LOST SPRING

ANEES JUNG
The Right against Exploitation is enshrined in Articles 23
and 24 of the Indian Constitution. These are important
Fundamental Rights that guarantee every citizen
protection from any kind of forced labour.

Right against Exploitation:

There are two articles of the Constitution which guarantee
the right against exploitation. They are described below:

Article 23 – Prohibition of traffic in human beings and

forced labour

Article 24 says that “No child below the age of fourteen

years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or
engaged in any other hazardous employment.”

This Article forbids the employment of children

below the age of 14 in any hazardous industry or
factories or mines, without exception.

SPRING ushers in a fresh lease of life on this planet. It

represents positivity, prosperity, abundance, the season of
growth, rejuvenation and joyance. Spring, metaphorically
refers to childhood- the best phase of individual’s life. On
one hand it is the phase of fun and frolic, innocent pranks
and pleasures. On the other hand, it is considered the
appropriate age to initiate the process of education as
tender minds are considered highly impressionable.
LOST SPRING is a metaphorical expression which
refers to the abysmal and subliminal living conditions of
economically disadvantaged children who languish in
ignominious darkness of poverty, exploitation ,physical and
mental abuse which deprives their right to education and
empowerment. The chapter on one plane exposes the
national shame of India- Child Labour. Embroiled in the
quagmire of this social evil , these children are coerced
into a life of rejection and oppression. These victimised
children represent the dark underbelly of India’s economic
growth.

Stolen Childhood hints at the children who are forced to

miss the pleasures of Childhood.

TONE: Anees Jung travelled through big cities and rural

parts of India , documenting the stories of underprivileged
children. She analyses the grinding poverty and traditions
sanctified by caste and religion, which condemn these
children to a life of exploitation. Written in journalistic
feature style with her trademark sensitivity and insight ,
Jung’s narrative is plain, unpretentious, factual yet
exceedingly compelling.

UNIVERSAL THEME: Exploitation of the underprivileged

is an offshoot of social discrimination and economic
disparity. The world should aim at building a classless
society in which every individual will get adequate
opportunities for self –development and expression. This
world shall prevent exploitation of man by man and
guarantee economic freedom to one and all thus
obliterating diabolical disharmony and inequality prevailing
in the society.

SUBJECTIVE THEME: Child labour is the national shame

of India. It is a complex problem rooted in poverty. The
plight of street children forced into labour early in life and
devoid of the opportunity of education is catastrophic.
Moreover, the callousness of the society and the political
class to the suffering of the underprivileged is highlighted
in this chapter.

SOCRATIC METHOD: The Socratic Method is named

after Greek Philosopher Socrates who sought to get the
foundations of his students by asking continual questions
to stimulate critical thinking, reasoning and logical
analysis. It is a technique of arriving at truth by posing a
series of questions to obtain answers thus criticising
,analysing and synthesising facts to arrive at a greater
truth. Anees Jung’s journalistic feature style writing
seeks to elicit the answers from Saheb and Mukesh,
the protagonists of this narrative whom she
documents to present the dark lanes of Indian
ethos.

SOCRATIC IRONY: Socratic irony is admission of your

own ignorance and willingness to learn while exposing
someone’s inconsistencies by close and probe questioning.
It is a technique where the questioner feigns ignorance as
a way of tricking the other person into revealing his own
lack of knowledge or a flaw in his logic. Socratic irony
involves pretending to be ignorant to show someone else
is ignorant; thus the irony. Anees Jung feigns
ignorance to the protagonists to analyse the
precepts of justice and economic deprivation
which engulf their lives.

SAHEB’S CASE STUDY

The backdrop of the first case study is

SEEMAPURI.The term Seemapuri has Hebrew and
Devnagri roots. ‘Seema’ means treasures and ‘Puri’
means a holy or sacred place. Seemapuri stands for
abundance of riches . Ironically , it is better known
as Seemapuri Slums which is situated in the east
side of Delhi across Yamuna River. Ragpicking is
the prime occupation of the illegal immigrants of
Bangladesh who have found a home in Seemapuri.
They are the victims of social alienation and
prejudice. The ragpickers observe that “Ragpicking
as a profession comes with its own set of utterly
inhuman challenges.”It is a profession that has
been endured for many generations in their
families.

Sometimes I find a rupee in the garbage : This

statement reveals the protagonist’s ecstasy at an
unexpected find. His existence it seems figures out a new
meaning. His life is doomed to a life of backbreaking toil
along with his abject poverty.
Why do you do this?: It is a prime example of Socratic
Irony. Anees Jung poses a question to Saheb to elicit an
answer which she is fully aware of.

