Saheb
- Saheb is a ragpicker whom the author meets every morning in her neighbourhood.
- He is a young boy who scrounges for valuables in garbage dumps.
- Saheb migrated from Dhaka, Bangladesh due to natural disasters like storms.
- His home amidst green fields was destroyed; his family came to the city in search of a better life.
- When asked why he doesn’t go to school, Saheb replies there is none in his area.
- The narrator jokingly offers to start a school, and Saheb naively agrees, showing his hope.
- A few days later, he innocently asks if her school is ready — a moment of quiet heartbreak.
- Saheb’s full name is Saheb-e-Alam, meaning “Lord of the Universe”, which contrasts with his poverty.
- He is unaware of the meaning of his name and lives a life of deprivation.
- Saheb and his friends walk barefoot, likened to morning birds — free but poor.
- Many children are barefoot not due to lack of money but perhaps due to habit or poverty.
- The narrator recalls a story of a boy from Udipi who prayed for a pair of shoes.
- That boy eventually got shoes, showing how dreams of the poor are small but significant.
- Saheb lives in Seemapuri, on Delhi’s periphery, settled by Bangladeshi refugees in 1971.
- Seemapuri houses around 10,000 ragpickers in poor conditions without proper sanitation.
- These squatters lack legal identity but possess ration cards for food.
- For them, food is more essential than identity or dignity.
- Children in Seemapuri become partners in survival — especially in rag-picking.
- For adults, garbage is survival; for children, it’s hope and discovery.
- Saheb once finds a rupee or even ten-rupee notes — a big deal to him.
- Rag-picking is compared to an art form perfected over years by these children.
- Saheb watches boys play tennis behind a fence — he admires the game but can’t access it.
- He gets to play on the club’s swing occasionally when the gatekeeper allows.
- Saheb wears discarded tennis shoes — probably with a hole — still a dream come true.
- Shoes symbolize dignity and aspirations for these poor children.
- Later, Saheb finds work at a tea stall and earns ₹800/month plus meals.
- Though better paid, Saheb loses his carefree spirit — now burdened by responsibility.
- His steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag — symbolizing lost freedom.
- The job makes him lose his freedom and independence — he’s no longer his own master.
- Saheb’s story reflects the tragic loss of childhood and dreams under the weight of poverty.
Mukesh
- Mukesh is a bangle maker from Firozabad, a town famous for its glass-blowing industry.
- He dreams of becoming a motor mechanic — an unusual ambition in his community.
- He is determined to learn to drive and repair cars — insists on being his own master.
- Unlike Saheb, Mukesh displays a strong sense of self-will and purpose.
- He lives in dire poverty among families who have made bangles for generations.
- Child labour is rampant — over 20,000 children work in the dangerous glass industry.
- Working conditions are illegal and hazardous, with dark, airless rooms and high temperatures.
- Many children lose their eyesight from prolonged exposure to furnace heat and glass dust.
- Mukesh invites the narrator to his home, proudly stating it’s being rebuilt.
- His home is a half-constructed hovel in a garbage-choked lane — symbolic of slow progress.
- His sister-in-law is young but commands authority as the house’s bahu.
- She cooks over a firewood stove, and respects tradition by veiling before elders.
- Mukesh’s father is a former tailor turned bangle maker, struggling to support the family.
- Generational poverty persists — none of Mukesh’s family ever went to school.
- His grandmother accepts their fate as a “god-given lineage”, a belief in caste-destiny.
- The town is surrounded by spirals of colourful bangles, a symbol of livelihood and tradition.
- Entire families, including children, sit by oil lamps welding bangles late into the night.
- Children grow up with eyes more accustomed to darkness than light — a metaphor for lost vision.
- Savita, a young girl, makes bangles but is unaware of their cultural significance.
- The bangles she makes will one day be worn by her as a bride — irony and tragedy.
- Older women still wear bangles but have no light in their eyes — lost hope and joy.
- A woman laments never having had a full meal in her lifetime — stark poverty.
- Her husband, despite a lifetime of labour, only built a home — considered an achievement.
- Youth in Firozabad echo hopelessness; their energy is drained by exploitation.
