2.

LOST SPRING-Anees Jung

Anees Jung,· a famous story writer utters destitution of ragpickers of a~
Seemapuri and bangle makers of Firozabad. It sensitises ttm.nulders to step It:,,
forward to save the spring {chilcibgod) of beautiful hunum.life so tbal.many
children would be able to avail the opportunities to realize their dreams. ~

Points to Remember
Saheb-e-Alam
• name means-lord of thit_universe
• but earns living by rag-picking
• lives in Seemapuri
• walks barefoot

Living conditions in Seema Puri

• on the outskirts of Delhi, yet miles.away from it, home of 10,000 rag
pickers
• make their living by rag-picking
• food and survival more important than anidentity
-· _,.
• garbage to them is gold because it is a means ofswvivcfl
.._ ...
Mukesh
•
~
the bangle maker of Fir~zabad
•
•
-
high temperature

dreams of being a motor mechanic, wantsJ9J>ceak the lineage

"I
~
"-'
Hazards ofWorking in Glass-Bangle Factory
j/ work ~lace~small and dingy
Y lpng working hours in front of hot furnaces
Y
~

boys and girls assist parents inJhe_dim light of flickering oil tamps.
Veyes more adjusted to dark than light.
~ dust from polishing bangles affect their eyes, skin and health
~ exploited by money lenders, police, bureaucrats, politicians •
.. ~ _Jearofbeing ill-treated by police.
V live in a state of intense poverty.

.. /
 ~~1
,' I I 1 '

=,
. . ....... .
. •i • • ,,... • •
. :_ . .,\
' .. .
.. ; :..

Summ ary-
•

l<?.st ~pring ·

· . . · ·.- ,· Oh ka i,n 1971.

Saheb _- Saheb is a young ragpicker. His famll~ ha~, migra ted from a _ .
They_h~ve settled in Seeniap!Jri, -a ptj~r ·colony the oulsJdrts o_f Delhi: on
-:There. is·, np school. in the neighbo~rh.00 9 ;.. not even prope r
arrien i~es~_
of
prairiage. sewag e ~r drinking w~r. Aro1,1nd 1o,obo ragpJ~
kets.. Ji'le ii:' ~ud
house s witll_ta~aulin rori.(s hut th~~rb~e cards.·whicti_.enable.s therJ1 tq ration
buy ~o~d grai~ at afforda ble p~ces: · · · · ·· · ·. . ·
- · Scour groo '. garba ge is Uieir ~nly ·s our~· of livelih ood and
. . ·. . .
means of s~rvfyaJ. ~
. :
For
.
the young
-.
childre
.
n garbag e is wrapp~d in . wond~ r.
. they h<?pe .!o fjnd·
,

. -
money in it
. It is ironical that- ·saheb 's name means . lord of ."the universe and he roams
ab~~l. th~ streets-with_his,fri~ncf~
. . . : . - ,..-- . .. . . . . . ;' . : : ··, .
,•
:
\)~;~f~t.
p,overty,_sttjcken.
: ' . -~-~. . . -_ _
:
~ .
- Saheb -has giv~n .1.,1p rag pi~ng: to workJor a tea,shop. He earns
.. ~
,.. . ... . .._.· ·, . ~. . . . . . .. . -~ .
Rs.BOO Rlus
. . :
his meals . surJje has ~ost ·his ca_r~tree. life. H~: now has to'
. work a UDder
master.

Mukesh - Lives -j~ Firq~ ad; _famous f?j- its·gla-ss .blQW~Q

@-!A0 HSt~-E v_~ - other. .fami!y
in Fi~o~ bad is __ ~nga·g ei i~ · ~~~-i~~L.Q~ti,gl_~~-..:i.2~£~!!.~I~.~-~ ~t. ausp ici~
symbo Jising an J~qiah Woman's -~uha?g. . .·
About 20,00 0-citil
- .

workin g in dingy,
dferi
, -~;e ille~~l!y.
dark
. .~~pl~y ~Q_!n
---····-·-·····' ~9;zardot
____,
cells..-o ear-fi~ es~iti Lbigh .lerqp er.aLu res.
.is surroundings. _______
- Even. th~ hom-~ s - a_r~ st!uat~d- in. stink_fo~ ·1an,~s cb2kkd· with garbag e.
•
• • • 0
I
The
be
•
i1

--
•
. walls seem s-to. crumblina. : there are rio.-windows, families crcwd :n hovs!s.
;
along wifb.2ci~als. ·...
- Mukesh's .paren ts and
grandparents h~ve accep ted their destiny as their
. Karma ~nd continue to ~log in inhuman condit ions . 'Thtly a,~
.. ~ . t·xpiutied oy the
middle.men, ·sah4~~r~, pol_i9e, · politicians and b}ircaucr,1ts (}mi SP can never
break the vici.ous·circle of misery ang_ poverty.
Th~ autho r sees a ray of hope in the end. Mukl~sh has dar~:d
/
. to dream. to
break the family tradition and wants lo be a motor mechanic. ~ le \'lsmts
J. to be
.
nlS OWO r.tia£,Ler,
 -....... .