Encounter: Encounter is a term which bears a negative

connotation. It means to meet someone unexpectedly and
the association would turn out to be difficult .

Scrounging for gold: FOS Hyperbole. Scrounging is a

word associated with animals. The usage of this word
sheds light on the animal –like existence of the
ragpickers. Gold refers to something which is invaluable,
useful and worthy. Scrounging for gold refers to their
concept of survival and their eking out a livelihood by
earning daily wages as they sell off the crap in the
market.

Storms: FOS Pun. Storms can refer to any life –

threatening adversity. It could also be a natural
calamity and also a human induced catastrophe.
Natural calamity: Saheb and his mother are refugees .
They probably left the green fields of Dhaka owing to
calamitous cyclones, floods or earthquakes.
Human induced Catastrophe: After Indo- Pakistan War
in 1971, civil strikes and riots ensued causing unrest in
Bangladesh. As a result of the conflict, a further eight to
ten million people fled the country to seek refuge in India.

There are many factors that cause migration of

people from villages to cities. Some villagers
voluntarily move to the cities in search for jobs and
better civic and health facilities, etc. Others are
forced to migrate when natural disasters like flood,
storm, drought, famine, etc. destroy their houses
and properties. History has records of large scale
migrations caused by wars. Saheb’s family was
uprooted from Dhaka owing to Indo Pakistani War.

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: It was a military

confrontation between India and Pakistan that occurred
during the liberation war in East Pakistan from 3 December
1971 to the fall of Dacca (Dhaka) on 16 December 1971.
The war began with preemptive aerial strikes on 11 Indian
air stations, which led to the commencement of hostilities
with Pakistan and Indian entry into the war of
independence in East Pakistan on the side of Bengali
nationalist forces. Lasting just 13 days, it is one of the
shortest wars in history.

Green fields refer to the idyllic stretches of

expansive vegetation of Dhaka which was Saheb’s
motherland before they migrated to India. Green fields of
Dhaka could not enchant Saheb and his mother as the
place could not fulfil the rudimentary necessities of their
lives and therefore they decided not to return to Dhaka.
They preferred a life of illegal immigrants in Seemapuri as
it enabled them to eke out a livelihood.

“ I have nothing else to do”: Saheb responds to Anees

Jung’s question innocently as he has accepted his destiny
and fate. He has internalized the fact that ragpicking is the
only option which would enable him to stay alive in this
foreign land.

There is no school in my neighbourhood: This line

highlights discrimination prevalent in the society. These
ragpickers are the victims of social alienation. They
continue to struggle for survival in dire conditions—
exposure to harmful substances, poor wages and
lack of basic civic amenities. The privileged strata on
the other hand condemns their existence; they are
practically neglected as they are unwanted by the
society. Therefore the concept of availing schooling
opportunities for them is a distant cry.

Why is Anees Jung embarrassed?

Anees Jung has kindled a ray of hope in Saheb’s heart
unknowingly. She chides herself for her mistake. The
flippant suggestion made by Anees Jung seems
incongruent to her all of a sudden and thus pricks her
conscience and invariably she feels embarrassed.

Promises like mine abound in every corner of his

bleak world: FOS Situational Irony. With heavy
sarcasm, Anees Jung propounds the hypocrisy of the
society. The privileged strata has no intention to keep the
promise or the fake assurances doled out the ragpickers .
On the flipside, children like Saheb are in no position to
question them or criticize them . The negligent, apathetic
and indifferent attitude of the empowered strata is
buttressed here. Saheb takes the promise made by Anees
Jung to be true. His innocence and guilelessness is
emphasised here.

Saheb-e-Alam: FOS Irony. His name literally translates

into Lord of the Universe. His parents christened him with
heightened anticipation that he would lead a better life.
His abysmal living condition is a stark contrast to his
name. His identity is his occupation and not his name. He
dwells in squalor , his life is stagnant and above all he
cannot break away from the shackles of ragpicking.

Why do ragpickers visit the big city early in the

morning?
They visit the big city early in the morning to avoid contact
with the urban people. Most people are not awake early in
the morning so it becomes easier for Saheb to go around
rummaging for waste. In a way, they evade questioning of
the privileged strata which looks down upon them as
wasters who are unwanted by society.

Comparison with morning birds: FOS Simile. The

ragpickers are free-spirited, they revel in their freedom.
They are free of any boundaries and boundations just like
the birds.