- Middlemen, policemen, sahukars (moneylenders), and politicians form a vicious exploitative system.
- These powers trap bangle makers in debt and fear of jail if they resist.
- There’s no leadership or unity among the youth to demand change.
- Two opposing worlds are visible — one of helpless poverty, another of systemic exploitation.
- Mukesh dares to dream differently — to escape bangle-making and learn a new skill.
- Though his dream is modest (cars, not airplanes), it reflects hope and courage in a hopeless place.
Vocabulary
- Scrounging: Searching for something useful in a desperate or messy way (like in garbage)
- Garbage dumps: Places where waste is collected and thrown away
- Storms: Violent weather events with strong winds and rain
- Glibly: Saying something too easily, without serious thought
- Embarrassed: Feeling awkward or ashamed about something said or done
- Bleak: Hopeless, sad, or without comfort
- Announces: Says something loudly or confidently
- Unaware: Not knowing or realizing something
- Roams: Moves around freely with no fixed path
- Chappals: Open sandals or slippers
- Shuffles: Moves feet slowly or awkwardly
- Tradition: Long-standing custom or habit
- Perpetual: Never-ending; continuing forever
- Desolation: Emptiness, sadness, or loneliness
- Transit: Temporary or passing (homes or shelters)
- Structures: Buildings or shelters
- Tarpaulin: Waterproof material used for roofs or covers
- Ration cards: Government-issued cards to get food at low prices
- Survival: Continuing to live, especially in difficult conditions
- Proportions: Size or extent of something
- Daily bread: Basic food needed for living
- Content: Satisfied or pleased
- Discoloured: Faded or dirty-looking
- Discarded: Thrown away or not wanted anymore
- Canister: A container, often made of metal
- Master: Someone who controls or owns something
- Insists: Demands strongly and clearly
- Mirage: A dream that looks real but may not be possible
- Engaged: Involved in doing something
- Furnaces: Large containers where materials are heated to very high temperatures
- Dingy: Dark and dirty-looking
- Volunteers: Offers to do something willingly
- Hovels: Poor, dirty, small houses
- Thatched: Roofed with straw or dry grass
- Bahu: Daughter-in-law (Hindi term)
- Veil: A cloth covering the face or head
- Impoverished: Very poor
- Renovate: To repair or improve a building
- Destiny: A fixed future or fate believed to be decided by a higher power
- Lineage: Family line or ancestry
- Spirals: Circles going round and round
- Hutments: Small, simple houses
- Welding: Joining two things using heat
- Sanctity: Special, sacred value
- Suhaag: Marital status of a woman in Indian culture
- Drab: Dull and without color
- Soldering: Joining metal parts using melted metal
- Initiative: The ability to act and do new things
- Vicious circle: A bad situation that keeps repeating itself and is hard to escape
- Apathy: Lack of interest or care.
Questions
- Who is Saheb and what is ironic about his full name?
Saheb is a young ragpicker who lives in Seemapuri, a slum on the outskirts of Delhi. His full name is “Saheb-e-Alam”, which means “Lord of the Universe”. The irony lies in the contrast between the grandeur of his name and the poverty-stricken life he leads. He scours garbage dumps for survival, barefoot and in tattered clothes. The name suggests power and wealth, but in reality, he has no control over his life. This irony powerfully highlights the deep-rooted social and economic inequalities. - What does the story of the boy from Udipi tell us about childhood dreams?
The story of the boy from Udipi, who prayed daily at a temple for a pair of shoes, symbolizes the innocent and basic dreams of underprivileged children. His dream, though small, reflects the deep yearning many poor children have for things others take for granted. Years later, when the narrator sees a well-dressed schoolboy at the same temple, it becomes clear that some dreams are fulfilled, but countless others remain unfulfilled. The story underlines the contrast between hope and harsh reality in a poor child’s life. - Describe the living conditions in Seemapuri.
Seemapuri is a slum on the edge of Delhi, inhabited by squatters who migrated from Bangladesh in 1971. People live in mud structures with tin or tarpaulin roofs, without proper sewage, drainage, or clean water. Despite lacking legal identity or ownership, the residents have ration cards that allow them to vote and buy food. For them, food is more essential than identity. Their children grow up rag-picking to survive. The entire community lives in extreme poverty, where daily survival is the only goal. - How is garbage a means of survival for ragpickers and a source of wonder for children?