2. THE ·iosi· SP"iii"i'1c·;-- ~ . ·

~TORIES OF ST.OLEN CHILDHOOD
~Bf .(l.nee1;.]ung
~ Sahib-e-Alam

- Name means. - lord of lhE: ~niverse, migrated with his family from Dhaka
in 197_1 ; ·lives in Seemapuri, stJrvive~ by ragpi_ cking, _doesn't -go to school, works
bar-efdoted. · .- .- ·.. · · · .:" · · ·-. ·
. ~ \
. ", •• !- : • .- . • • :

Liying ·conditions . : Lack of_ b~sic amenities, structures of mud, tin and
tarpa~-. ,i~.
.
no se,\~ag~. no .drainage_; n6,1~ater, loses fr~edomwtien
....
he starts working
at a tea-stall. ,,
0

M1Jke~h : BanglefTlake_r.of Firo~abad, works in high .temperatures, '3/Drkplace

small and dirty' ~orking. co_riditi,ons l;\Azardous. Dreams of beng a niotor inecnariic.
. . -.--,- · ' ( ·. /
•. ' ! •. . ; · _··' , 0
-Sirnil~rities betw~en ·saheb-iAi_a·tn and .Mukesh
. i.
have aspirations arid desires li_ke other children
. . ( .
suiier fmm immense poverty _and ~carcity of'food

- caug!1i in the web o! child labour I

-- leading a life of exploitation · \

\
'I
undergD physical,. mental and emotional sufferings !

L!ying Conditions iri Seemapuri

o,·i it°",(: outskirts of De!hi ·yet miles away from it, home to 10,000 ragpickers ,
- friJks a li·,Jing by picking garbage;_i-nastered tt1e _art ·ol rag picking . tood and
 . .
; .· . . • · 1'" .•
•·· .

0
"~u "'tval
• lnore imPortant
... for their identity,
· live ·in a state r ·P·-nvert•Y·· Gamage
• ·
O
t l'1eir,
· · QOld .because it is a means of survival,
is . ·
somehmes th ey find .a
wonder.
l'\Jpc:,e or even a ten rupee note and for children
· garbage is wrapped
· ,n

,: - •
✓~'!- 0
t Working in Glass Bangle ~actory
.-. .
high temperatures, tack or proper ventilation and light,
long Worful)g hours in front al hot f4fn.ice

boys and girts dSsist pafents in the dim light or fliekering oii lamps.
eyes are ' mo"re adillsteo to dark than light

dust from polishing ·bangles affects . their eyes.

exploited by morieylenders, flolice. bureaucrats, politicians.

fear of being ill treated .by police ·

' ·
lack of it leader who can organize thern
.

ii'Ve in statE! of iniense pove,ty

sleep on empty stomachs

11ve in stinky lane_

uvercrowve ...
s

• I d •a11"th humans·_
,.ana an imal S .
-•
., .
.,1
•
e
•
•
•
--
~

"I
 - !. ~
SuNlval ls more Important to them than
identity.
• For more than 30 vean they have lived
wfthout an idem.It,, with out PlffllftS.
1et th~ r names on vo~ s list and t'!na they ha'wl! ,ataon t4fm that
ble them tn buy ,atM.
1
• "Barefoot" Implies a perpetual st:at:e
of
·ellC\lse since they can' t afford to buy poverty. They daim it Is 8 tradition to stay barefoot. ~ , tt I'S an
shoes.
• Chftd labour:
I.,'('
• Even cf\ildren wor k in the glass in~u
stry. None of the families know that It
glass furn aces with high t-emperature ts llfegal for children to "'°'k
in dingy cells with out proper venb1atio
are worlcing in the hot furnaces. They n and fight. 20,000 chil dren
spen d mos t of tt,e;, daylight hours
up losing thei r eyesight (brightness in dart celfs thef efot e thev' end
of thei t eyes).
• Dwelling cond ition s of Seem apur i
• loca ted in stinking lane s filled with
gam age
• Houses are hovels (small miserabl
e dwellings)
• liou ies have crumbling walls, lack
windows, crow ded with families
toge tller. of hum an and antmafs «Jel (r.ti ng

• Mukesh's Father
• He wor ked hatd as a tailor and then
as a bangle mak er and yet he failed
his sons to school. This implies the to reno vate the house and set'lC
poverty is perp etua l. No mat ter how S
to dim b up the social ladder. They hard they try they are never able
are supp ress ed and subj ecte d by
controlling and dominating them . the rich so that they coukS keep

• Mukesh'~ Gra ndm othe r

• She believes that it is Mukesh's kara
m/destiny to beco me a bangle mak
and a justification.o f thei r cira.imstance er. tt is an inno cent outl ook
s offe red by the people who are unab
socio-economic oonditions arou nd le to.u nde rsta nd the
them .
• Her husb and had g~n e blind with
the dust from polishing the glass of
bangles.
• Social oonstraints to improve their
life/Perpetual st-ate of poverty
• Years of cont inuo us labouring
j _
"min d-numbing toil" has killed thei r abili
bett er. They have beco me lilce mac ty to drea m and hop e for the
hines- cons tintl y working.
• They have fallen into "vicious cirdeH.
Their enti re gene ratio n is trap ped
• They are ignorant of the law. If they by the mid dlem en.
form an organisation or union, they
beat en up and drag ged to jail for doin are take n tot ~ P<>f~.
g som ethi ng illegal.
• There is no lead er amo ng them . Ever
yone Is tired of rebe lling . They do
their situation . not have the powe, \t..' ch;u ~e
• They are trap ped in the apathy,
greed and injustice of the sahukars
the policemen, the bureaucrats, the (moneylend.~r..), the mid\tler t~\
keepers of the law and the politician
• These peop le continuously supress
s.
and dom inat e the lower class . They
them believe that they belong to the justify their acti on!. by m~,~,ng
lower dass bec. ,use they wer e born
bangle makers are mcs tly uned ucat Into this cast~. Since the
ed and therefore, they know of no
which is pass ed on as the only Inhe othe r trac.Je than ban gll' m,,k.intt
ritance from on~ g~neratlon to the next.
• Lw,t ~ignificancc of tl11! llan~l,~f./S
-1vita • Vlc:1hn of 1,ov1:1 ly ,111J )U~ial i.tlan
ua
• '.>avita, a young girl, is deprived
of her childhood, burd~11t-d wl\h resp
unilhllity and struittling for
~urvival. She Is making bangles. At
such a youns age sh<' Is unaw are wha
Indian woman. t these bat'3 lcs signify for an
 ....' .
~
•. . .. . .• ...,_ ,. ,•i,,
1t1i·· •
8
· ~ftgles are sanctified.. They s~mbolfse: an Indian woman's suhaag (aus~icio~snesJ in.marriage1.
~e author imagines this little girl after SOf!!e years would be shrouded In a red ven, hands dyed red w.
henna, wearing red bangles on her wrists and1it that moment, It would strike her - the significance of thes'e
red pieces of glass.
The old woman who is beside her still has bangles in her hand, but she has lost her eyesight. She still does not
have the privilege to obtain one full meal in her entire lifetime. This is the same situation in all the homes.