Why would the boy throw the chappals off?

The boy would probably throw the chappals off as he
aspires to wear shoes and not slippers. Shoes are probably
status-symbol for him; a luxury. He does not want to
compromise and that is why discards slippers.
It is not lack of money but a tradition to stay
barefoot: For children like Saheb, wearing a shoe is a
mere comfort or luxury which they cannot afford. Their
shrinking income does not give room for exorbitant
purchases and fulfilling their luxuries. Therefore, it is a
forced necessity and not a tradition to stay
barefoot. They can wear shoes only if someone
doles it out to them or if it is stolen.

The unsympathetic attitude and the callousness of

the privileged strata are underlined here. They are
in a denial mode, shirking their responsibilities to
ameliorate the condition of the ragpicking
community. They garb their ineffective
administrative machinery by stating that it is a
tradition of the ragpickers to stay barefoot when it
is ideally a forced necessity for them. It exemplifies
the hypocritical, opportunistic and ego centric
attitude of the privileged strata.

Udipi: Udupi, otherwise spelt Udipi and also known

as Odipu, is a city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is
the administrative headquarters of Udupi District. It is one
of the fastest growing cities in Karnataka and has various
educational institutions. Udupi is one of the top tourist
attractions in Karnataka. Udipi had mapped its
trajectory farther and farther over the years.

Drowned in an air of desolation: This metaphorical

expression signifies that village people migrated to
the cities for better prospects of life, better
educational and employment opportunities.

Red and white plastic chairs: This expression is

suggestive of the fact that people in Udipi had accepted
changes. Modernisation was penetrating into Udipi.

School bag: It signifies that educational

opportunities were being provided to rural folk. It
pronounces that the administrative machinery was
effective .

Let me never lose them: It defines the child’s desire for

prosperity and abundance. He pleaded for all
pervading prosperity and material affluence.

The account of Udipi highlights that condition

changed in the remote village of Udipi but not in a
place situated on the periphery of Delhi. This brings
to fore the ineffectual administrative machinery,
law enforcing bodies and political tyrants who
pursue their vested interests unabashedly.

Difference between Seemapuri and Delhi:

The genesis of the term Seemapuri glares at its

stagnation owing to its peripheral proximity to
Delhi.

Delhi, the capital of India is a cosmopolitan

resplendent with glitz and glamour, thriving with
employment , educational opportunities and
material affluence. It’s mapping its trajectory
farther and farther in terms of growth and
progress. There is an abundance of civic and health
amenities and better prospects of life.

In Seemapuri there is a struggle for organic needs,

basic sanitation, water supply and power supply as
the place is an unauthorised settlement
disconnected from the city’s basic services.
Education and employment are a distant cry for the
Seemapuri dwellers. Seemapuri is a land of
ragpickers, where equality, growth and progress
are denied ideally to all the dwellers.

Squatters: People who unlawfully occupy an uninhabited

land.

Wilderness: Literally translates into deserted land. Saheb

and his mother had landed in Seemapuri owing to a
political crisis or unrest. It was a wasteland then and
today it is a wasteland due to lack of opportunities
and amenities. Things have not undergone changes
in Seemapuri.

Ration Cards: This term highlights the irony of their

existence. The ragpickers are prominent vote banks
for the beleaguered politicians. Therefore, ration
cards have been issued to them by the benevolent
politicians. The politicians leave no stone unturned
to provide them grains so that they can register
that no one from their constituency died of
starvation on governmental records.

Food is more important than identity: For the rag

pickers, food is an organic need. Once the organic
need is fulfilled, they are least bothered about
identity, which categorically is a social need. As
long as they are getting food at a subsidised rate,
they are not troubled by the concepts of education,
employment and material progress. In case of
Saheb , his homeland was incapable of fulfilling his
organic need. Therefore, Seemapuri is a better
place as it addresses his rudimentary necessities-
food, clothing and shelter. Identity for that matter
is inconsequential to him.

Saheb does not exist in Governmental records. The

unfavourable social and legal systems, the
deceptive politicians, and his ill fate deprived him
of being an Indian national.

Through the years , it has acquired the proportions

of fine art: FOS Hyperbole. Saheb has mastered the
skill of ragpicking under the guidance of his parents. Here
Anees Jung points out the fact that one should
know where to find garbage,what to take, what to
ignore and what is best time for picking rags. The
heinously difficult task of sorting through the
mixed waste requires expertise. Over the years,
their skills have been sharpened and consolidated
and they have emerged as partners in survival.