For the ragpickers of Seemapuri, garbage is not waste but wealth. It provides their daily bread, a leaking roof over their heads, and hope for survival. Adults see it as a means to feed their families, but children like Saheb view it differently. For them, garbage is a place of adventure and discovery—a place where they might find a coin or a toy. This contrast highlights the tragic normalization of poverty and how children adapt by finding joy even in garbage. - Why does the author say that Saheb is no longer his own master?
The author observes this when Saheb starts working at a tea stall. Earlier, as a ragpicker, he may have been poor, but he was free and independent. The plastic bag he carried was his own. Now, carrying a steel canister belonging to his employer, he looks burdened. Though he earns ₹800 a month and gets meals, his carefree look is gone. He is now under someone else’s control, bound by duty. This change reflects how employment, even if it provides income, can also rob one of freedom and dignity. - What does Mukesh’s dream signify in the context of his background?
Mukesh’s dream of becoming a motor mechanic stands in stark contrast to the reality of his life in Firozabad, where generations of families are trapped in the bangle-making industry. He belongs to a caste of bangle makers and is expected to follow the same path. But Mukesh dares to break the cycle and wants to chart his own future. His dream signifies hope, resistance, and aspiration, even in a society burdened by poverty, caste, and tradition. It reflects the spark of change in a stagnant world. - Explain how tradition and poverty combine to keep children like Mukesh trapped.
In Firozabad, families have been making bangles for generations. Children are introduced to this work early, often at the cost of education. Mukesh’s grandmother believes it is their destiny (karam) to be bangle makers, reinforcing caste-based expectations. Combined with extreme poverty, families prioritize survival over schooling. They fear challenging the system due to exploitation by middlemen and lack of support. Thus, tradition justifies suffering, and poverty makes it inescapable, forming a vicious circle where dreams are killed early. - Describe the working conditions in the bangle industry of Firozabad.
The bangle-making industry of Firozabad operates under inhumane and illegal conditions. Children and adults work in dingy, dark rooms with furnaces burning at high temperatures. The environment lacks ventilation and proper lighting, leading to eye damage and respiratory issues. Many children lose their eyesight before adulthood. Despite laws against child labour, enforcement is weak. The workers’ life is marked by endless toil, physical suffering, and little reward. These hazardous conditions strip people of their health, dignity, and future. - What role does caste play in the lives of bangle makers?
Caste acts as a social prison in the lives of bangle makers in Firozabad. Mukesh and his family belong to a community that has been making bangles for generations. This caste-based occupation limits their options and expectations. The belief that their suffering is destined or god-given reinforces their helplessness. Even the elderly accept it without protest. Caste prevents them from dreaming bigger or stepping outside the traditional role. It is used as a justification for poverty, exploitation, and inequality. - What does the story of Savita and the old woman tell us about the status of women?
Savita, a young girl, and the old woman soldering bangles together represent two stages of a woman’s life in this community. Savita, unaware of the bangles’ significance in marriage, works mechanically. The old woman, now blind, still wears bangles but has never had a full meal in her life. This reveals that women in such communities face lifelong hardship and sacrifice. They work from childhood to old age without recognition or rest. The bangles, a symbol of marriage and happiness, ironically symbolize suffering and lost dreams. - How does the author portray the contrast between dreams and reality in the lesson?
The author skillfully shows how dreams are born in hopeless places, yet reality often crushes them. Saheb dreams of going to school, wearing tennis shoes, and perhaps living a better life. Mukesh dreams of becoming a mechanic. But both face harsh realities—poverty, tradition, and lack of opportunity. Saheb ends up working at a tea stall, and Mukesh’s dream remains a distant hope. The lesson shows that for poor children, dreams are often mirages—visible but unreachable due to social and economic barriers. - Why is the garbage described as “gold” in Seemapuri?
For the residents of Seemapuri, garbage is described as “gold” because it is their only source of income and survival. It helps them buy food, build shelters, and support their families. Though others see it as filth, for them, it is life. Children often find coins or useful items, making garbage a place of hope and discovery. It also symbolizes how the poor are forced to find value in society’s waste, highlighting the stark economic disparity and lack of proper livelihood. - Discuss the symbolic significance of shoes in Saheb’s story.