RAG PICKING JOB AT TEA STALL

• The plastic bag becomes symbol of
freedom. Saheb was carefree, and happy.
He f~S not accountable to anybody. He
was Ms own master. • _ .,
• The bag was hts own property.
~
• The cannister is heavier. It is a responsibility
more than he can handle.
• He has steady income·.
• He is accountable to his master and he is bound
by the rules .
• The cannister is owned by the tea stafl owner.
• Saheb is compelled to do labour to survive. He
has lost his innocence and robbed off his
childhood.

QUESTIONS

Ql: Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangle industry?

Ansl: Working in the glass bangle industryis fuli of h~altb-_.hazards. ftg_e!aj_~th_e cf:!!ldr~n -from going to vboc,I tjnce
it is their import<ID,t wean, of li.velihood. The children havc ·to work !°'_glass furnaces with-high tempeAlfr,re. These
are dingy cells which do not have both air and light. Whil~ ~!ishjng !-!J~ ~ar]gles the dust enters their eyes and
consequently they lose their eyesight ·before becoming adults.
,
02: How is Mukesh' s attitude to his srtuation diffecent from that of his family?
- ---
Ans2: Mukesh being an _innocent child s:tUi dce_a ros to hP_a_01otor mecha!:!Ic..!~y_g h he belongs to the family of the
bang1_e makers yet he dares to break this god given lineage and ~nt to fulfil his dreams. Unlike his (arniy fflf'l'l"bers
he does not believe in Karam and is determ1~ed to cross ~ e hurdles that come in the achieving of his dream.

03: What forces conspire to keep the workers in bangle industry of Firozabad in QOverty?

Ans3: Being orthodox. in a nature a~ qp;jgn Jbev adapt 1!'>e p_r9f~ssion..2,f__!_h ir forefathers:. 'S5>t SR $Q!?k ol this.
1
they believed in the theory of kacam. Further thi; grim state of poverty b<)s..l,Q~U their power of initiation. Thev are
left without any kind of dare to move to any new professidns. Tiu:ir elders do not ern;gucav lbrOJ Ibn on't ~
united or start any coop!:£ation. They are harassed and roughcJlug_bv the oo!•ce lb•"¥ ace beilteo Qlf'lr:ileuly ~
put behind the dingy~. All have given up hope and exhausted like tbcic wcestor5: Jbey a,r to,;yptng from p o ~
to apathy to greed and to~ce.

~ Justify the title "lost Spring".

Ans4: Spring is the most beautiful period of one's life; In naturtt also Uu.~ sNwn is full of youth, menv. C!njoyment
;;;owcr. In t.uman lifo child Is eonsld~rcd as spring as this Is the stag...- wht"n child i\ b!sNOli1W cm,e,lnc .and

-
advancing. lronitaU){ ht lfMJia and many other c:ountf los this tvndor Attt: h cc u~h«-d bt"t\Nth ttk~ ,~,w-rty ~nd
starvation. lhrouch th,~ tltl,- 'I o!O .-Ing' Aneos June hns hl11hlit1,htmt th~ plie;ht of Utmn 1>r>rv • htl,fren WM ~re the
victim of the vkiou\ <.. nltt ul ,,ove, ty. 1hr.y wu, k a, potty wurkctn In "'"'~"'I bacw,I~ f pd Plbc mewa• worb. In
most of the caws lf1t~V 11du1,1 th~ 11mfesslun of raa plddna and movo f1om po~t to ptllar ii) 1:N!t b nC snkt in the
garbage. 1 hus, thclf bloomlne ngl! t, ettlned end lh9\' 101• nll lnltlatJun and nblttty tu work. ~ \fldouS cwde of the
poverty, the mlddlcm~d polltlcl!!llJlnmper their proaron and thc?V fail to bloom properly they deterior•te in
health, eduwll<,11&.J'VWW :rs es aA l hw1, their 111•1"1" ■-mptetetv lu\l .and rumvd.

:cc
 /
:: -~L:,A$S: XII : J:NGijlSH :: OiAPTER - LQST ~PRING - Anees :Jy~g

ft . Describe. the. IMng cond1lions in Seemapuri. . ·· •

Ans·. Seem;apuri Is a slum on the rnriphery of Delhi. Around 10.000 rag prc!{ers .t,ve
· •· r(lpsl of· whom arc ille a- mi- r
tf')er!~ ~ lfo ngt t ,ave
- ·' h -The"
rom Br-mglP+,es . any
p~rinlls. or identity car s. e ·· e: The b'?uses are
mud -sl,vclures .with roofs o_ tin on
------,::-- tauzayijn.J he colony 1s :evo•d .9.r 8~
arrangemen - - s~e.
ts ,or proper -----..err---- 1 1 1•--...•-r,--
s.!.[lige • wa fe-~
or JLJQQICJQ ; Jh ugh l,ving IO
, -- ·. -
dirt, fill~ and equator, _they are content because the 9E!~ge ~~aps -are 1,me~,:15 .
of ~ucy,val.