Garbage to them is gold: FOS Hyperbole.

Undoubtedly, the epigrammatic statement loaded
with hyperbole essays the gospel of existence in
Seemapuri .This statement lays emphasis on the
abysmal and substandard living condition of the
economically disadvantaged people of Semmapuri.
Things found in the garbage hold no importance for
the affluent people . However, these things are
equivalent to gold for the ragpickers as it ensures
and consolidates their survival. Marginalistation of
the community and systemic corruption worsens
their prospects of living. They live in a land where
exploitation lurks from every corner. However, they
are able to buy grains to satiate their clamouring
stomachs by means of ragpicking. The ragpickers
continue to struggle for survival in dire conditions
and ragpicking aids them to cope with their dismal
living conditions.

But for a child it is even more: For a child, the garbage

dump is valuable for it kindles their curiosity and
excitement. They wish to know the reason behind the
occupation opted by their parents. Once their curiosity
is addressed, they plunge into ragpicking to
augment the family income as dictated by their
parents. Slowly and steadily , it develops into a
habit, further it becomes their occupation and
eventually is becomes a metaphor for their
existence.

Wrapped in wonder: For children, the prospect of

finding something valuable while rummaging through the
garbage dump is a fun filled activity which excites their
spirit.

The child has different perspective for ragpicking:

The children are partners in survival. They have created a
world of their own in which their source of
recreation is hunting for something interesting.
Their excitement knows no bounds when they find
something interesting , probably a silver coin which gives
them adequate boost to search for more.

The gatekeeper is probably one notch higher than the

socio –economic status of the boy.Therefore he is
sympathetic towards the boy and thus allows him to
go inside when no one is around. The tennis court is
indicative of the fact that Saheb is miles away in
social hierarchy.

Attitude of the affluent strata: Saheb moves

furtively, apologetically almost ashamed to push
himself into the notice of more fortunate brethren.
Saheb’s dreams and fulfilment of those dreams is
verily dependent on the mercy and sympathy of the
affluent strata. He can go inside the club only when
no one is around. The farce generosity of this strata
strangulates his hopes and aspirations .
Shoe with a hole, : Saheb can use a commodity when it
is labelled discarded by the affluent strata. It seems that
they are born to thrive on leftovers.

Tennis shoes: Tennis shoes are ideally exorbitant ,

far beyond Saheb’s reach. His existence is relegated to
a non-entity by the affluent strata who dole out a pair
of worn out shoes while exhibiting their charitable
disposition. Probably, it gratifies their outrageous ego
to ‘help’ a destitute. Saheb , on the flipside is oblivious
to the fact that the shoes are not in proper condition as
the long cherished dream of possessing a pair of shoe has
transformed into reality. The notion of social discrimination
is highlighted here.

Significance of Plastic Bag: Plastic bag is symbolic of

Saheb’s freedom and independence. Saheb is the master
of his own. The shackles of inhuman and sub standard
living does not deter his existence and he roams around in
the streets free spirited and with enthusiasm.

Significance of Steel canister: The steel canister

symbolises slavery and dependence . It exemplifies a
monotonous , dull and drab life of Saheb devoid of
excitement and enthusiasm. Saheb is no longer the master
of his own. He is under the control of the tea shop owner.

Transition in Saheb’s life: If we analyse Saheb’s life

critically, we find that Saheb has Saheb’s life has
undergone a metamorphosis. He has qualified from
being a ragpicker to a child labour. Despite his
apparent material affluence, better life, he has
virtually lost his freedom independence, simplicity
, innocence and guarded existence. Anees Jung
highlights these facts with heavy sarcasm and adds
that now he is under the control of the tea stall
owner. He has surrendered his free spirited
existence and embraced a subdued and suppressed
existence in exchange of material affluence and
prosperity.

How is spring lost for Saheb?

1. Picking rags
2. Lack of educational opportunity
3. Political and economic exploitation
4. Ineffective administrative machinery
5. Working in the tea stall
6. Under the dominance of the owner, he has lost the
spark of childhood.

Problems highlighted in the first case study:

1. Social discrimination
2. Politics fuelled by vested interest
3. Political and Economic exploitation
4. Marginalisation of the rag picker community
5. Systematic corruption

How to address these problems?

