2. LOST SPRING: STORIES OF STOLEN CHILDHOOD

LOST SPRING: STORIES OF STOLEN CHILDHOOD

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anees Jung (1964) was born in Rourkela, Odisha, India and spent her childhood and adolescence in Hyderabad. She received her education in Hyderabad and in United States of America. Her parents were both writers. Aneej jung began he 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. 
अनीस जंग 1964 का जन्म राउरकेला उड़ीशा भारत में हुआ था। और उनका बचपन और किशोरावस्था हैदराबाद में बीते। उनकी शिक्षा हैदराबाद और अमेरिका में हुई। उनके माता पिता दोनों ही लेखक लेखक थे। अनीस जंग ने भारत में लेखिका के रूप में अपनी आजीविका का प्रारम्भ किया। वे भारत और विदेशों प्रख्यात समाचार पत्रों की संपादक और स्तम्भ लेखिका रह चुकी है। उन्होंने बहुत सी पुस्तिका लिखी। यहाँ दिया गया अवतरण उनकी पुस्तक LOST SPRING: STORIES OF STOLEN CHILDHOOD से लिया गया है। यहाँ से वह भयंकर गरीबी और परम्पराओं का विश्लेषण करती है। जिन्होंने इन बच्चों को शोषण का जीवन बिताने के लिए मजबूर किया।

Anees Jung

SUMMARY OF THE LESSON

Introduction:

In story, the writer describe the pitiable condition of poor children  who have to live in slums and work hard in very dirty condition. They are never sent to school because their parents are too poor to pay for their education. There are two motivational stories of two poor children.

1. One is Saheb. He works as a rag-picker with his family and all the people of his slum area do the same.
2. Second is Mukesh, a bangle maker in Firozabad. He wants to be a motor mechanic.

परिचय : इस कहानी में अनीस जंग गरीब बच्चों की दयनीय स्तिथि के बारे में वर्णन करती है जो मलिन बस्तियों में रहते है और गन्दगी में उनको जीवन यापन के लिए कार्य करना पड़ता है।उनको कभी स्कूल नहीं भेजा गया क्यूंकि उनके मन बाप के पास उनकी फीस के लिए पैसे नहीं है।  इस पाठ में दो गरीब बच्चों की प्रेरणात्मक कहानियां है।  

1. पहली कहानी साहेब की है जो कूड़ा बीनने का काम करता है और उसके परिवार और बस्ती के सभी कबाड़ का काम करते है। 
2.  दूसरी कहानी मुकेश की है जो मुरादाबाद की तंग गलियों में रहकर चूड़ी बनाने का काम करते है।  परन्तु मुकेश मोटर मैकेनिक बनना चाहता है। 

Migrated from Bangladesh:
Some Bangladeshis migrated to India in 1971 when there were many storms that swept away their green fields and homes in Dhaka. they squatted in Seemapuri which was then a wilderness. They made their houses of mud with roofs of tine and tarpaulin.There lived 10000 rag pickers. They have got ration cards that got their names on voter’s lists and enabled them to buy grain.

SAHIB

Saheb a rag-picker:
The family of sahib was one of them. He and other boys of his age do the rag-picking. They roam barefoot in the streets picking rags. The family of sahib was one of them. He and other boys of his age do the rag-picking. They roam barefoot in the streets picking rags. They scrounge garbage. Sahib says “ I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten rupee note.” For the children is wrapped in wonder, for the elders, it is a mean of survival. These rag-pickers are not willing to go to school. They scrounge garbage for survival.

Now Saheb is not his own Master:
One day the author sees Saheb going to a milk booth. He has a steel canister to bring milk. Now he works in a tea stall down the road. He is paid 800 rupees and all his meals but he is not happy there. He is no longer his own master!