·. ){!.✓ How. i~. Sa_~eb's nam~ a ·cont~a~t to his destiny? It is- ironical lhal-Sabeb '$ fuU
· .name 1s Saheb - .e- Alam. E:.<olarn. •
)
Ans. Saheb's. full name is Saheb-e-- Alam mean lord of the universe. Saheb is a
- - humble rag P.ickei- and not ·u,e master. It is ironicar that a poor rag pick~,, ~ho
• roamed t~~ ~t~eets with his friends. barefooi, sr;co11Af/1ng the garbage_shoul<;f be
) named the ~aster of un[~_r..st?: The au.thor has used h>'perbofe....to highfigh~- !he
trony of t~e fate of a poor slum· d\Yeller who_iives a life of denial and depriv~tJon
. but ~as ~- regal ~ e . ·
..
, ~e author Writes ·seempuri. ·a place o~ the periphery of Delhi yet miles a~ay
from it9: . Explaili. · · · .: !
Ans. Seemapuri is a slum without even the basic ame~ities of life. It ~ated the in
pedP.~ery of qelhir 'yef metaphoricaliy it is ,miles awily, It has._nooe pf the natiim~I
capital's metropoHta.n-foatuce$. Th_ e houses here ~re made of mud wilb.roo(s of
_tin_and ~a~auliri. tf do~s _riot.have_proper sewa~l!L2I .£!!:~inag1:_system. nor do~s it
have .th.e facility .of water supply. Life in the slum is a far cry from the comfort.
h..oo.nies ·and amenities available in Delhi: --:·-----
' ~---........__
Q-4 ln~pil~ of p~o~ living conditions, why· doesn't Saheo's famrly return_.)o their vil ~age
antl fields? . · - . - · ,
Ans_ Saheb~s- ·{clmily ryiigrafed fro~ Banglades h . in . 1971 _ T0e(r_ fl.eld...§~L J.:!c:fme _:,h ad
· . be~n · destroyed by frequ·e nt storms;,,-They:-J{a~~-n o me9!7S -~ survi',({31_ . !t ~s
difficult _for _them ~o- earn two sg_ u.a.[~.-. nie~Js =~ __9~.Y ..J ~- ~~ E;_mapl-!r(_ l~ e a ttie.i
miserable life o_f deprivation and .sb•
•~lor, Their n\ ud houses dor,'t even r.a'?e a
"proper roof but at least it. is a~robf. . I ~~_y -~a:-v-f :-°?lion
cards -and can buy food
grain at
low cost. They _qJe...:_salrsfie d-Jha.!--l-he:, .family._doe s _not have to_sleep
hungry at night. . So they do_6_'L.y,laO.LJ.oJ £lumJ!l...1b.e.iL"llllci~ <3-!ld__ th_~_frel~s which
did not pr..o vide sqsleoaoce
. to. ·tt1~m- : ·:· --
. . .

0 .5 -.~ o; U1e chiidren it is wrapped in ;Nonder. fer il"oe eljers it

!Sa rr. e 2:i s oi s u_rvi~:~r ~.(;lucidate_
--_:,-1-\°:is. Ttie rag ·pickers of Seemapuri !ive ir,_pc:;theti,_; _cc,ndition_s _ Scrou':!_9~09__ !._hrough
garbage and picking up anything useful is t11eir liY.e.hb.o_o_d ._1.tl_~gy _~~E:~:..doing
this work for years and ii meant su0.1ival for them TIJJJ!i..ta~LJ),L~_i.QS.L~~ daily
bieod oii-:f a roof over !heir heads foube elde rs. ·
But for th_e childr~n garbage _i~_~l!_~1..._~~:!D?.'!~tL.c_~ SL£T].J".~l ~ ~}~Y somet,mes ·
fuld a (Upee .. even a ten-rupee note in ltle...~ a!.bJQe_L\o.c! .lUli..ey_:of\cJ ~siiver coin
in a heap of garbage they keep scrounqintJ becc1 u se the re ·1s hope or finding