1. Ample opportunity of education should be provided.
2. Employment opportunities should be increased so that
rag picking is reduced.
3. Equality should be practised by the Government and
equal opportunities should be provided.
4. Workshops and seminars should be organised to
generate awareness about rights of the underprivileged.
5. Health and hygiene should be looked into.
6. the privileged strata should aid the changes desired.
7. The ragpickers should not be maltreated and ignored
because they are refugees.

MUKESH’S CASE STUDY

The backdrop of the second case study is Firozabad.

It is a city near Agra in the state of Uttar
Pradesh in India. It is the centre of
India's glassmaking industry and is known for the
quality of the bangles and also glasswares
produced there. It has been producing glass
bangles for more than 200 years and is the biggest
manufacturer of glass bangles in the world. Bangle-
making is a household flourishing business with
traditional technique being passed on through
generations.

The name of Firozabad was given in the regime of Akbar

by Firoz Shah Mansab Dar in 1566. They say that Raja
Todarmal was passing through this town , pilgrimage to
Gaya. He was looted by robbers. At his request , Akbar the
great send his Mansab Dar Firoz Shah here . He landed
near or about Datauji, Rasoolpur, Mohammadpur
Gajmalpur, Sukhmalpur Nizamabad, Prempur Raipura.
“I want to drive a car”: Mukesh’s utterance pronounces
a dream,a hope and an aspiration which would be lost in
the desert of pessimism if it is not aided by the
authorities. Mukesh envisages a world far removed from
the mundaneities of his banal existence immersed in
bangle making.

Why are children forced into bangle making?

1. Children have nimble fingers
2. They can acquire a skill quickly when taught.
3. By the time , they reach their teens they become
competent enough to make bangles and sustain their
families.

Mirage: FOS Metaphor. Dreams harboured by

Mukesh is compared to a mirage to lay emphasis on
their unrealistic nature. Mirage literally is an optical
illusion. Similarly, the dreams and aspirations can
never transform into something tangible in the
canvas of reality. An optical illusion is ideally a
reflection of one’s inner and subconscious desire.
Dreams and aspirations of Mukesh reflect his
subconscious desire to lead a better life festooned
with opportunities and amenities which they are
deprived of.

None of them know that it is illegal for children like

them to work in glass furnaces….: The second
paragraph highlights the paradoxes of Indian society.
There is a legislation that child labour is a criminal offence
but still parents put their children into bangle making
industry . Working in bangle making industry is an
accepted norm in the society of Firozabad. As years
have gone by, this profession has established itself
as a social norm. Therefore, the component of
‘illegal occupation’ is out of question for them.

The graphical description of Firozabad with hovels,

wobbly doors, stinking lanes and crumbling walls
suggest their subliminal living condition. Misery,
squalor , exploitation , grinding poverty and
resignation to fate looms large in Firozabad. It
bears a clear testimony to intergenerational
endurance , entrenched ignorance and veneer of
hypocritical disposition.

Brings her veil closer to her face: Firozabad is a

male dominated society. The dwellers dwell in primeval
condition where animals and humans coexist peacefully.
However, they follow non- primitive customs. Women
follow the diktats of male dominated society by
rendering unquestioning obedience. Their social
conditioning has played a pivotal role in nurturing
this concept.

Mukesh’s father is a failed man:

1. He left his job as a tailor and switched over to bangle
making.
2. He couldn’t renovate his house.
3. He couldn’t send his children to school.
It is his karam , his destiny: Grandparents have been
victims of child labour and manpower exploitation since
time immemorial. They are aware of the health hazards
interlaced with bangle making. Knowing it full well , they
do not forbid the younger generation from becoming a
part of this profession. They are the victims of
entrenched ignorance.They have accepted it owing
to social conditioning, stoical acceptance, broken
spirit, dormant initiative , superstitious mindset ,
lack of educational opportunities and systematic
corruption meted out by the political and
administrative hoodlums.

God given lineage: The grandmother believes that this

profession has been gifted to them by Lord
Almighty. Therefore it should be preserved ,
treasured and endured . It should be handed over
to posterity with utmost dedication.

Hazards of bangle making industry:

1. The furnaces with high temperatures (1500 – 1600

degree Celsius) increases the possibility of skin burn, skin
diseases and skin cancer.
2. Dark and dingy cells devoid of adequate illumination
and ventilation increase the chances of declining eyesight
and blindness.
3. Infection of lungs is another area of concern for the
bangle makers.
4. These conditions affect the overall health condition,
vitality and well being of the children.
Paradox of colourful bangles: The resplendent hues of
bangles signify prosperity, optimism and positivity thus
exemplifying a vibrant existence. Ironically, these
banglemakers are deprived of these virtues and are
embroiled pathetically in the quagmire of pessimism,
negativity and dismal subjugation.