Shoes in Saheb’s story symbolize dignity, comfort, and dreams. Most ragpicker children go barefoot, which becomes a visible sign of poverty. When Saheb gets a pair of discarded tennis shoes, he cherishes them even though they have a hole. For him, they represent a dream fulfilled, a step toward normalcy. The author uses shoes to contrast different lives — one where shoes are discarded, and one where even old shoes are a luxury. The symbolism emphasizes inequality and unmet childhood needs. - What is the central theme of “Lost Spring”?
The central theme of Lost Spring is the loss of childhood due to poverty and exploitation. Through the stories of Saheb and Mukesh, the author shows how children are denied basic rights like education, play, and safety. They are forced into labour due to economic conditions, caste systems, and societal neglect. The title reflects how the “spring” of their life — childhood — is “lost” in the struggle for survival. The chapter is a critique of social injustice and a call for empathy and reform. - Why do families in Firozabad continue to make bangles despite poor conditions?
Families in Firozabad continue making bangles due to a combination of poverty, tradition, and fear. They belong to a caste that has always made bangles, and they believe it is their karma (destiny). There is no other skill or opportunity available to them. They are also caught in a vicious cycle of middlemen and exploitation, with no leadership or awareness to break free. The risk of punishment from authorities keeps them from organizing. Thus, they remain trapped in an endless loop of helplessness. - How does the author use storytelling to bring out the message in the lesson?
Anees Jung uses a narrative style, focusing on real-life stories of children like Saheb and Mukesh to highlight broader issues. This personal approach makes the reader emotionally involved and helps in understanding the impact of poverty at an individual level. She includes conversations, anecdotes, and observations, which bring authenticity and depth. Instead of preaching, she shows the problem through storytelling, which is more effective in stirring empathy and awareness about child labour, social inequality, and lost innocence. - What does the author mean by saying “two distinct worlds”?
The author refers to the contrast between two worlds — the world of familial poverty and tradition, and the world of systemic exploitation and authority. The first includes the family’s helpless acceptance of their fate, shaped by caste and poverty. The second is the system of middlemen, police, and politicians who exploit them. Together, these worlds make it nearly impossible for children like Mukesh to dream of change. The phrase shows how deeply embedded the forces are that deny children their future. - Why does the author admire Mukesh’s determination?
Mukesh stands out because he dares to dream differently. Unlike other children resigned to bangle-making, he wants to become a motor mechanic. He expresses his ambition clearly and shows readiness to walk the long distance to a garage. Though his dream may seem small, in his world, it is a powerful act of defiance and hope. The author admires this rare spark in a place where most are crushed by years of poverty and oppression. His dream offers a glimmer of future change. - How are childhood and freedom connected in the story?
Childhood is ideally a time of freedom, play, and learning, but in Lost Spring, children are denied this. Saheb once had the freedom to roam the streets with a plastic bag on his shoulder. Even though poor, he was his own master. Once he starts working at the tea stall, he is no longer free. Mukesh, too, must fight to keep his dream alive in a suffocating environment. The story shows that poverty steals both freedom and childhood, replacing them with responsibility too early. - What message does “Lost Spring” give to society?
Lost Spring delivers a powerful message about the urgent need to protect childhood and end exploitation. It exposes how poverty, tradition, and systemic neglect rob children of education, dreams, and health. By sharing stories of real children, it urges society to recognize their struggles and act to bring change. It highlights the failure of institutions to uphold laws, like banning child labour, and reminds us that every child deserves a chance to learn, play, and dream freely.
Author
Anees Jung (1944) was born in Rourkela and spent her childhood and adolescence in Hyderabad. She received her education in Hyderabad and in the United States of America. Her parents were both writers. Anees Jung began her career as a writer in India. She has been an editor and columnist for major newspapers in India and abroad, and has authored several books. The following is an excerpt from her book titled Lost Spring, Stories of Stolen Childhood. Here she analyses the grinding poverty and traditions which condemn these children to a life of exploitation.