' op.,,, ~ is a ~arado~ that chit_dren rnanuracturi,ng IJPci ullful , r.ulot~rJut gl ilS S bangle~.
nave 1he1r O\.•,n lives devoid of all colour and lrnpp.u 1{ "i"'" i: It irnla~e
Ans The author refers lo _20,000 c1·,i1<.J1 e~1 ernploy~d in th e yfm;~. bluw,r,g ir.dustr • in
f~r~zabad. :,hese ch,ldrc~ work dur,~ UH?_ ir dt!YJ.i9ht lloi1r r,•it~.,,
{flngy _cc?lls \\,1lhout prdpr:r h~Jl,I :tnd ve11t1l7 ;..-1t1on . ·1Ii >1 ti, lhi•ir ,rents
htlt fume.tee! i~l
I IJ O ofd ' , ;:..
hp;,,1111,,1 2'1'' - I .
· .., ,.o 0ui,u d•:~,t-~s al n,9111 1n Ille hHh! ol 011 l.irnp;- ' f"hejr• 111 w .. rno .,
J
. , : m•·,, ,,: r'd
1:; <Jef,nvcd ol. all hope, llr1hl
· JI ·
.,,,ti
n Oiler, ttw los e lh '-' 1, ic•~, ,,,- ,.. .•) I ,, . ·,O ·
~ v- ' 1 111 --.»;>• •l"1lll\-V11
c::yes all< iapp,n,:ss of tlw,r ch•lclhoocJ Y'!iJl'.i l;1'riWSt:' o! P>t· ti Jrk bcer1~,~~- tc~il
 lhe end?
~oes th~ -atJlhor'iea a ray of hope 11
\. :,,P.'- f =A~w!>an worktng 1n Iha blttak, d,. .,,.
. Ans. l The gle makers or Flrozabad haw bean - on
! _bl!? !"'"9 ln~ustry for years. and They accept it as their destiny and , of mn,
..~eb l lo lhe nex l oetteratton. Yea 11
! ..huij;\~n _of poverty, misery~i~HiaUv e and u,a abHily 10 dtri m. BUI at the
end 1,e
: num.~fng toll have kflled all break the W!lols
boy, Mukeah hes dared to
! a_uth~sees a .ray of hope. A_HtUe_ ires lo be ,noto,
aulhor is hap py lhal hf! asp
, c,rc re a~ ·ha~ dar ed lo dre am. ~The
lo_free hi~s eff of the burden of fdtro
wtn g lhe
8
~
. ; me~ ~ar uc. 11 .1s .the first ste p I
~~;~e . ·· . · . ·. •
tory ·tos t Spri~g•.
is ~
• 0.8... UUe of.s
nation. hope, growth and new life. H
•~ , ·· ~~ time is a fim o uve
n lfm an fives n symbof;zes a lme
~o. !in9 of
full O! -colour. -fragrance and freshness ildien into adu ft$ -.o .

I
blpo min o
leam rng . growin .• ha iness, ·oy .a~d ·the tole n chit dho od' is a boot
cory , to the soc ief¥ . "los t,. pring - stor ies of.s
9!_n um nisl In P.J_e ·book she has exf)(?Sed
by ~n r 7s J.ung.:_ a renowr1~d. author and cofin .various. dangerous industries and •
1pfoyed
gur n~~ o_nal. sh ~e : .ch~(f,r~m ~11,
rl(tor long ho( !rs in.inhuman con dif ., -,
. - tradesiwh e~. ffi~y -are force~ to
. . • I rons o' . I ~n rn our
Sah ~b and _Muke.sh. The ir childho
\V.Q
rou n • ,ve a life of
o .is con sum ed in ma ·
e . -and ex loita'fron fike
_ are
our •
•
l

._ ~· d~p rive d oft he opp o rn. .. . ..

: U1e pat lios ~tphil<!labour ver y
,: .,on~
eti~ lni~ y. ·
play and pfea sure Ibe
·. ·
title brin gs ._ •
:I-

•
I
;
_dum ps· on the streets of Del hi fQI' lis. '
: Saf:ieb -~c rou ~g~ _ th~ 9.~r:J;>a_ge bleak afass
Muk esh _bas _to slog in the dark
~ s-l!ryival a~d _•~:fer wo ~ -fn a_.t¢.,fsUiJI/ ative yea rs. ot lheit
ther ·.c:bffqreq "TTle_form
J

; bloV'lflng •rndiistty...afqn:gw,tJi.,_4u;OO
Ofo I - .-

~are often sub je~ ed to physical

f~!;-~:1?~-~¥'#.:~ng-lojl. .erlf·e..th'e
: -<.0it~hootl_¥tre~~~_r,t_i;,lJ,~
= and"men.t~I ~-fju$~e.
s.~::;cijil~ren !rep res d~ • .· un er el o - 's r. iI
tI.~
~ eccn6ltlfC -gro ~~ .Hence t,he 'ri_
0