Her hands move mechanically like tongs of

machines: Savita epitomises passive victimisation
and willing subjugation. Since her tender years , she
has indulged herself in the backbreaking toil of making
bangles. It is merely a way to eke out livelihood .
Therefore, she is emotionally detached while
performing the task. There is lack of passion and
pride for the task at hand. She is aware of the fact
that the art of banglemaking will amplify her
miseries, trials and tribulations and she has to
endure it throughout her life.

Symbolism of bangles: Bangles have always been

an inseparable part of Indian culture. They are the
insignia of gaiety, prosperity and are considered
harbingers of auspiciousness. Prismatic bangles are
intertwined with the ritualistic celebrations of
Indian ethos. On one plane, they depict the
emotions and aspirations of a woman in various
stages of life. Sarojini Naidu observes that they
are,” lustrous tokens of radiant lives.” However the
sad paradox of bangles is that they signify
despondence, despair, misery and gloom. The
brightness of the bangles they make deprive them
of the brightness of their eyes. Thus leaving them
with psychological scars for life.

The young men echo the lament of their elders: The

younger generation is pessimistic about their occupation.
Since their children, the idea of God-given lineage has
been implanted in their tender and highly impressionable
minds. They are forced to miss the pleasures of childhood
owing to physical and mental exhaustion. Moreover,
failures and disappointments of the elders have been
passed on to the young ones.

Years of mind numbing toil have killed all initiative

and ability to dream: Years of mechanical work has
benumbed their senses. They are left with no dreams and
aspirations and only barrenness of thoughts prevail.

Cooperative:A cooperative is an autonomous association

of persons united voluntarily to meet their common
economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations
through a jointly owned enterprise. (Wikipedia)

Taboos of Firozabad:

Social conditioning: social conditioning in Firozabad

signifies respect for male dominated society. The age old
traditions coerce women and expect them to adhere to the
norms formulated by the society. The veil symbolises
societal conditioning of the society expects which
women to respect her elders. It has been
emphasised by customs and traditions. Her
gestures should reveal her chastity.

Stoical acceptance: The acceptance of God given

lineage, blindness , misfortunes which quantify their
impoverished conditions owing to non implementation of
provision of law.

Barrenness of thoughts: Due to mind numbing toil,

exposure to furnaces for a prolonged period of time,
benumbs their senses . They are over wrought and too
fatigued to nourish their dreams and aspirations.
Moreover, lack of education is an insurmountable
adversity which jeopardises their existence.

Social conditioning, stoical acceptance, barrenness

of thoughts, broken spirit and dormant initiatives
inflict a banglemakers existence indirectly.

Middlemen: Middlemen men supply raw material to the

bangle makers and tender them a measly amount after the
manufacturing of bangles is over. They themselves sell it
off in the market at an exorbitant rate.

There is no leader among them: All the bangle makers

are embroiled in the same situation and there is no one to
lead them and empower them to see things differently.

Spiral: It is a long curved line that moves round and

round away from the central point.
Exposition of Spiral and paradoxical dynamics
prevalent in Firozabad:

Poverty: Poverty is the curse of a society where

there is very little economic justice. The bangle
makers of Firozabad die of malnourishment,
starvation , disease or self slaughter. The drab
ugliness of poverty becomes too palpable to be
passed on from one generation to another resulting
in the pitiable condition . The bangle makers of
Seemapuri fend for gratifying the rudimentary
necessities of life, but in vain.

Apathy: While the banglemakers struggle for

existence, the rich adopt a cold –shouldered
attitude towards the poor. They despise the poor
and their unspoken contempt shatters the less
fortunate brethren terribly. That is why the poor
banglemakers move about furtively in their society,
apologetically almost ashamed to push themselves
into the notice of their more fortunate brethren.
They don’t respect or regard the privileged strata
for their condescending attitude.

Greed: The privileged strata caters to their vested

self interest and ego centric desires . They exploit
the bangle makers politically and economically to
satisfy their outrageous ego and to quantify their
dazzling splendour . They crush the very being of
the bangle makers.
Justice: Weak and non implementation of the
provision of law endangers the existence of the
bangle makers. The strange nexus of middlemen,
politicians and bureaucrats mete out social,
economic and political discrimination to the bangle
makers. They cannot verbalise their tribulations
because they will be thwarted mercilessly by the
administrative machinery.

