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Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood

Anees Jung

THEME:

i. Grinding poverty and tradition which condemn children to a life of exploitation.

The plight of street children forced into labour early in life and denied the
opportunity of schooling.
ii. The callousness of society and the political class to the sufferings of the poor.
VALUE POINTS
“Sometimes I find a Rupee in the garbage.”
SAHEB: ‘Saheb-e-Alam’ (Lord of the Universe) – Rag picker – roams the streets
with the army of barefoot boys - Irony (in name & existence).
Family: migrated from the green fields of Dhaka, Bangladesh; means of survival
(rag-picking) - acquired the proportion of a fine art; owns ration card-provides grain-
happy in a strange land that provides food than in the motherland without food-
FOOD IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR SURVIVAL THAN IDENTITY; Garbage to
them is gold- daily bread- roof over their head, though a leaking roof.
Difference in attitude: i. For children – wrapped in wonder- magical
ii. Adults- means of survival
Saheb no longer his own master:
 Loves to attend school, watch tennis, wear shoes, do better work and earn
money.
 Discrepancy between Saheb’s desire and reality- forced to accept job in the
milk booth – not happy as he has lost his freedom, no longer his own master,
but had no choice.
 Contented, ready to accept as destiny, not ambitious.
Reaction of the rich to the poor: “tradition to stay barefoot” – excuse to explain a
perpetual state of poverty.
Contrast in the society: Passage of time & degree of prosperity achieved in the
society- Examples of priests and their social background (progress achieved)
whereas rag pickers remain shoeless even after years (IRONY).
SEEMAPURI: (Explores the life in the slum) On the periphery of Delhi – miles
away from it metaphorically; inhabited by squatters from Bangladesh in 1971,
10,000rag pickers; no progress achieved – structures of mud with tin & tarpaulin,
devoid of proper drainage, sewage or drinking water; inhabitants live without
identity or permits – possess ration cards to get grains, names enrolled on voters’
list.
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“I want to drive a car”

MUKESH: “I will be a motor mechanic.”- One of the members from the family of
the Bangle makers – determined & focussed – wanted to carve a niche for himself;
more ambitious than Saheb, not ready to sacrifice his freedom before destiny, insists
on being his own master.
Family: Bangle makers of FIROZABAD; bangle making (the only means of
survival)- Karam, their destiny - God-given lineage; lose eyesight due to years of
work in dingy cells at an early age; years of mind-numbing toil have killed all
initiative and the ability to dream.
Irony: Bangle a symbol of Suhaag, auspiciousness in marriage- unhappiness and
tedium in the lives of the bangle makers contrast the joy and merriment that the
bangles would bring to the bride.
Children, double victim: (1) by birth- bordered by the stigma of caste; no hope - have
to accept family occupation. (2) supressed by the sahukars, middlemen, policemen
etc.
Why not organise….: Hundreds of years of slavery had killed the initiative of people
to think of a better life – did not have the courage to rebel against tradition-lack of a
leader.
PAGE NO: 20 (Flamingo Textbook): Understanding the text - Answers (a few
value points given, you may add on to it).
(Q1) Natural or man-made calamities, very limited employment opportunities, lack
of basic amenities, enamoured by the lure of city life etc
(Q2) Yes. Reasons: Poor will be in no position to question them even if they fail to
live up to their promise.
Instances from the story: (a) Author makes a flippant promise of constructing a
school. (b) Rag pickers remain as barefoot boys. (c) Promises like provision of
sewage, drainage or running water have not been implemented. (d) Child labour-
children are exploited. (e) Rich do not empathise with the poor. (f) Poor not duly
concerned about fighting for their rights - a day spend on these would mean going
to bed on an empty stomach, also beaten and dragged to jail for doing something
illegal.
(Q3) (a) Generation after generation engaged in bangle making. (b) Believe it to be
their destiny - God-given lineage. (c) No skills to seek out alternative source of
livelihood. (d) Years of mind-numbing toil has robbed them of taking initiative and
ability to dream.
Assignment. (To be written in the notebook)
Describe the life of rag-pickers of Seemapuri. (100-120 words)
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