare.
4) Mukesh’s attitude was in stark contrast o that of his family. Comment.
Ans) Despite being born in the family of bangle makers, he was not ready to accept his destiny and
dreamt of being his own master. He was ambitious as compared to his family members as well as the
other people of the society and had not resigned to his fate. He wanted to become a motor mechanic
and drive a car.
5) What does the reference to chappals in lost spring tell us about the economic condition of the
rag pickers?
Ans) The author offers various explanations given to her by the children like, simply not caring
to take the trouble the trouble of taking their slippers down from the shelf to wear them, not
wearing footwear is a tradition, and so on. 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. The reference to chappals is symbolic of any kind of footwear, which the rag pickers
cannot afford.

6) Describe the irony in sahebs name?

Ans)Saheb is a poor rag picker 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 rag
picker, who lacks even the basic necessities.
7) What does Saheb look for in the garbage dumps?
Ans) 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.
8) “It is his karam , his destiny “ What is mukesh’s family’s attitude towards their situation?

Ans) Mukesh’s family and the other bangle makers have accepted their life as their destiny. They
have been doing this work for generations and this is all they know now. Years of mind numbing
toil has killed all their initiatives and they have accepted their miserable living conditions as their
fate.

9) “Listening to them, I see two distinct worlds…” In the context of Mukesh , the bangle
makers son , which two worlds is Anees Jung referring to?
Ans) The two worlds that the author refers to are those represented by Mukesh’s parents and
Mukesh respectively. Mukesh has the courage to dream big in spite of all adversity, where as
the other bangle makers of Firozabad have resigned to their fate, and have suppressed all
their hopes and desires. Mukesh refuses to follow the ‘God – given lineage ‘ of bangle making
and wants to be a motor mechanic when he grows up.
10) How did Saheb’s life change at the tea stall?
Ans) Saheb took up the job of performing old jobs at a tea stall, but was unhappy because he
was tied down by the work he had to do. Thus he lost his independence, which he earlier had
as a ragpicker.
11) What did garbage mean to the children of Seemapuri and to their parents
Ans) To the children, the garbage is wrapped in wonder. They keep looking for something
exciting in it – a coin, a ten rupee note. To parents, it was a mean of survival as it is the only
means of their earning.
12) Mention the hazards of working in a bangle factory?
Ans) In a bangle factory people work in ill lit and ill ventilated rooms in unhygienic , dingy
environment with high temperatures. Children have their backs bent at a very young age. They
lose their eye sight and become old before time.

13) It is his karam, his destiny that made Mukesh’s grandfather go blind. How did Mukesh
disprove this belief by choosing a new vocation and making his own destiny?

Ans) Mukesh’s family and the other bangle makers have accepted their life as their destiny. They
have been doing this work for generations and this is all they know now. Years of mind numbing
toil has killed all their initiatives and they have accepted their miserable living conditions as their
fate.

14) Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? Explain

 Ans) Saheb took up a job at a tea stall where he got eight hundred rupees a month. No, he was
not happy there bas he had become a servant. He was no longer his own master and had to work
according to the whims and fancies of the tea stall owner. He had lost his freedom.

15) Why did the rag pickers come to live in Seemapuri?

Ans) Saheb’s family came from Bangladesh in 1971 to live in Seemapuri, Delhi. They had come
there because their homes and fields were destroyed by storms. They had nothing left to live on.
He was always searching for a coin or a rupee or something valuable in the garbage dumps. He
did this as he had no other work to do. The garbage dump was a treasure box for Saheb.

16) Seemapuri is on the periphery of Delhi metaphorically, Explain.

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.

17) Garbage to them is gold. Why does the author say so about the rag pickers?

Ans) Garbage is gold to the ragpickers because it is a means of sustenance to them, it gives them
their daily bread and a roof over their heads.

18) Why does Anees Jung say that the bangle makers are caught in a vicious circle?

Ans) The workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad are kept in poverty by being 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.
19) Why does not having an identity mean nothing to the people of Seemapuri?

Ans) The unfortunate people of Seemapuri lived without an identity, without permission but with
ration cards that got their names on voters list which enabled them to buy grain. Food to them was
far more important than an identity. Wherever they found food , they pitched their tents and those
became their temporary homes.

20) How can the children in the lost spring be rescued?

Ans) The Lost Spring written by Anees Jung talks about the national shame of children being forced to
live a life of poverty. She propagates the education of children and enforcement of strict laws
against the child labour by the government.
The author conveys a message to put an end to child exploitation and let the children enjoy their days
of the spring and joy.

21) What change occurs in Saheb’s life? Is it a change for the better or worse?

Ans)The change in Saheb’s life was for his betterment as he was able to earn a livelihood for himself
and his family. But Saheb was not happy with this change. He lost his freedom by working under a
master, who would command him to do things. Saheb, now no longer was his own master, which
made him unhappy.