Web of Poverty: FOS Metaphor. The web of poverty is

an offshoot of social conditioning, stoical acceptance,
barrenness of thoughts, ineffective administrative
machinery, economic and political exploitation , stigma of
caste.

Vicious Circle: Vicious circle is a situation in which one

problem leads to a chain of problems. It refers to the
endless cycle of misery, despair, dejection , trials and
tribulations of the bangle makers.

Sahukars: Sahukars are money lenders across

India’s rural landscape. The banglemakers are a
hostage , in one way or another to a profitable
mega business of illegal moneylending. It is an
inescapable trap for the banglemakers to an extent
that banks have become secondary, or even
redundant for them. Their distress has attracted
new breed of money lenders who charge hefty
penalties or extra premium for delay . The Sahukars
have thus become an inextricable part of rural
economy.
Middlemen: Middlemen have been bullying the
bangle makers for centuries now. They are hell bent
on their commission and garnering a huge chunk of
profit by deceiving the bangle makers. They exploit
them adding to their sufferings and pain.

Policemen: They are responsible for enforcement of

the provision of law. They tend to bend rules and
law when it comes to protecting the rights of the
banglemakers. They torture the banglemakers
when they try to protest against the injustice
meted out to them.

Keepers of law: They are the decisive authorities

about the implementation of law. However, their
decisions too are coloured by bias, prejudice their
vested interests and ulterior motives.

Bureaucrats: They are the intellectual capital of a

nation. They are administrative officials who work
for government by implementing governmental
policies in a state. They are responsible for public
welfare, enhancement of quality of life and
stimulation of economic growth. Unfortunately,
they only cater to self sustenance largely.

Politicians: In the votebank politics of India,

politicians play a key role in employing positional
power for illegitimate private gain. They become
corrupt dictators by abandoning their political
integrity and reap benefits unabashedly from their
constituency.

The Sahukars, middlemen, policemen , keepers of

law , bureaucrats and politicians inflict atrocities on
banglemakers directly.

Baggage: Baggage signifies an encumbrance

heaped on by society on the child who dare not
digress from the ideas ingrained in his psyche by
the elders . It is his ethical obligation to endure and
carry forward the lineage as a child labour.

Daring is not a part of his growing up: In Mukesh’s

society, questioning the social norms and evils is
not allowed as he would be suppressed mercilessly.

Embarrassment: it is an emotion equal to mental

discomfort or shame.
Regret: It is a feeling of sorrow for a loss or
disappointment.

Mukesh’s embarrassment would turn to regret one

day because he would never gain the opportunity
to avail educational opportunities and civic
amenities – the stepping stones to better prospects
of life.

Airplane: Airplanes symbolise unattainable and

intangible dreams, out of reach or distant dream for
Mukesh.
Few planes fly over Firozabad:FOS Alliteration and
Metaphor. Anees Jung finds a spark of motivation in
Mukesh who is quite determined about realising his
dreams of becoming a motor mechanic through
possible efforts. Mukesh does not dream of flying
an airplane as he is satisfied with a more tangible
and attainable dream related to fast moving cars.
Flying an airplane is a far- fetched dream . People
of Firozabad are not exposed to such grand dreams.

How is spring lost for Mukesh?

1. Stigma of caste
2. Economic and political exploitation
3. Lack of educational opportunities
4. Strange nexus of politicians, bureaucrats, policemen and
middlemen
5. Lack of exposure and awareness

Similarities between Seemapuri and Firozabad:

1. Abject poverty
2. Child Labour is an accepted norm
3. Lack of educational opportunity
4. Unhygienic and dismal living condition
5. Life is stagnant in both places
6. Systematic corruption meted out to the people
7. Lack of awareness and exposure
8. Social conditioning
9. Stoical acceptance
10. Barrenness of thought
11. Broken spirit
12. Dormant Initiative
Child labour can be eliminated by certain pro-active
policies:

1. Enhancing and modifying the education system

2. Improving accessibility to schools
3. Providing a flexible curriculum for the first generation
learners
4. Evening classes in consonance with local and seasonal
conditions.
5. Stringent implementation of the provision of law.
6. Purgation of the political system.
7. Evoking the collective consciousness of people to bring
about the desired change in the society.
8. Educating the parents to shed off their age old
observations and superstitions.
9. Empowering the youth to become the harbingers of
change
10. Reviewing laws regarding child labour.
11. A collaborative approach is the key to elimination.

