Full NCERT Q&A | Detailed Hindi-English Explanation | Exam Scoring Guide
Chapter Summary: Lost Spring – Stories of Stolen Childhood
Anees Jung presents two real-life narratives of children—Saheb, a ragpicker from Seemapuri, and Mukesh, a bangle-maker from Firozabad. The chapter explores how poverty, tradition, and systemic failure rob children of their childhood, dreams, and dignity.
🔥 “Garbage to them is gold.” 🔥 “I want to be a motor mechanic.”
These lines reflect the contrast between survival and aspiration.
NCERT Questions – Think As You Read
Q1. What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come from?
Answer: Saheb is searching for “gold” in garbage—anything valuable like coins or useful items. He lives in Seemapuri, Delhi, and migrated from Dhaka, Bangladesh, due to poverty and natural disasters.
हिन्दी में: साहब कचरे में कुछ कीमती चीजें खोजता है। वह सीमापुरी में रहता है और बांग्लादेश से आया है, जहाँ तूफानों ने उसका घर उजाड़ दिया।
Q2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Answer: Some say it’s tradition, but the author believes it’s due to poverty. She recalls a boy who prayed for shoes, showing how deprivation is normalized.
हिन्दी में: कुछ लोग इसे परंपरा कहते हैं, लेकिन लेखक इसे गरीबी का परिणाम मानती हैं। एक बच्चे की कहानी से यह स्पष्ट होता है कि जूते भी एक सपना हैं।
Q3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Answer: No. Though he earns ₹800 and gets meals, he has lost his freedom. The steel canister he carries feels heavier than the plastic bag he once owned. He is no longer his own master.
हिन्दी में: साहब अब स्वतंत्र नहीं है। उसका चेहरा उदास है और वह मालिक का नौकर बन गया है। उसका जीवन अब बंधन में है।
Q4. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
Answer: Firozabad is famous for its glass bangles. Almost every family is involved in bangle-making, a tradition passed down for generations.
हिन्दी में: फिरोजाबाद काँच की चूड़ियों के लिए प्रसिद्ध है। यहाँ हर परिवार इस काम में पीढ़ियों से जुड़ा है।
Q5. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer: Workers face high temperatures, poor lighting, and toxic dust. Many lose their eyesight before adulthood. Children work illegally in hazardous conditions.
हिन्दी में: चूड़ी उद्योग में काम करने वाले अंधेरे में, गर्मी में और जहरीली धूल में काम करते हैं। इससे उनकी आँखें खराब हो जाती हैं।
Q6. How is Mukesh’s attitude different from that of his family?
Answer: Mukesh dreams of becoming a motor mechanic, unlike his family who accept bangle-making as destiny. He wants to break free and be his own master.
हिन्दी में: मुकेश अपने परिवार से अलग सोचता है। वह चूड़ी बनाने की परंपरा को तोड़ना चाहता है और मोटर मैकेनिक बनना चाहता है।
Understanding the Text – NCERT Questions
Q1. What could be some reasons for migration from villages to cities?
Answer: People migrate due to poverty, failed crops, lack of jobs, or natural disasters. Cities offer survival opportunities, even if it means ragpicking or hazardous work.
हिन्दी में: गाँवों से शहरों की ओर पलायन का कारण गरीबी, बेरोजगारी और प्राकृतिक आपदाएँ हैं। शहरों में जीविका की संभावना होती है।
Q2. Are promises made to poor children rarely kept?
Answer: Yes. The author herself makes a promise to Saheb about starting a school but never fulfills it. Such broken promises reflect society’s apathy.
हिन्दी में: गरीब बच्चों से किए गए वादे अक्सर पूरे नहीं होते। लेखक भी साहब से स्कूल खोलने का वादा करती हैं लेकिन निभा नहीं पातीं।
Q3. What forces keep Firozabad’s workers in poverty?
Answer: A nexus of moneylenders, middlemen, police, bureaucrats, and politicians traps them. Caste and lack of leadership prevent change.
हिन्दी में: साहूकार, दलाल, पुलिस और नेता मिलकर मजदूरों को गरीबी में बनाए रखते हैं। जाति और नेतृत्व की कमी भी बाधा है।
💬 Talking About the Text – NCERT Discussion
Q1. How can Mukesh realise his dream?
Answer: Through determination, courage, and hard work. He is willing to walk to a garage and learn car mechanics, despite poverty and distance.