22) Saheb wanted to be a master of his own destiny. Comment on this with reference to his
announcement of his name as “Saheb – e – Alam”.

Ans) Saheb took up work in a tea stall so that he could change his destiny. At least now he didn’t have
to scrounge garbage and could eat meals which were given to him by the owner of the tea shop. He
now earned eight hundred rupees. It is ironical that he called himself “Saheb – e – Alam”, which
means he didn’t realize meant Lord of the universe. He somehow wants to be that, but his current
situation is not so.
23) Comment on the reason behind “Rag picking is a means of survival for the residents of
Seemapuri”.
Ans) The people who live in the slum area of Seemapuri are the Bangladeshi migrants. They are lying
in the worst conditions with roofs of tin and tarpaulin, near sewerage and running water. They are
illiterate and poor. Rag picking is their profession and the only means of survival.
24) “The young men echo the lament of their elder”. What do the people of Firozabad lament
about?
Ans) The poor bangle makers of Firozabad have no money and are deprived of every comfort in their
lives and can do nothing except carrying on the business of making bangles. Some people do not
have money to satisfy their hunger. Building a house for their family is an achievement for them.
Years of mind numbing toil has killed their ability to dream and to dare.
25) Mukesh’s attitude was in stark contrast o that of his family. Comment.
Ans) Despite being born in the family of bangle makers, he was not ready to accept his destiny and
dreamt of being his own master. He was ambitious as compared to his family members as well as the
other people of the society and had not resigned to his fate. He wanted to become a motor mechanic
and drive a car.
Long
1) Compare and Contrast the lives of Saheb and Mukesh. What are your impressions after reading
the story?
Ans) Saheb was a migrant from Bangladesh and lived in a slum named Seemapuri bordering Delhi. It
was his daily routine to scrounge through garbage dumps sifting valuable things that he could sell. Rag
picking was his livelihood and also a means of survival. Many times he observed rich children playing
games and wearing good clothes and yearned to be like them. Nevertheless, he had a diehard spirit,
great resilience and tried to find a better life. He took work at a tea stall where he got all meals and
some salary. He lost his carefree ways, carried a heavy canister of tea, working throughout the day. He
no longer remained his own master.
Mukesh is a child labourer of Firozabad bangle factory. He was born in a poverty ridden family in the
caste of bangle makers, destined to do nothing else. Lack of education, awareness and stigma of caste
sit upon him and the baggage of generations of subservience threatens to crush him. But he still
shows a spark of change, he is willing to train as a motor mechanic. Mukesh is the only one who offers
a ray of hope in the dark and dismal world of these poor children.
2) It’s a common saying “Children are the nation builders”. But the story ‘Lost Spring’ proves
society’s irony of poor children for working underage. Elaborate with reference to the text.
Ans) it is often heard people saying that children are the nation builders. These are the children who
will take us to the new world. The children who will be brought up in a good way can teach others
well. But this is the harsh reality of the world that there is a big difference in upbringing and the kind
of life between rich and poor children. In context with this story, the writer proves that poor kids need
to spend a life full of hardships. They don’t lead a luxurious life. Taking the example of bangle makers,
the writer shows us the loss of childhood in these children. They work hard in extreme conditions to
make both ends meet. Their condition is pathetic and miserable. They are at the risk of getting
infected and even losing their lives. They don’t progress with the passing time. They have no choice
except working for bread and butter.
3) How does the story, ‘Lost Spring’ emphasize on the statement ‘Being born poor is not your fault
but if you die poor, is your fault’. Support your rationale with textual evidence.
Ans) Born in poverty is your fate, but to survive in life and to create your own place in society, it needs
a lot of hard work and compassion for life. The story “Lost Spring” clearly proves that dreams do not
depend on your status. Like the community, Mukesh is also born in a poverty ridden family of bangle
makers. He has a rebellious nature as he doesn’t want to go for his family profession. He rather wants
tpo become a motor mechanic so that he can break the chains of sahukars and middlemen. He
dreams of a better future for himself and the coming generations. Tough he is also working in the
glass factory, but he has a spark in his eyes for the betterment. He knows what kind of life bangle
makers are leading, full of danger and working in non- ventilated and suffocating place. He has an
aggressive attitude towards life. He wants to achieve much more than the present.
4) “It is his karam, his destiny” That made Mukesh’s granfdfather go blind.
How did Mukesh disprove this belief by choosing a new vocation and making his own destiny?
Ans) Mukesh disproved this belief that bangle making was his destiny by choosing a new vocation and
making his own destiny. He decided to become a motor – mechanic and learn to drive a car. As he had
seen his parents and others suffer because of the vicious circle of poverty and exploitation by the
Sahukars , middlemen, politicians and the police, he did not want to remain in the bangle making
profession. He had the courage to break free from the family lineage of bangle making and was ready to
 walk a long distance to reach a motor garage to learn the vocation of car mechanic. He had even thought
that he would request the garage owner to hire him initially as a helper and learn the trade.
Finally, he also wanted to learn to drive a car. Thus, Mukesh was ready to make his destiny by choosing
a new vocation and break the age old belief.
5) Describe the difficulties the bangle makers of Firozabad have to face in their lives?
Ans) The bangle makers of Firozabad are exposed to multiple health hazards while working. Many of
them are children who work near hot furnaces during day light, 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, money lenders and middle men. They live in stinking lanes
choked with garbage, having homes with crumbling walls, wobbly doors, and no windows, overcrowded
with families of humans and animals, coexisting in a primeval state. They have not even enjoyed even
one full meal in the entire lifetime because of their poverty.
6) How is Mukesh attitude towards his situation different from that of Saheb? Why?
Ans) 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, where as Mukesh dares to want
to break free from tradition. This is because Mukesh is more courageous and determined than sahib will
ever be.
7) Mukesh is not like others. His dreams loom like a mirage amidst the dust of streets that fill his town
Firozabad. Justify the statement in the light of contrast in the mind sets 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 learns 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.
