Lost Spring – Anees Jung

About the Author – Anees Jung

Anees Jung is a celebrated Indian author and journalist known for her evocative writings that
address the lives of the underprivileged, especially women and children. Raised in Hyderabad
in a liberal, well-educated family, she had access to quality education both in India and
abroad. Her journalism and literary pursuits brought her face to face with the real India—the
one living in slums and shadows. She channels these experiences into emotionally
compelling narratives, giving voice to the voiceless. In "Lost Spring," her tone is not just that
of an observer, but of someone deeply empathetic and disturbed by the injustice around her.
Her writing pierces through statistics and policies to show us the real, raw, and painful lives
behind them.

Chapter Overview

“Lost Spring” is a poignant narrative exploring the loss of childhood innocence and dreams
due to the harsh realities of poverty and tradition. The piece, drawn from Jung’s book “Lost
Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhoods,” presents two touching real-life encounters—each a
window into the lives of children forced into premature adulthood. The title itself is symbolic
of the tragedy that lies at the core of the chapter: spring, the season that mirrors childhood in
its freshness and beauty, is stolen away from these children.

In the first part, we are introduced to Saheb-e-Alam, a young boy who scavenges garbage in
the streets of Seemapuri, a settlement of Bangladeshi migrants near Delhi. In the second part,
we meet Mukesh from Firozabad, a town synonymous with glass bangles, where children like
him are caught in a never-ending cycle of traditional occupation and poverty. Both stories
illuminate the structural issues that perpetuate child labour and hopelessness.

Setting of the Chapter

The dual settings of Seemapuri and Firozabad are not just geographical backdrops—they are
living characters in the story. Seemapuri, on the edge of Delhi, is populated by families who
fled hunger in Dhaka. It is a place where basic amenities are missing, yet people continue to
live with resilience, clinging to the faint hope of survival. Children here don’t go to school.
Instead, they accompany their parents in sifting through the garbage heaps that surround the
area. The stench, the dirt, and the dust become part of their upbringing.

In contrast, Firozabad, the heart of India’s glass bangle industry, is cloaked in the darkness of
its furnaces and the invisible chains of tradition. Children work in dimly lit rooms beside hot
fires, their eyes strained and bodies aching. The homes here are crowded, suffocating, and
filled with the sadness of broken dreams. What’s most haunting is the silence of resignation

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that envelops the people—generation after generation trapped in the same occupation, unable
to imagine a different life.

Themes
1. Child Labour and Human Exploitation: The exploitation of children is not just
physical but psychological. Saheb wakes up every morning not to go to school but to
sift through trash. His innocence is consumed by the necessity of survival. In
Firozabad, children work in hazardous conditions, many of them losing their eyesight
before adulthood. The line "Children work in the glass furnaces with high
temperatures, in dingy cells without air and light" reflects the horror of their
existence. These aren’t just stories; they are open wounds. The world has systems and
laws to protect children, but they remain on paper. The narrative is a reminder of how
society fails its most vulnerable.
2. Loss of Innocence and Dreams: Childhood is supposed to be about wonder, curiosity,
and joy. But for Saheb and Mukesh, it is about survival. Saheb once dreamed of going
to school, but life overpowered that dream. The moment he says, “I like the game,”
referring to tennis, it’s a small, flickering glimpse into a child’s longing. Mukesh
dares to dream—to become a mechanic—and that flicker of hope makes him special.
His dream is fragile but real. It reflects the painful truth that dreaming, in such a
setting, becomes an act of rebellion.
3. The Vicious Cycle of Poverty and Tradition: Poverty is not just a lack of money—it is
a trap. In Firozabad, tradition plays a sinister role in reinforcing it. "It is his karma,"
one woman says, referring to her child’s work. Generations follow the same path, not
because they want to, but because they are conditioned to believe there is no
alternative. The story captures the hopelessness that comes from internalizing such
beliefs. Anees Jung’s phrase “born in the caste of bangle makers” encapsulates the
intersection of poverty, fate, and caste.
4. Systemic Neglect and Societal Apathy: Anees Jung doesn’t shy away from holding
society accountable. The presence of child labour, despite legal prohibitions, is due to
collective indifference. The government, the middle class, the industries—everyone
turns a blind eye. The line "The cry of not having money to do anything except carry
on the business of making bangles" is a silent scream for justice that no one hears.
The children become invisible, their suffering normalized.
5. Freedom vs. Bondage: Ironically, when Saheb worked as a rag-picker, he was freer
than when he got a regular job at the tea stall. His rag-picking gave him autonomy,
however meager. At the tea stall, even though he earned money, he was shackled.
Anees Jung says, "The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would
carry so lightly over his shoulder." This contradiction underlines how even stability
can be a form of bondage when it suppresses one’s spirit.
6. Courage and Silent Resistance: Mukesh's desire to become a mechanic is subtle yet
revolutionary. In a place where everyone has surrendered to fate, his dream breaks the
silence. It is small, but significant. His eyes hold a determination that words cannot
express—a reminder that hope, no matter how faint, can still exist. Anees Jung writes,
“He wants to be his own master,” a phrase that contains an entire universe of struggle
and resistance.