हिंदी सारांश
बांग्लादेश से दिल्ली सीमापुरी में माइग्रेट:
बांग्लादेश की राजधानी ढाका में जब तूफान आता था तो वहां के निवासियों के घर उजड़ जाते थे और हरी भरी खेती सब नष्ट हो जाती थी। तो फिर वहां की निवासियों का वहां जीवन यापन करना मुश्किल हो गया था और वे बांग्लादेश से माइग्रेट होकर भारत में दिल्ली दे दूर सटे सीमापुरी क्षेत्र में आकर बस गए। उस समय सीमापुरी इलाका जंगल था। इन्होंने मिटटी से लिपाई पुताई करके, टिन और तिरपाल से कच्चे मकान बनाये और रहने लग गए। इनका मुख्य व्यवसाय कूड़ा बीनना है। लगभग 10000 लोग कूड़ा बीनने वाले वाले रहते है। इनके राशन कार्ड बनवाये गए है ताकि इनको राशन मिले और इसी के जरिये वोट दे सकें।
साहेब -ए  - आलम :
इन्ही के बीच साहेब का परिवार भी रहता था।  साहेब का पूरा नाम साहेब इ आलम था किसका मतलब ब्रह्माण्ड का स्वामी होता है। परन्त साहेब को अपने नाम का मतलब मालूम नहीं होता है। साहेब और उसकी उम्र के अन्य बच्चे कूड़ा बीनने का कम करते थे। वे खाली पैर कूड़े की ढूंढ में इधर उधर गलियों में भटकते थे। वे कूड़े के ढेर में कूड़ा बीनते है।
साहेब कहता है कि मुझे कूड़े के ढेर में एक रूपयमिल्ट है और कभी कभी मुझे 10 रुपये मिल जाते है। बच्चों के लिये तो कूड़े का ढेर किसी गिफ्ट से कम नहीं है जो कि रैपर से लिपटा हुआ है परन्त माता पिता के लिए यह रोजी रोटी है। ये कूड़े कबाड़ वाले बच्चे स्कूल नहीं जाते बस परिवार का पेट पालने के लिए कूड़ा छानते है।
साहेब अब अपना मालिक नहीं रहा:
एक दिन लेखिका देखती है कि साहेब डेरी की तरफ जा रहा है उसके हाथ में दूध का डिब्बा है अब वह चाय की दुकान में काम करता है। उसको खाने के साथ 800 रुपये पगार मिलती है परंतु साहेब खुश नहीं है क्योंकि वह अब परतंत्र है स्वतंत्र नहीं। उसको दूध का डिब्बा अपने कूड़े की बोरी से भारी लगता है. क्यूंकि पहले वह अपने काम में अपना मालिक था और अब दूसरे की नौकरी कर रहा है। 

"I want to drive a car"

MUKESH

Introduction:

Mukesh insists on being his own master. He says, “ I will be motor mechanic.” He is the son of a poor bangle maker of Firozabad. Glass bangle making in Firozabad is a cottage industry. These bangle makers live in a slum. There are stinking lanes choked with garbage. They live in hovels with crumbling walls, wobbly doors and no window.

Bangle Maker become blind before adult:
In dark barracks, next to lines of oil lamps, sick boys and girls with their fathers and mothers. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circle of bangles. they often end up losing their eye-site before they come adults.
20000 children works in this industry. the low of child labour cannot be enforced their with the convince of the the middlemen the policeman, the keepers of low, the bureaucrats and the politicians.

Afraid being organised: 
The author asks a group of young man, Why the do not organise themselves into a cooperative. They says," Even if we get organised we are the once who will be hauled up by the police, beaten and dragged to jail for doing something illegal." 
There is no leader among them. No one could help the see things differently. they talk endlessly in a spiral that moves from poverty to empathy to greed and to injustice.

Dedication of Mukesh:
When the author senses a flesh of daring in Mukesh she is Cheered. He repeats," I want to be a motor mechanic." He has a sense of initiative an determination. He will go to a garage.; The garage is a long way from his home, but he insist "I will walk."
His attitude is different to his situation from that of his family.

हिंदी सारांश
मुकेश का सपना :

"मै  कार चलाना चाहता हूँ "

मुकेश अपना मालिक स्वयं बनना चाहता है। वह मोटर मकैनिक बनना चाहता है। मुकेश फीरोजाबाद में एक चूड़ी बनाने वाले  का बेटा है। कांच की चूड़ी बनाना फीरोजाबाद में मुख्य ब्यवसाय है और घर घर में चूड़ियाँ बनती है यह उनका परम्परागत कुटीर उद्योग है। चूड़ी बनाने वाले तंग बस्तियों में रहते है जहाँ कूड़े का ढेर रहते है संकरी गलियां, कच्चे मकान और इन पर टूटे फूटे दरवाजे और बिना खिड़की के घर है।
घरों में बच्चे शाम को अपने माँ बाप के साथ डिम लैम्पों की रौशनी में चूड़ी बनाने का काम करते है जिससे उनकी आँखों की रौशनी 30 से 40 वर्ष की उम्र में कम हो जाती है और आगे का जीवन अँधा हो जाता है। चूड़ियों की फॅक्टरियों में भी बच्चे कम रौशनी में काम करते है लेखिका कहती है अगर कानून का सख्ती से पालन किया जाये तो लगभग 20000 बाल मजदूर फैक्टरियों से बाहर आ जायेंगे। यहाँ सबका मानना यही है कि चूड़ी बनाना की उनके भाग्य में लिखा है।
परंतु पूंजीपति, राजनेता कभी ऐसा नहीं चाहेंगे। लेखिका युवाओं के ग्रुप  से पूछती है कि तुम लोग एकत्रित होकर संघ क्यों नहीं बनाते हो? अपनी आवाज जुल्म के खिलाफ क्यों नहीं उठाते? तो वे लोग कहते है कि  यदि हम आवाज उठा भी देते है तो पुलिस के द्वारा हमें प्रताड़ित किया जायेगा झूठे केश में हमें फंसाकर जेल में बंद कर देंगे। 
उनके बीच कोई नेता नहीं  है।  किसी के पास भी ऊँचे सपने देखने की दूरदृध्टि नहीं है , सभी परंपरागत कार्य को अपनी किस्मत मान चुके है। सभी अपनी इस दुर्दशा का कारण  अपने पूर्वजों को मानते है और वही पुराना  गरीबी  राग अलापते है। 
मुकेश का साहस और सपना :
जब लेखिका मुकेश की आँखों में कुछ अलग और ऊँचा कार्य करने का सपना देखती है तो बड़ी प्रसन्न होती है। मुकेश दुबारा बोलता है कि मुझे मोटर मैकेनिक बनना है। उसके पास दिमाग और साहस था कुछ अलग करने का.  वह गैराज जायेगा परंति मैंने मुकेश कहा कि गैराज बहुत दूर है तो उसने कहा कि  मैं पैदल चलूँगा पर मंजिल तक पहुंचूंगा। 
उस परिवेश में मुकेश का रुख भिन्न था। 