8) Garbage to them is gold. How do rag pickers of Seemapuri survive? / “For the children it is wrapped
in wonder, for the elders it is means of survival “What kind of life does the rag pickers of Seemapuri
lead?
Ans) The rag pickers of Seemapuri immigrated to Delhi from Bangladesh. In 1971, hoping for a bright and
promising future. However, their situation in the city is not as comfortable as they expected. The rag
 pickers of Seemapuri live in structures of mud, with roofs of tin and tarpaulin. The locality lacks proper
sewage, drainage system and running water. In spite of having no permit cards, but still they are
surviving. They do have ration cards which puts them on the Voter’s list and enable them to buy grains.
Survival is all that matters to them. This is why they pitch their tents wherever there is food. Garbage
and rag picking are means of survival for the people in Seemapuri. It earns them their daily bread and
puts a roof over their heads. Sometimes, while scrounging the garbage, finding money, whether one
rupee or ten, is the highlight of their day, especially for the children, as it gives them hope. For children
the garbage is wrapped in wonder, whereas for elders, it is a means for survival. Therefore, the writer is
right when she says,’ garbage to them is gold.’
9) Most of us do not raise our voice against in our society and tend to remain mute spectators. Anees
Jung in her article “Lost Childhood” vividly highlights the miserable life of the street children and
bangle makers of Firozabad. She wants us to act. Which qualities does she want the children to
develop?
Ans) Anees Jung wants the children to become free from the vicious circle 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 thir voice against their oppressors.She wants them to be fearless and optimistic so that
they can dream of taking up their occupations, just like Mukesh, who wants to be a motor – mechanic.
She wants some people to help them develop these qualities so that they can be free from injustice and
exploitation take up other respectable and better paying jobs which will improve their financial
condition.
10) What change do you find in ‘life when he stops rag picking and starts working at a tea stall?
Ans) Saheb’s full name is’ saheb – e – Alam’ which means ‘Lord of the Universe’, but he is unaware of it
and roams around with his friends doing rag picking. One morning the writer finds out that Saheb has got
a job at tea stall. He got eight hundred rupees and all his meals, but he was not happy. He was carrying a
steel canister which was heavier than the plastic bag he used to carry earlier. Saheb felt burdened, as he
was no longer his own master. The canister belonged to the tea stall owner, whereas the plastic bags were
his own. His face had lost his earlier carefree look, for he had lost his freedom.
11) What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
Ans) The bangle makers of Firozabad make beautiful bangles. But these people work in in very
unhygienic atmosphere. They work in glass furnaces at high temperatures, in dingy cells without
sufficient air and light. In spite of so much of hard work, these people live in state of poverty
because they work in an unauthorized manner and are exploited by the middlemen. This results in
their poor state. Even if they try to get organized, they get beaten up by police. They are not able to
come out of the vicious circle of their exploiters, middlemen, policemen, sahukars, lawmakers,
bureaucrats and politicians. They have been repeatedly exploited physically as well as economically
for generations and so are forced to live a life of poverty.
12) Justify the title of the lesson “lost spring”
 Ans) Childhood is considered the spring of human life. It is full of exuberance and playfulness.
But the children of rag pickers of Seemapuri and bangle makers of Firozabad are deprived of
this period of their life. They never enjoy his care freeness 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 rag pickers and bangle makers
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.
13) Poverty is a vicious circle for refuges, slum dwellers and bangle makers. Express your views
in the light of Lost Spring
Ans) Firozabad is famous for is bangles . But the life of bangle makers of Firozabad is full of
hardships and obstacles. These obstacles force them to lead a life of poverty and deprivation.
Every other family in the town is engaged in this profession. It is the centre of India’s glass
blowing industries. They have been welding glass and making bangles for all the women in
India. Over 20,000 children work illegally in the glass furnaces with high temperatures. They
are exposed to all health – hazards. These factories are in stinking lanes choked with garbage.
They work in dingy rooms with no windows and outlets for fresh air. Their eyes are more
adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. That is why many of them end up losing their
eye sight before they become adults. Firozabad refuses to move with the times. Bangle-
workers have fallen in a web of poverty. Mind numbing toil has killed all their dreams and
hopes. They can’t organize themselves into a cooperative .They have fallen into a vicious
circle of sahukars , middlemen and the police. It seems that the bangle workers of Firozabad
are condemned to poverty and perpetual exploitation.
14) In India, we believe in prayers. Whenever we are faced with a problem, we pray to God. A
son of a priest at Udipi, while going to school, prayed at the temple for a pair of shoes. Thirty
years later we find his son well dressed in a school uniform. What has brought about this
change – the father’s prayer or the father having gone to school or both? Give a reasonable
answer.
Ans) It was indeed the fact that the father had gone to school and received education because
of which his son was wearing a school uniform. Education gave him opportunities to improve
the quality of not only his life but also of his family and children. Prayers alone cannot help us.
We have to put in our efforts to make things better. The father while going to school not only
prayed for school shoes but must have also made efforts to get himself educated. The result
was that he was able to get for his son whatever he could not have for himself.
15) The life of bangle maker s of Firozabad was full of obstacles which forced them to lead a life
of poverty and deprivation. Discuss with reference to Lost Spring.
Ans) Bangle makers are born in poverty, live in poverty, die in poverty. For generations people
have been engaged in this trade. They work in inhuman conditions. Although they work hard,
their profit is meager. Their hovels have crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no windows. They
are overcrowded with humans and animals. Social customs, traditions, stigma of caste and
people in authority combine so that they remain poor and uneducated. Middlemen,
Sahukars, Politicians, and Policemen are all against them. Unable to organize themselves into
a cooperative due to lack of a leader. They have lost their ability to dream. They can only talk
but not act to improve their life.