हिन्दी में: मुकेश अपने सपने को मेहनत और साहस से पूरा कर सकता है। वह दूर स्थित गैराज में जाकर सीखने को तैयार है।
Q2. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
Answer: Child labour deprives children of education and joy. It can be eliminated through strict laws, rehabilitation, and awareness campaigns.
हिन्दी में: बाल श्रम बच्चों से उनका बचपन छीनता है। इसे कानून, पुनर्वास और जागरूकता से समाप्त किया जा सकता है।
Literary Devices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Metaphor | “Garbage to them is gold” | Highlights survival instinct |
| Simile | “Her hands move mechanically like tongs” | Shows robotic, forced labour |
| Irony | “Saheb-e-Alam” means lord of the universe | Contrasts with Saheb’s poverty |
| Symbolism | Bangles as symbols of tradition and bondage | Reflects lost dreams and identity |
Exam-Focused Short Answers
Who is Saheb?
A ragpicker from Seemapuri, searching for survival in garbage.
What does “Saheb-e-Alam” mean?
Lord of the universe—a stark contrast to his reality.
Why is Mukesh’s dream a “mirage”?
Because poverty makes it seem unreachable.
What do bangles symbolize?
Marriage, tradition, and ironically, lost dreams.
Why is the title “Lost Spring” apt?
It reflects stolen childhoods and lost innocence.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1. Contrast the beauty of bangles with the misery of their makers.
Answer: Bangles are colorful and symbolic of joy and tradition. Yet, their makers live in dark, suffocating conditions, often losing eyesight and hope. The contrast is stark—beauty outside, suffering within.
Q2. Describe the life of Seemapuri’s ragpickers.
Answer: Migrants from Bangladesh, they live in shanties without basic amenities. Ragpicking is their only livelihood. Garbage is their gold. They survive without identity, education, or future.
Q3. What is the central theme of Lost Spring?
Answer: The chapter highlights poverty, child labour, broken dreams, and societal failure. It urges readers to recognize and act against the systemic theft of childhood.
Conclusion – Lost Spring Chapter Summary & Exam Strategy
Lost Spring by Anees Jung is more than a chapter—it’s a mirror to the harsh realities faced by millions of children in India. Through Saheb and Mukesh, the author exposes how poverty, tradition, and systemic neglect rob children of their dreams, education, and dignity.
For students, this chapter is a scoring opportunity if approached with:
- Clear understanding of character contrasts (Saheb vs Mukesh)
- Awareness of literary devices and symbolism
- Ability to connect themes to real-world issues like child labour and poverty
- Practice of both short and long answer formats with value-based insights
Tip for full marks: Use quotes like “Garbage to them is gold” and “I want to be a motor mechanic” in your answers to show textual engagement.
convex guide ensures you’re not just memorizing answers—you’re understanding the soul of the story.
FAQs – Class 12 English Chapter 2 Lost Spring
Q1. What is the central theme of Lost Spring?
Answer: The theme revolves around lost childhood, poverty, child labour, and broken dreams. It highlights how social and economic forces deprive children of education and freedom.
Q2. Why is the title Lost Spring appropriate?
Answer: “Spring” symbolizes youth and hope. The title reflects how children like Saheb and Mukesh lose their spring—i.e., their childhood—due to poverty and exploitation.
Q3. What is the significance of Saheb’s name “Saheb-e-Alam”?
Answer: It means “Lord of the Universe,” which is ironic because Saheb lives in extreme poverty and has no control over his life.
Q4. How is Mukesh different from other children in Firozabad?
Answer: Mukesh dreams of becoming a motor mechanic and breaking free from the traditional bangle-making occupation. He shows courage and ambition unlike others who accept their fate.
Q5. What literary devices are used in Lost Spring?
Answer: Anees Jung uses metaphor (“Garbage is gold”), irony (“Saheb-e-Alam”), simile (“like the tongs of a machine”), and symbolism (bangles as tradition and bondage).
Q6. How does the author portray child labour in the chapter?
Answer: Through real-life stories, the author shows how children are forced into ragpicking and hazardous industries like bangle-making, losing their health, education, and dreams.
Q7. What is the role of society in the children’s suffering?
Answer: Society’s apathy, broken promises, and corrupt systems (moneylenders, politicians, police) perpetuate poverty and child labour, leaving children trapped.