-~at.
refe rs to -ifileir Gh1fdhood bein g stol
the
en from
~
e · has b~ n .snatched awa and
tifl)_
; the m is/ a · to riate : ·TI1e_ir sp'I jng
j :beE n d_en{ed the ·o.pportunity't9 b' oom m o-young_ adu
lts.
•
ad'.
_ •~-8. _:,- Wh y: do ~ the ~-tffhor,
,s ay 'F~ ~-a·ii~ ane s flyo ver Ftrozab
tha! . th_e tnwn is_iso 1ated ,
Ans;~ -'Fe w. airp lane s fly oveexr-Firo•zapiffed'..incf icat es
. hno _ "ihe
sed ude d. and f')as no osu re to ihEt l'!}:o der n day·.pro ress an
\.,. ·, - : call hf hli hts the Tadt
~ peo le·s erd o~ s~e ane ~y ·by. It a ~b syinboli
eve n-a n.a f l_
z.a a . '.W ~ - are ~ ' an :e rr.2 ers.
3 of opp orfu nitie
s for_the.:- e.bp~e i?- 'F1~-0_ _conti'l-rue- to, ~
{o-:5ucc)Jmb t~ thei r des tiny _and
; .. ey a(d ly ha~ e apy opt ion bu~ but thei r min ds ha":Je been
ibolise drea rr,~ _
.pov erty .~and rniser,y. Al_rp~~~es ~yrr
in l_dr ear ns have bee n crus h~d and t.~r
nurtibec;i -dwe- to y-eaii (?f ~opp~ss1on, t/.iei
do. not oare.
to take up challe·qo~s
- the garbage dum p ? ·
0.-1G Wh at is Saheb loo.k ing fpr ~ 1s Ute S\XX C~ o:
a
Ans . Sah eb is raa-pfcker livin
g in the .slums of See ma Puri. Gar bag e~1:~f::
live liho od for-: him : He sea rch
es: for ·gold" in l!1e 9a: bage •-i~ $."~m
1.Q_r~~pce not e. ff luck_}'. S:-ih~t; p,a y ey~.1
~en a· ;i:~:!
: ma nag es to find -~ ·rup e~ or 11 ')
~a :;ilver coin Ga,r q~g e fo~ the sr 'slumoffe cl:!!!str:~n is "~r~pped ~;\\,:()~~~~~- • .... ·, _
r for the,.c.f)Jldrc llnO J..V_ .;.;..,l1 1NJ. sr -~es
/~.J.~~j: \:\/hat explanati(?H~ d~cs the_aulhorlrave_l throu h th_e COUllli : ha~
:ot tc:. o ~~~: ·J~ f-tl
./ 4n ~: The author; ih tiie·;nco1 frse ~,..'her
cities ard villages . People g,ve he Jt;~t,ttc, .h01 l ,tlv1t , h l~ l
ro•'
\ . : -' . fk ' bar efoo t k It . I II .. . ,~ · . r·tt· )
· n ''il"
. ain .'barefcc. l. □ ut sllc new "' u-, tt , • ·' \ ; teti '• 11 1 1
...wa ,ng for them. to rem
/ t dT I__.
w, ' W\ :-t\\'~ 'i ~
I•• •'X"'
. wondered~ -,, ·, . as-0,1 Y '~c . 1 -
ra , ,on
con vinc ing and · .,!IJ .llue r •. --\.v
inleµ_rnl rml of Jndt'1
. . perpetual sta!e of PC;lVert.y .lh~I is an , . _' .. , h •~
.
Q<,2 Is sdhib hapthe py working al llllL.1.ea-sli'AIJ'l.ExµJ.uo . w.nrk•~<J ;ti ,lw !( .1 st,.11 H_c _... c,
,. Saheb Josi joy of chilcll,ood when he starlr•d
S Hs fU'U •lC~ a~f
Ans . bur den ed and his free dom has been curtailed though 11£· " ii10
·, &,: • .,. ~ -· ~ t"" ' . "' ••. ' \ lilt
1
l ti!" C~\tfl(l't
' tn
. fn<; I I,,, I rl t
-.:it't.:~
• 'I\
'.'f,f!r.ce nct. . • '

his me als Hr! h~~

now c-: ec-ms to b~ much heav1e, ;in
' I llv

the plastic l.Jag, wht< n wt:old h~

was his hut the cani_slN ht'fvt':il t,2 ~c;,'P
.,
ligh ti; over his ~ho1.1lders. The b?.!J
Jar and follow the ,11strut;trnn~ ot t
of the tea-~hop. He tws to work harc
.
 . . of its glas blowing an ang
1ro2'.abad have spe,il generations workin
. . .. . ~lass and m~king colourful bangles. ttir all the
_bnnging Joy and happiness to them while their own lives are full of ·
darkness. · · · •
,_;p . . • •

-~' · ..~ ~4 .Mention the ha~iird_s of wor~ing in the.glass bangles industry. . . ·.

• . A{ls. :r.he gl~ss blowing 1nd~stry 1~_catego~_zed as dangerous ·~nd condilions.ar-il!nfit
· for -~htldren • !o ~or~ 1,:,: 1he glass . furnaces have high ·temperaturef;. tl'\e
, ~ eQv~r~nment .1s d!n~y w1th~ut proper provision for light and .air. In 'the d~rk
_
_hutrnent~. children .along -~•th lhei{ pa_re~ts weld glas~ bangles n~_~t to flJckering
lam~s. Aro~nd 2~.~00 ~mldren ar~ 1llegalfY. employed in this indu.$try. Th~y
sacnfice their eye-sight and th~ preci9us years of their childhood.

!S
0.~~ Hoy! ~.ukesh's attitude to his situation different·from thcrt
of'his family? i
~s...Mul<es? ~~ti- his_fa~ily ~xist in ~o dis~nct worlds ·: T)ili1amJL:ii]ias_aa;epJe~
· years of bac)c btec;!kmg toil and _e,o~ider it lB be a God given lio.ea_g,e.....Ib.eYif.<now ·
~-at !hey .are , ·entrapped in ·the vicious. drcle of. povew•.juiathy.· gree4 and·
mJustice. .:They ~ave been exploited for generations by the sabukars; ~id.die
men, policemen,·politidans a,:id bur~aucrals, me~kiy ·relenting to their destiny.
·1 hey. have -no_leader or.:organi~ation to help tnefn1mprove their situation.~ This
pa~etic life h_ a~ .kill~d: all in,tia~ve ~and··thetnb1Ti v"fil..tei3K.Ib_¢_~:na~s..o.n;tl,s
b . r _en D m1s·ery.tG>-thei(childreil who .accepfth~irfate unquesJ.i;onmg y. . _. ;:_. .
K?i.v .H ~ :· ~ <fM;.~ ~;,, ~~ . . . ~- -.·
But Mu'kesh . ·ha,s dared to dream_: He wants .JQ_b_c.e.a.lctbe_sba.ckl.es_o.t.J,amlly
-tradition. by_.·not working in th~ gla~s l:>J,owing indus.!cy.:. .,. _l::ie_wa:::i~~otor
mechanic and wi'II riot mind walking I~ long dist~nce to the lli!rage e\le(Y day_
s hope in his heart ahd his eyeshave not lost the ability to _p~rsevere
rte still ha_
and d ~. : . _ ·_ / _ .