16) Compare and Contrast the lives of Saheb and Mukesh. What are your impressions after
reading the story?
Ans) Saheb was a migrant from Bangladesh and lived in a slum named Seemapuri bordering
Delhi. It was his daily routine to scrounge through garbage dumps sifting valuable things that he
could sell. Rag picking was his livelihood and also a means of survival. Many times he observed
rich children playing games and wearing good clothes and yearned to be like them. Nevertheless,
he had a diehard spirit, great resilience and tried to find a better life. He took work at a tea stall
where he got all meals and some salary. He lost his carefree ways, carried a heavy canister of tea,
working throughout the day. He no longer remained his own master.
Mukesh is a child labourer of Firozabad bangle factory. He was born in a poverty ridden family
in the caste of bangle makers, destined to do nothing else. Lack of education, awareness and
stigma of caste sit upon him and the baggage of generations of subservience threatens to crush
him. But he still shows a spark of change, he is willing to train as a motor mechanic. Mukesh is the
only one who offers a ray of hope in the dark and dismal world of these poor children.
17) It’s a common saying “Children are the nation builders”. But the story ‘Lost Spring’
proves society’s irony of poor children for working underage. Elaborate with reference to the
text.
Ans) it is often heard people saying that children are the nation builders. These are the
children who will take us to the new world. The children who will be brought up in a good way
can teach others well. But this is the harsh reality of the world that there is a big difference in
upbringing and the kind of life between rich and poor children. In context with this story, the
writer proves that poor kids need to spend a life full of hardships. They don’t lead a luxurious life.
Taking the example of bangle makers, the writer shows us the loss of childhood in these children.
They work hard in extreme conditions to make both ends meet. Their condition is pathetic and
miserable. They are at the risk of getting infected and even losing their lives. They don’t progress
with the passing time. They have no choice except working for bread and butter.
 18) How does the story, ‘Lost Spring’ emphasize on the statement ‘Being born poor is not
your fault but if you die poor, is your fault’. Support your rationale with textual evidence.
Ans) Born in poverty is your fate, but to survive in life and to create your own place in society,
it needs a lot of hard work and compassion for life. The story “Lost Spring” clearly proves that
dreams do not depend on your status. Like the community, Mukesh is also born in a poverty
ridden family of bangle makers. He has a rebellious nature as he doesn’t want to go for his family
profession. He rather wants to become a motor mechanic so that he can break the chains of
sahukars and middlemen. He dreams of a better future for himself and the coming generations.
Tough he is also working in the glass factory, but he has a spark in his eyes for the betterment. He
knows what kind of life bangle makers are leading, full of danger and working in non- ventilated
and suffocating place. He has an aggressive attitude towards life. He wants to achieve much more
than the present.