Paradoxes of Indian Society:

1. Economic disparity in conspicuous in Seemapuri and

Firozabad.
2. The grinding poverty, abysmal living condition,
unemployment , inadequate sanitation facilities point out
to the fact that prosperity is a distant cry in these places.
3. The child labours of Seemapuri and Firozabad are
deprived of free and compulsory education for children
below 14 years. The paradox is that these children cannot
afford to enrol in schools.
4. Child labour is an accepted norm in these places.
5.Exploitation- political and economical lurks from every
corner in their bleak world
6. The illegal immigrants from Bangladesh flourish in an
alien land without an identity, permits but with ration
cards which are instrumental in getting them food.
7. They languish in ignominious darkness without an
identity, in subliminal condition and have resigned to fate
and systematic corruption.
8. The bangle makers are pawns in the grand games
played by Sahukars, middlemen, policemen and politicians.
9. Mukesh’s family is weighed down by the debts having
fallen into a vicious circle of exploitative money lenders.
10. Political and economic exploitation, absence of
competent leadership have deprived them of their ability
to dream.
11. Non implementation of the provision of law due to
weak enforcement has also contributed to the rising
problem of child labour.
12. Families in Firozabad do not know that there is a
legislation against child labour and it is illegal to work in
close proximity to furnaces.

Difference between Saheb and Mukesh:

Saheb is blessed with natural optimism of children. The

idea of striking gold while scrounging the garbage is more
exciting than the prospect of going to school.Saheb is less
expressive, calm and lacks determination. However, Saheb
is forced to sacrifice his independence and freedom to
obtain an economic identity to augment his family income .
His economic identity has robbed him off his independence
and he has lost his childhood. His optimism is stifled when
he is forced to take up a job at a stall.

Mukesh is optimistic and wants to break away from the

generations old family tradition. He is determined and
exhibits a spark of courage , hope and dares to dream
even though it means walking miles to get to the garage
. His spirit is not broken and therefore there is still hope
for him. His family, on the flipside can’t think of deviating
from the trodden path but Mukesh is prepared to invest
tangible efforts to realise his dreams negotiating his way
through inconveniences. He does not want to relinquish his
dream and surges ahead with a pragmatic approach.

Rhetoric Devices:

1. Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is

directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality. Irony
2. Drowned in an air of desolation. Metaphor
3. Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles
away from it, metaphorically. Irony
4. For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders
it is a means of survival. Contrast
5. As her hands move 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. Irony/Contrast
7. Few airplanes fly over Firozabad. Irony/Alliteration
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 proportions of a fine art.
Hyperbole
11. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag
he would carry so lightly over his shoulders.
Irony/Metaphor

SATQs:
1. Saheb is a child of destiny. Comment.
2. The flippant suggestion made by Anees Jung seems
incongruent to her and thus pricks her conscience.
Expatiate.
3. The genesis of the term Seemapuri glares at its
stagnation owing to its peripheral proximity to Delhi.
Consolidate.
4. The epigrammatic statement loaded with hyperbole
essays the gospel of existence in Seemapuri. Explain .
5. Which entrenched practice nuances the fabricated
circumstances of Seemapuri ?
6. Udipi had mapped its trajectory farther and farther. How
does Anees Jung advance this point?
7. Why does Saheb move furtively, apologetically almost
ashamed to push himself into the notice of more fortunate
brethren?
8. The tennis court lays emphasis on the fact that saheb is
miles away in social hierarchy. Validate.
9. Saheb does not exist in Governmental records. Why?
10. To be born in the caste of bangle makers has become
both a destiny and a curse. Expatiate.
11. Entrenched ignorance is a malady for the bangle
makers. Consolidate.
12. There is a huge chasm between the two worlds of
Firozabad. Validate.
13. Ironically, despite the intergenerational endurance and
toil, people have not enjoyed a full meal in Firozabad.
Expatiate.

LATQs:
1. Every morrow, Firozabad wakes up into haze,
intergenerational endurance, fraught propositions and
child servitude. Validate.
2. The granular specifications of bangle making
underlines the paradoxical dynamics of the city hailed as
the ' Land of Bangles'. Substantiate.
3. Women of Firozabad have been self - effacing and sub -
servient. Explicate.
4. Anees Jung's evaluative language interrogates the set
administrative algorithms of Seemapuri and Firozabad.
Comment.
5. Reorienting the growth trajectory of Seemapuri and
Firozabad and tearing down the veneer of hypocritical
disposition is a momentous view propounded by the text.
Advance your opinion.