?";§ -~hy sh~u-ld child la.6our be eliminaJed ap<:tJ:1,..ow ? . - - - .- .'_, _: _

~fa:S- Anees ·J!:Jng pr~sents a touchi~ account of th~ plight gL~t~J:~,£!}.!l~_ r~n.={9rce_g_
• into _labour earlyt iri -life.:. There_are numerou~ c Q1!9f~[l~Jlli,~Jy1q.Jie$f\_and:--~~hib
wflo have lost nope ,of living a respectable life~ Tl;ley are denied~_~r.e opg.Q.rum.ily
'JI schooling;. Th.~ir 'chifdislJ I ,opes an~ asp,1ratio1;1s are_,t~r;L!t~)ly. ctushad bcc'.ause
they have to help their parrnts in earrii_n g a li_v elihood _/ Tf)ey are f ~rced to spend
their life in poverty and misery working iri , _h azardous indu~tries like bangle
ma!dng, carpet ma~·ing, cracker ma~ing. a_n d fonneries . Th~:L2~.s_:r:~ctirns of
physical and mental abuse. Child iabour repr~sent~~J b~ -~dark~cj~_Q,Lln~ia 's
ecor.omy _and must b~-eliminated _with a :stro:19 will. It 1s a crime against society,
110 nation cari progress where the -children are d s-nied eduC3iion . Children are
the hopes and the fu_ture ·of a nation. · ,
Our constitr.,tion.provides fre:e 3i1d cornpuisory ed_u cation to : .1 1! it i:, di sappom!i~19
to knm..-.i that the , fruits. of education fail to reach the poor even in tire a~ close to
ihe national Cc!pit_al. . It is lhe -coll.e.clri.e_resporisi!;)ilily ofthe ~overniTien! as weli
clS the sciciety ro· take stnngem measures lo abolish cbild..l~~ L .. lnous!ries
11~1.Gg_ child Jabour must be s.µbjected to .P..g.ul.ar cJ;ecks_,;:_!.1tUir~ mus~-'be
imnosed to lhem ·accordinc,Jy. ' -·--..
_:_ __ _The emplcyer~ as weli as !he -o_a ren~should . .9e a _£ct 1~ oi ihe rnJss
,rwareness programme a ain~ chi d labour and lht __~d_~-~'.J.~ _c::r"'de-·of~~rhe
bureaudots. t e sa 1ukars and t~po_lice must be brokr:oc: ··---- ---~
-- - - -~
Q.1? VVhJt could be some of !he reas~ns · for lne migration er people from v;ilagc::o :o
cifa::s ? .
/ ..;·; ; Saheo·s f3rn:ly -had to move frorq! heir nal!ve pl?.ce !:i [~,!ngl~1desi'i b-:.:cE;usc th~1~
fields and homes had been desliOyc:d by storrns and \hey !1c;d m rneans ~;
earning a Jiveliho~d. Rec2i1: yeJrs have ~;ee•: 0:1 increased mfiux of ,urnl
•.
popu Ic:i11on
to t.he c1·t:,es ·rhP ,--.-=>onl::> i•·1 fh;:. ·,:i ll ::-.r11:..,- i-:,r,, , .. ...
,.. ~--· ,Jo .. •
J. ' · .. ••
 pcor in(rastruc!b r~I d~velopmen i a . . ~:.
village 2nc! small towns ~re en . lf~d _la~k of ~asic amP.nities-: SW,
drinking water is not available
w.~tef. . :
!~d·-g;~
.. .
1a~nes~_.due !o ~~ck oi e!ectricit~. r::!n, .
. Pe av~ ~ wal;c: 0:,_11e.s .to proel.frt! potable
~o . add .to thejr w.oes, • ·there . is iack. of .
o . ; .. .
emQ}oyment. It is indeed unfortuna.to .that . ~PQr'turnt,e::. for educarion and
. .
• . . . .,.. on one hand ·we
. . s~e~k of· ·cnass1ve
.~ ·
econom_lC progr~ss and on -the
fa_ce acute po¥erty and ignorance. ' pEx~
other eo· I
~.-a:•~t
. . ·.
in.. pr~meval c~nditions ·~nd
bureaucrat s ~nd policemen is prevalent." ~oi a ~n of !armers by. Sah~kars,
.

