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Lost Spring.
Explain the irony in Sahebs name.
Sahebs full name is Saheb-e-Alam, which means the lord of the universe. It is sheer
irony that a person bearing the name the lord of the universe has to roam the street
along with his barefoot friends to scrounge through the garbage and filth to meet his
livelihood.
Why does the author say that Saheb is no longer his own master?
Saheb started working in a tea stall where he was earning eight hundred rupees and all
his meals but he lost his freedom. He had to obey his master and follow his orders. He
had to be very careful in handling the steel canister unlike the way he used to carry his
plastic bag as the former belonged to his master and the latter to him.
What does the author mean when she says that Seemapuri is a place on the periphery
of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically?
The author means that though geographically Seemapuri lies on the very periphery of
Delhi, there is a vast difference in the way of life of the inhabitants of these two
places. There are hardly any amenities like water supply, drains, roads, transports or
electricity in Seemapuri whereas Delhites live in the luxury of these amenities.
Little has moved with time, it seems, in Firozabad What is the reason for it?
Change comes about in any place over a time but Firozabad remains an exception. Its
inhabitants have lost all initiative and ability to dream due to their mind-numbing toil
which they mastered while they were children only. The exploiters of these people
ensured that they never dared to do anything else or organized themselves into a cooperative.
Why do the bangle makers of Firozabad not organize themselves into a cooperative?
People in Firozabad cant organize themselves into a co-operative due to the vicious
circle of exploiters. They are convinced that if they get organized the police will
punish them. There is no leader among them to help them think differently. The old
and the young are tired and are trapped in a situation that moves from poverty to
apathy to greed and injustice.
Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? How do you know?
No. Saheb is not happy working at the tea stall. He has lost his carefree look on his
face as he is working under the orders of the tea stall owner. He had to be careful
about the canister whereas he was free about his bag. He lost his freedom which
drained out his happiness as well.
What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
The author states that the people claim that they do not wear footwear as it is a
tradition for them to walk barefoot. But she is convinced that it is only because of
their eternal poverty they go barefoot and that tradition is only an excuse they are
making.
What are the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry?
As the people have to work around an oil lamp it strains their eyes because of which
they lose eyesight before they reach adulthood. Also glass particles cause blindness. It
affects their health as they work in dingy cells near hot furnace.
How is Mukeshs attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
Mukesh is born in a bangle making family but he dreams of learning driving and
becoming a motor mechanic. He is bent upon breaking his family lineage though his
grandmother believes that it is a god given lineage.