Page 17

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 looking for “gold” in the garbage dumps, which to him means anything of value, like a coin or a useful item. He is in Seemapuri, on the periphery of Delhi. He has come from Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 1971, due to storms that swept away his family’s homes and fields.

Q2. What explanations does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
Answer: The author offers two explanations. One is that it is a “tradition to stay barefoot,” which she finds hard to believe, suggesting it’s an excuse to explain away a “perpetual state of poverty.” The other, more direct explanation, comes from the children themselves: they simply don’t have the money for shoes, or their mother hasn’t brought them down from the shelf.

Q3. Is Saheb happy working at the tea-stall? Explain.
Answer: No, Saheb is not happy working at the tea-stall. The author observes that his face has “lost the carefree look.” The steel canister he carries seems heavier than the plastic bag he used to carry because the bag was his own, while the canister belongs to the man who owns the tea stall. He is no longer his “own master.”

Page 20

Think as you read

Q1. What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
Answer: Firozabad is famous for its bangles and is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry.

Q2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer: The hazards of working in the glass bangles industry are numerous and severe. Children and adults work in “dingy cells without air and light” at high temperatures near furnaces. This often leads to loss of eyesight before they become adults because their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than to the light. The dust from polishing the glass is also a major health risk.

Q3. How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
Answer: Mukesh’s attitude is different from his family’s because he has a dream of becoming a motor mechanic and owning a car. His family, including his grandmother, has accepted their fate as bangle makers, believing it is their “karam” or destiny. Mukesh, in contrast, insists on being his “own master” and is willing to walk a long distance to a garage to learn the trade, demonstrating a desire to break free from the vicious cycle of poverty and tradition.

Understanding the text

Q1. What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
Answer: People migrate from villages to cities for a variety of reasons, primarily driven by poverty and a lack of opportunities in their rural homes. Natural disasters like floods and storms can destroy homes and livelihoods, forcing people to seek refuge in cities. Economic factors also play a huge role, as people search for better job opportunities, a chance to earn more money, and access to basic amenities like food, shelter, and education that may not be available in their villages.

Q2. 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, it is easy to agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept. In the text, this happens because the promises are often hollow and made without any real intention of fulfilling them. For example, the author’s half-joking promise to build a school is not meant to be taken literally, and she feels embarrassed when Saheb asks if it is ready. Similarly, the promises of politicians and middlemen to help are never realised, as they are part of a vicious circle that exploits the poor.

Q3. What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
Answer: Several forces conspire to keep the bangle workers of Firozabad in poverty. The primary forces are the “vicious circle of middlemen, the sahukars, the policemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians.” These groups work together to exploit the workers, trapping their families for generations. The workers are burdened by the stigma of their caste and are born into poverty, which they cannot escape. The lack of a leader and the constant threat of being “hauled up by the police, beaten and dragged to jail” if they try to organise themselves, also keeps them from moving forward.

Talking about the text

Q1. How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
Answer: In my opinion, Mukesh can realise his dream of becoming a motor mechanic by finding a mentor or an organisation that can help him learn the trade. He needs to break away from the traditional family occupation and the societal pressures that keep him trapped. He also needs to be educated about his rights as a worker to avoid exploitation. By staying determined and focusing on his goal, he can overcome the barriers of poverty and his family’s mindset.

Q2. Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangles industry.
Answer: The hazards of working in the glass bangle industry are severe. Workers operate in “dingy cells without air and light” at extremely high temperatures. The dust from polishing the glass can cause blindness. Children, in particular, are at risk as they lose their eyesight before they become adults. The constant exposure to smoke, heat, and dangerous conditions makes this a life-threatening occupation.

Q3. Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
Answer: Child labour should be eliminated because it deprives children of their childhood, education, and health. It perpetuates a cycle of poverty, as these children grow up without the skills needed for better jobs. Child labourers are often exploited, abused, and denied their basic human rights. To eliminate child labour, there needs to be strict enforcement of laws, provision of free and compulsory education for all children, and awareness campaigns to change societal attitudes. Additionally, economic support to poor families would reduce their need to send their children to work.

Thinking about language

Saheb-e-Alam which means the lord of the universe is directly in contrast to what Saheb is in reality.
Answer: Irony. The name means “lord of the universe,” which is in sharp contrast to Saheb’s actual life as a poor ragpicker.

Drowned in an air of desolation.
Answer: Metaphor. Desolation is not a physical substance that one can drown in; it is an abstract feeling.

Seemapuri, a place on the periphery of Delhi yet miles away from it, metaphorically.
Answer: Metaphor. This is explicitly stated in the sentence. It compares the physical proximity to the symbolic distance in terms of opportunity and quality of life.

For the children it is wrapped in wonder; for the elders it is a means of survival.
Answer: Contrast/Juxtaposition. This phrase contrasts the different meanings that garbage has for the two groups.

As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine, I wonder if she knows the sanctity of the bangles she helps make.
Answer: Simile. The word “like” is used to compare the mechanical movement of the girl’s hands to the tongs of a machine.

She still has bangles on her wrist, but not light in her eyes.
Answer: Metaphor. “Light in her eyes” is a metaphor for hope and joy.

Few airplanes fly over Firozabad.
Answer: Symbolism. Airplanes symbolise the possibility of an ambitious, carefree life, which is out of reach for the people of Firozabad.

Web of poverty.
Answer: Metaphor. Poverty is compared to a tangled and inescapable web.

Scrounging for gold.
Answer: Hyperbole. Garbage is exaggerated as “gold” to emphasise its value to the ragpickers.

And survival in Seemapuri means rag-picking. Through the years, it has acquired the proportions of a fine art.
Answer: Metaphor. Rag-picking is compared to a “fine art” to highlight the skill and precision required for it.

The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so light by over his shoulders.
Answer: Metaphor. The physical weight of the canister is a metaphor for the psychological burden of no longer being his own master.

Things to do

The beauty of the glass bangles of Firozabad contrasts with the misery of people who produce them. This paradox is also found in some other situations, for example, those who work in gold and diamond mines, or carpet weaving factories, and the products of their labour, the lives of construction workers, and the buildings they build. Look around and find examples of such paradoxes. Write a paragraph of about 200 to 250 words on any one of them.
Answer: A stark paradox exists in the cocoa industry, where the beauty and indulgence of chocolate are built on the back of immense poverty and, in some cases, child labour. The world consumes billions of dollars’ worth of chocolate annually, a symbol of luxury, happiness, and love. Yet, the farmers who cultivate the cocoa beans, especially in West Africa, live in a state of grinding poverty. They toil under the scorching sun, often for mere pennies a day, struggling to feed their families and send their children to school. The immense profit generated by the chocolate giants rarely trickles down to them.

Children, sometimes as young as five, are forced to work on plantations, wielding machetes and carrying heavy sacks, exposed to dangerous chemicals and harsh conditions. Their hands, which should be holding books, are instead harvesting the bitter beans that will become a sweet treat for others. The industry, which promises to bring joy, ironically denies it to those who make it possible. The glossy advertisements showing happy, smiling faces enjoying a chocolate bar stand in jarring contrast to the grim reality of the lives of the cocoa farmers and their families, trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty and exploitation.