subjected to a suffocc:ting lifE{of social injusti nd th: rE:s1dents of vi!_ l.~ges iar~
These conditions force I-he ru·r·a· ·, dw·e11 ·- ·:. t ce, ca.:,te system and !a~lessnei;i; _.
· · · u, · life. The 1::,s. o move·tt' the ·ti · th h
·,ure· , ·
m~f.E: c~:-r-ifort_ablt: ana u,gnified be ' c_, es .,n . e ope? of~ .
a ·betterstan dard.of IMng tt _. . th . 0
~~r earn,r:1gs ano prospects of
a ~~c ~ people to the ·aties. Thrs,·~elps them to gain .
1
freedom 'from a e
st
the city are· pathttirr~U al:ty !-
a~e 0 rnd ebtedn~ss. Even if the living .condi~ions in
th · h d
!J ,e1r aa s.
· • e Cl pro'✓ides them w,t.h there meals a day arid a roof on ·
. • .-
' .
C' ~ What ;forces conspire ts,·keep the yv-orkers:iri the ~angle industry of Firozabad. in
poverty? : t · . · ·
. .Ans~ . ~fr<?~~bad is shabby,_isolat~ 2nd :underdevelo ped town with no infrastru~tura l
-~I
~ah ties. Hal(- the pe~ple ·here are _bc1ngle · makers whose backbone h~s been
~roken and tfley . accept _th9ir -d~stiny wi_ tti' resignation .. !lliteracy-·and ignorance
_furU1er ~dd to their problems: TI.iey:are~l;lfta'Nare -tf)at chilc! !c::;!:;ou; ;s illegai and
that the iaw: if enforc~d could' fr~.e::t11e 2ctoo:ochiidren from their: iive~ of
misery.
T:he peopl¢ .thernselv~.s·_._?.i"C:'tr~d.itiqr. boun<j ,anti have accepted \their !(araJYI as
O• Gocts ~,jsh: ·-C.aste sysfem trapsj them. and·,:tliey' :are
L!liable to break lf:c stigma cA
.ceste.' ' ' ' . '
111ey-haye_-,ost tt'le··spirit
to _:rebel and free th~QlSelve~f of thf! vicious ~ircle which
traps · them for generations; _ T here \ is 2 r:ex'us between the middlemen, the
. Sahukar-s, police,. politicians a_n d b!Jfe2!Jt:rats who exploit t:ie pa-:>r ai1Ci the
downtrodde n for their .own· personal g~ins: The· men in power. tlie f3w ma:«trs ·
themselves become-.the . law- breakers aild aHow the o_ffence ofchild lab01.i:- _to ·
i(liive. The youth also have givE¥1· u'p aH hope c1n~ aGcepted theii: parents destiny
: submissive ly ,as _they ar~ the .o~e3. ·· who will ·be hauled ; by police, b~at~n and
; dragged to.jail if they
,~ .
rebt!I: . · ·- ---·-·· ··· ·
.

~-!) : ·writea shqrt n.o.~e on:the_the~e-i'.•;,'ftre_L,e~QJJ_,,,.;,l afl,,..S:~~..ir.~.(. _. · _ _

,ns. : The fT)ain theme of -L~·st Spnng' rs chi ld labour Y.{1lt.~!I!.?.kl.D.§.J;!er.1ar of th.e ;oys or
. : childhcod. It_deals ·.:1ilh the ~iser§lbJ~ · PJigh~ of stre~t ~tli!qrep ig~4..illt0 latx,~sr
' : eai~ly in life. t ~ e denieci'lhe O;t?QC.!-JD_ :.l>f::¢..£&:bo.oli,c.Q, Thsx.J:l~V~~ no lJrne fr, ,
~ play, fl..!ri or . stvdy a·na-~ ..JQ. ~o:t.( b~ ..~CJ gQrn Jb?.J.r..Jjve_lih_ ood. Sah~b and
: Mukesh_represent a gr_g""".ing_ f1~~1~eG:gl ~~~~~en in _oui" cot.:nlf"):, ca ugh,_in ihe
·:vicio"us :circfe of ·pou.ei:lY a_nd ~E:X0l ()lt3.l!Oil . n,e r:i?rfc!!Qr WISl:es ,.O S::n::rt:ze 1:~2
:reader. toward;; the plight of !::!~h'$ d chiki ro::n c::mployed ;r, •;2,i.::;u.s r,~Z d rd0L..!S
industries; worki09 ininhumail condi!.icns. Yo~ d1iidr~~1 -~ ~~- -~~~,~~} . O..\'..~n-,c
burdiefn cf ·the father's pove~ty at a \ender age.. Th=Y tco accect it as iheir desiiny. -
Thei~ abili_ty to:.Bream or take initiative_ to f,i'id cJ hctter ;i fe iS kilieri by the b~ cs.
bre.ak;ng toil : they are sub]ecte~ to . Sahib 2nd other r2.<1 ~;.;:s..b~r..c rne_p J rtntrs
in. survival, !ife for· th err: is scro,erig ing 1.he gar!J;:;ge. .
' '

The sub theme o ( the les~!.)n is the selfish ar:d c31rcus aHi'tude of tf&..£:~ ry ~d
polihcians. The:Y !ack comp2ss1on . emoc:hy anq ,ccmrnitme:-:l Siums ;,a'i E
rnustm56rned around all .big and small cities. People !ive in p81heiic cor.d:!ion :;;
· without sanitation facilitic.~~ watc.L.amL.eJecfrimy cooa 0 ~1rons '?Ck8§_jQj cct
~ I n ~iro~aba~. chll~~~~ like M~~h work in hazardous S8:-:dit1ons :i -; ;i
12
bangle rmiking mdUSlf an_ d ro?t!f,e orr25tness of the1[£._~~foP.Jhe~;LU£.C()me
a u· ~y_;:u :e_l~ 1n7ne vicious circle of S_anukars middleni'-'n
bureaucrat~ and politicians, ...,,ho exploit and suppress the~1; - ~ tx.>nes! a'"r' :d
concrete anempr ,s made tQ..!_mprove theirs;!, ,:.;~ ;, ,r. --
 \
\

.. - : .

..

~
::~~r..1£ '.:u&L.. i..~~1-~ IC:::#-~ ~~::::::: .i~4
;-:- .- ---:-..,... .---;;7r.~ -Lo!ld,. tt4..a:9: ~~~~f-'- ~L~,...! .....!J:!:: .:::!..!Y
_:....,. ---.:;
L.!:1,~ ~~~~:: Sl.!:::S :.:....~
·-------- ----+,~ ~~~:--t :l:::S& ;...(,J,., ~~~.i:: ._~!:::: :.......!i ~~~~... ..&.....;

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inf -J,Villimn Dou gla s
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Wiiliam Douglas

- Feared Waler

3/4 years old . went lo beach wiih

over by wav ?~ sullocared . irigh
iather knocked down . swept
tenc o
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