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Detailed Explanation of the Chapter
Saheb-e-Alam’s story begins with a bitter irony—his name, which means “Lord of the
Universe,” starkly contrasts with his actual life. He walks barefoot, sifting through garbage
with a plastic bag. His face carries a smile that hides countless hardships. For him, garbage is
not waste—it’s a source of survival. He once says he wants to go to school, revealing a
hidden aspiration. But the dream fades as quickly as it appears. Life does not offer the luxury
to dream for boys like him.

When Saheb starts working at a tea stall, it seems like progress. He gets paid, receives food—
but Anees Jung notices something more profound: his spirit seems broken. He no longer
wanders freely. The steel canister he carries is heavier than just its physical weight—it
represents lost freedom, lost joy. “Saheb is no longer his own master,” she writes, capturing
the soul of the tragedy.

In the second half, we enter the claustrophobic world of Firozabad’s bangle-makers. The very
air seems thick with hopelessness. Children sit in dark rooms, shaping glass, inhaling fumes,
burning their childhood away. These families believe in fate—so deeply that they cannot
even imagine another future. One grandmother who has been making bangles for years
simply says, “Can a god-given lineage be broken?”

Yet, in the midst of this resignation, we meet Mukesh. His declaration, “I will be a motor
mechanic,” seems almost unreal in this context. But that’s what makes it powerful. He does
not dream of escaping to Mumbai or becoming a film star. His dream is grounded but
rebellious. He doesn’t know how he’ll get there. But he knows he won’t make bangles. That
clarity is enough to light a spark.

Poetic and Literary Devices

 Metaphor: The very title "Lost Spring" stands for lost childhood, lost dreams, lost
potential.
 Irony: Saheb’s name versus his reality; having a job versus losing freedom.
 Imagery: The descriptions pull readers into the dusty lanes of Seemapuri and the
suffocating rooms of Firozabad.
 Symbolism:
o Garbage = hope and survival.
o Bangles = beauty, tradition, and bondage.
 Contrast: Between childhood as it should be and childhood as it is for Saheb and
Mukesh.
 Pathos: The author evokes deep sympathy through her gentle yet honest portrayal.
 Alliteration: Phrases like “steel canister seems heavier” create a lyrical, rhythmic
tone.
 Anaphora and Repetition: Repetitions like “He does not know...” emphasize
uncertainty and struggle.
 Hyperbole: “Few airplanes fly over Firozabad,” exaggerates the town’s disconnection
to the world, for dramatic effect.

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Appropriateness of the Title – “Lost Spring”
The title “Lost Spring” is emotionally resonant and thematically rich. ‘Spring’ evokes images
of growth, beauty, and promise—the essence of childhood. The children in this story have
lost their spring to poverty, tradition, and neglect. It is not just about Saheb or Mukesh—it is
about millions whose childhoods are stolen. This title encapsulates a universal tragedy. It
doesn’t just ask us to see these children; it urges us to feel their loss and reflect on our role in
it.

Conclusion

“Lost Spring” is a gentle yet haunting narrative. It invites us to walk through narrow alleys,
peek into dim workshops, and meet children whose lives are forgotten. Anees Jung does not
scream for attention—she whispers truths that are harder to ignore. The chapter compels us to
look at childhood through a different lens—one where play is replaced by labour, and dreams
are replaced by duties.

It is not just a piece of journalism. It is a mirror to society—a reminder that behind every
statistic of child labour is a story, a child, a lost spring. The real tragedy is not that these
stories exist, but that we’ve learned to look away.

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