Lost Spring
Anees Jung
Value Points
Lost Spring is a touching narrative by Anees Jung that exposes the abysmal reality of
child labour and the stolen innocence of impoverished children in India. Jung lays bare
the grinding cycle of poverty, social apathy, and the oppressive weight of tradition that
robs children of their spring—their youth, joy, and dreams.
Jung presents poverty not as a personal failure but as a relentless, generational curse.
Both Saheb and Mukesh are victims of economic helplessness. Saheb’s days are spent
scavenging garbage—a source of livelihood that symbolizes both survival and despair.
Mukesh, on the other hand, is entangled in a hereditary occupation of bangle-making, a
job that is both hazardous and hopeless.
The loss of innocence lies at the core of the essay and is powerfully reflected in its title,
Lost Spring. Just as spring symbolizes vitality, growth, and hope, childhood too is meant
to be a time of joy, learning, and dreams. However, for children like Saheb and Mukesh,
this season of life is prematurely stolen. Instead of enjoying carefree days, they are
burdened with survival. Saheb’s bare feet pounding the cold ground and Mukesh’s young
hands labouring near fiery furnaces highlight the cruel irony of their situation. The
contrast between what childhood should be and what it becomes for these impoverished
children evokes a profound sense of pathos, underlining the tragedy of stolen dreams and
shattered innocence.
The theme, loss of innocence, is captured effectively through the symbolic title Lost
Spring. Spring, a season of renewal and beauty, stands metaphorically for childhood.
However, the children in this essay are denied this phase of life. The imagery of Saheb
running barefoot or Mukesh working near furnaces full of blazing flames invokes a deep
sense of pathos, reminding readers of how dreams are snatched away even before they are
formed.
Jung also explores the conflict between tradition and change. In Firozabad, the oppressive
hold of tradition is evident. Families have been making bangles for generations, and
stepping outside this line of work is seen almost as blasphemy. Mukesh’s dream of
becoming a motor mechanic, though modest, represents a quiet rebellion and a glimmer
of hope in an otherwise bleak world.
Perhaps the most scathing aspect of Jung’s narrative is her commentary on the invisibility
of suffering. These children are not just ignored—they are rendered invisible by a callous
society and an indifferent political class. Their misery is normalized. The garbage heaps
of Seemapuri and the glass furnaces of Firozabad exist in full public view, yet their
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horrors evoke no response. Jung effectively criticizes the utter lack of empathy,
compassion, and institutional support for these marginalized communities.
The characters of Saheb and Mukesh are carefully crafted to reflect both the tragedy and
resilience of these children. Saheb’s innocence, seen in his belief that finding a coin is a
reward, evokes both pity and admiration. Mukesh, though born into an unyielding system,
dares to dream—a significant act of defiance.
From a literary standpoint, Jung’s use of symbolism, contrast, and vivid imagery
strengthens the emotional and social impact of her writing. “Spring” becomes a metaphor
for lost youth. “Garbage” and “bangles” serve as metaphors for poverty and tradition. The
contrast between the children’s aspirations and their grim surroundings lays bare the
cruelty of their circumstances.
Jung adopts a sympathetic and reflective tone, blending storytelling with journalistic
observation. Her style is simple yet impactful, inviting the reader to engage both
emotionally and intellectually. She doesn’t sensationalize—she reveals, and that in itself
is powerful.
Lost Spring is more than just a story—it’s a voice for millions of voiceless children.
Anees Jung doesn’t just tell us about Saheb or Mukesh; she holds up a mirror to society.
The story compels the reader to reflect, respond, and above all, reclaim the lost springs of
these voiceless children.
ERC
1)“I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten rupee note”, Saheb says, his eyes lighting up
when you can find a silver coin in a heap of garbage, you don’t stop scrounging, for
there is hope of finding more. It seems that for children, garbage has a meaning different
from what it means to their parents. For the children it is wrapped in wonder, for the
elders it is a means of survival. One winter morning I see Saheb standing by the fenced
gate of the neighbourhood club, watching two young men dressed in white, playing
tennis. “I like the game”, he hums, content to watch it standing behind the fence. “I go
inside when no one is around” he admits. “The gate keeper lets me use the swing.”
i. Which emotion of Saheb is revealed in the phrase ‘his eyes lighting up’?
a) anxiety b) envy c) happiness d) greed
ii. Complete the following with the most suitable reason.
Saheb’s preference for watching tennis from behind the fence shows his _______
(detachment / longing) for a life he can never fully partake in, as he is only able to
observe, not participate.
iii. Select the textual option that is closest to indicating a sense of curiosity.
a) "I like the game," he hums, content to watch it standing behind the fence.
b) “I go inside when no one is around.”
c) “The gate keeper lets me use the swing.”
d) “I sometimes find a rupee, even a ten rupee note,” Saheb says.
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iv. What does Saheb’s statement, "I go inside when no one is around," reveal about his
relationship with the world around him?
a) He feels a sense of belonging and enjoys the freedom.
b) He is aware of his position in society and feels the need to remain unnoticed.
c) He is indifferent to the privileges of others.
d) He is constantly seeking approval from those around him.
v. How does the extract reflect the children’s perspective on wealth and luxury?
a) They are indifferent to wealth and luxury, viewing them as unimportant.
b) They see luxury as something unattainable and therefore irrelevant to them.
c) They find wonder and hope in even the smallest valuables, showing a contrast between
their harsh reality and their dreams.
d) They believe that wealth and luxury should be equally distributed among everyone,
and therefore do not value them.
vi. Select the option that best captures Saheb's attitude towards his life as expressed in the
extract.
a) Acceptance of his circumstances. b) Reluctance to confront his reality.
c) Hope for a better future. d) Defiance against societal expectations.
2) Children grow up in them, becoming partners in survival. And survival in Seemapuri
means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art.
Garbage to them is gold. It is their daily bread, a roof over their heads, even if it is a
leaking roof. But for a child it is even more.
(i) Complete the sentence appropriately.
Children become partners in survival suggests that
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
(ii) Rag-picking has acquired the proportion of a fine art means:
(A) artistic bend of mind is required. (B) it has proportionately displaced art.
(C) it has become a highly skilful activity. (D) it has discovered pieces of art.
(iii) State whether the given statement is True or False with reference to the extract.
The children and their parents have left Dhaka to live in Seemapuri.
(iv) Why does the author say survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking?
(v) What does the phrase ‘for a child it is even more’ reveal about the children’s dreams?
(vi) Which of the following headlines suggests the central idea of the extract?
(A) Seemapuri, A Pot of Gold (B) Rag-picking Different Perspectives
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(C) Art in Delhi and in Seemapuri (D) Saheb-e-Alam in Seemapuri
3) And in dark hutments, next to lines of flames of flickering oil lamps, sit boys and girls
with their fathers and mothers, welding pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles.
Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside. That is why they often
end up losing their eyesight before they become adults.
(i) Complete the sentence with reference to the extract:
They eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light outside because
________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________.
(ii) Which of the following would NOT be true?
(a) The hutments were shining and inviting.
(b)The children's living were as bleak as their surrounding.
(c) There were no electricity connections.
(d) The boys and girls had got used to the dark.
(iii) The bangle workers lose their eyesight before they became adults because:
(a) they already have poor eyesight. (b) they work in dim light.
(c) they are married in childhood. (d) they are malnourished.
(iv) Which of the following most nearly means 'adjusted' in the context of the extract?
(a) conditioned (b) favoured (c) accepted (d) reconciled
(v) ‘Flickering oil lamps' suggests
________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________.
(vi) What is the antonym from the extract of the word 'rarely'?
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