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What is Saheb looking for in the Garbage dumb? Where is he and where has he come from?
Ans. Saheb is looking for gold in the garbage dumps. The dumps are in the his neighbourhood. He lives in Seemapuri. His native place is Bangladesh from where his parents came in 1971 as refugees.
Q.2. What was the full name of saheb? Did he know what it means? What did it represent?
Ans. The full name of Saheb was 'Saheb-e-Alam'. He did not know its meaning. It represented - lord of the universe.
Q.3. How is the garbage gold to the rag-pickers?
Ans. garbage is gold to the rag-pickers because it give them their daily bread and a roof over their heads.
Q.4. Who is Mukesh? What is his dream? What dome it look like?
Ans. Mukesh is the son of a poor bangle- maker in Firozabad. He dreams to be a motor mechanic. His dreams looms like a mirage amidst the dust of streets of Firozabad.


LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
Ans. There could be some of the following reasons for the migration of the people from         village to cities:
1.  Poor people migrate from villages to cities to seek livelihood.
2.  When there is no work the agriculture farms, some people partly migrate from village         to cities.
3. The farm labourers does not get proper wages in the villages, so the have to migrate           form village to village to cities.
4. Some weak and poor people find themselves in fear of security for their women,girls           and children in villages. They therefore migrate from the villages to cities.
5. Mechanisation of agriculture forces the labourers to migrate from village to cities.
6. Some rich people migrate from the villages to cities to educate their children in cities.
7. Some rich people who belong to minority migrate from village to cities for reason of           security.
8. Some educated people migrate from village to cities to maintain their standard of living.

2. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?

Answer

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. Also, many villagers who are better off than others manage to send their children to study in the cities.
In the lesson ‘Lost Spring’, Saheb and his family migrates to Seemapuri from Dhaka after their houses were destroyed in the storms.

3. Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do you think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?

Answer

Yes, the promises made to poor children are rarely kept. Often, they are not taken seriously or have been made on the pretext of retaining a child’s fancy for something. This keeps the child hoping for a better possibility till he/she realises the truth. It is difficult for people to shatter the children’s dreams; while it is also painful to see these children thrive of false hopes given to them.
Once, while interacting with Saheb, the narrator ends up encouraging him to study and jokingly talks about opening a school herself. At that time she fails to realise that unknowingly she has sown a seed of hope in Saheb’s heart. She becomes conscious of her mistake when, after a few days, Saheb approaches her, enquiring about her school. Her hollow promise leaves her embarrassed.

4. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?

Answer

The unfavourable social and legal systems, the deceptive middlemen, and their own sad destinies keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in perpetual poverty.

Talking about the Text

1. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?

Answer

Mukesh was different from the others of his community. By daring to dream, he has already taken the first step towards a big change. He wants to become a motor mechanic and drive a car. He can realise this dream with determination and hard work. There might be many obstacles on his way but a strong willpower will help him move towards the way to success. The fact that he is willing to walk a long distance in order to learn the vocation, underlines his firm resolve. The only thing left for him to do is to make that first journey to that garage and request the owner to take him in and guide and direct him on his journey as a mechanic.

2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.

Answer

The impoverished workers in the glass bangles industry toil in potentially hazardous working conditions while welding. The furnaces they work in have extremely high temperature and lack proper ventilation. Persistently working in low light conditions, without any protective eye gear, leaves them blind. Even burns and cuts are quite common. The workers are quite prone to ailments such as lung cancer.

3. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?

Answer

Child labour should be eliminated because it takes away from the child his childhood and the prospect of elementary education. Moreover, since the child labourers are cheap, and consequently engaged in hazardous and dangerous employment, they are often vulnerable to mental and physical illness. In order to curb this problem, it is important to make education easily accessible. Apart from that, the parents must be made aware of the consequences of working in harmful environments. It is also important to make the public aware of the fact that child labour is a criminal offence and is punishable under law. The government must ensure stricter child labour laws and that the offenders are punished.