Bholi, Chapter -9
Bholi
Read and Find Out (Page 1)
1. Why is Bholi’s father worried about her? Ans.Ramlal was worried about Bholi because she “had neither good looks nor intelligence”. Her other sisters were good-looking and healthy, making it easy to find bridegrooms for them, but Ramlal worried about Bholi’s future.
2. For what unusual reasons is Bholi sent to school? Ans. Bholi was sent to school not for her own development, but for two unusual reasons: The Tehsildar sahib told Ramlal, as the village’s revenue official, that he “must set an example to the villagers” by sending his daughters to school. Ramlal’s wife suggested sending Bholi specifically because she had an “ugly face and lack of sense” and “little chance of her getting married”. She felt the teachers at school could “worry about her” instead.
Read and Find Out (Page 2)
3. Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school? Ans. Yes, after her initial fear, she enjoyed her day. She was “glad to find so many girls almost of her own age” and was “fascinated” by the colored pictures on the wall. Though she stammered and cried at first, her teacher’s “soft and soothing” voice “touched her heart”. After her teacher encouraged her and gave her a book, Bholi’s heart “was throbbing with a new hope and a new life”.
4. Does she find her teacher different from the people at home? Ans. Yes, she finds her teacher completely different. At home, Bholi was “neglected” and mocked by other children, causing her to talk very little. Her teacher, however, spoke to her in a “soft and soothing” voice, something Bholi had never experienced. Instead of laughing at her stammer, the teacher encouraged her, saying “Well done”, and “patted her affectionately”.
Read and Find Out (Page 5)
5. Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal? Ans. They accept the proposal primarily because Bishamber is “well-to-do”. He has a “big shop, a house of his own” and “several thousand in the bank”. Importantly, he was “not asking for any dowry”. Bholi’s mother also points out that since he is from another village, he “does not know about her pock-marks and her lack of sense” and fears that if they reject the proposal, Bholi “may remain unmarried all her life”.
6. Why does the marriage not take place? Ans. The marriage does not take place because Bholi refuses to marry Bishamber. When Bishamber sees Bholi’s pock-marks, he demands a dowry of “five thousand rupees”. Although her father, Ramlal, pays the money, Bholi’s hand strikes out “like a streak of lightning and the garland was flung into the fire”. She then stands up, throws away her veil, and announces in a clear voice, “Pitaji! Take back your money. I am not going to marry this man”. She refuses to marry such a “mean, greedy and contemptible coward”.
Think about it (Page 9)
7. Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home? Ans. Bholi was apprehensive because she “did not know what a school was like” and thought she might be sold like her old cow, Lakshmi. However, she began to feel she was going to a better place when she received new treatment at home. For the first time, she was given “a clean dress”, even though it was an old one of her sister’s. She “was even bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair”. Because “No one cared to mend or wash her clothes” before, this special attention made her “begin to believe that she was being taken to a place better than her home!”.
8. How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life? Ans. Bholi’s teacher was the central figure in her transformation: Her “soft and soothing” voice “touched” Bholi’s heart on the first day. She “patted her affectionately” and encouraged her to speak, telling her to “Put the fear out of your heart”. The teacher gave her a picture book and promised her that with education, “you will be more learned than anyone else in the village” and “be able to speak without the slightest stammer”. This filled Bholi with “a new hope and a new life”. This education and newfound confidence are what enabled Bholi to stand up to Bishamber and speak clearly “without even the slightest stammer”. At the end, Bholi decides to serve her parents and “teach in the same school where I learnt so much”, a path made possible by her teacher. The teacher saw this transformation as the “completion of her masterpiece”.
9. Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her? Ans. Bholi initially agreed to the “unequal match” for the sake of her family’s honor, or “izzat”. She later tells her father, “For the sake of your izzat, I was willing to marry this lame old man”. She had also overheard her parents’ conversation and knew they worried she might “remain unmarried all her life”. She rejected the marriage when Bishamber revealed his true character. After he saw her pock-marks, he demanded five thousand rupees, showing he was a “mean, greedy and contemptible coward”. Bholi refused to marry such a person. This shows that Bholi had transformed from a “dumb cow” into a confident, educated, and principled woman. She had self-respect and courage. She was willing to sacrifice her happiness for her family’s honor, but she was not willing to marry a greedy and heartless man.
10. Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But only in the last but one paragraph of the story is Bholi called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story? Ans. Her real name is Sulekha, but she was called “Bholi, the simpleton” because she was a “backward child” who stammered. The name “Bholi” represents her timid, neglected, and “stammering fool” self. She is called Sulekha again only after she has refused the marriage, spoken clearly without stammering, and confidently told her father her plan to care for her parents and become a teacher. This name change signifies her complete transformation. She is no longer Bholi (the simpleton) but Sulekha (her true, educated, and confident self).
Talk about it (Page 9)
11. Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her. How do you think you can contribute towards changing the social attitudes illustrated in this story? Ans. The story illustrates negative social attitudes such as gender discrimination in education (sons were sent to colleges, while daughters were not), judging people by their looks, the dowry system, and mocking those with disabilities. One could help change these attitudes by: Advocating for equal educational opportunities for both girls and boys. Speaking out against the practice of dowry. Treating all people with respect, regardless of their appearance or physical abilities, and encouraging others to do the same.
12. Should girls be aware of their rights, and assert them? Should girls and boys have the same rights, duties and privileges? What are some of the ways in which society treats them differently? When we speak of ‘human rights’, do we differentiate between girls’ rights and boys’ rights? Ans. The story strongly implies that girls should be aware of their rights and assert them. Bholi’s education enabled her to assert her right to refuse a marriage to a greedy man. The story also implies that girls and boys should have the same rights. The different treatment in the story led to negative outcomes; the sons were sent to the city for education, while Bholi was neglected. It was only when Bholi received the “right” to education that she was able to find her voice. The story shows society treating them differently by prioritizing education for sons while seeing daughters primarily in terms of marriage prospects.
13. Do you think the characters in the story were speaking to each other in English? If not, in which language were they speaking? (You can get clues from the names of the persons and the non-English words used in the story.) Ans. No, it is very unlikely they were speaking English. The text provides several clues that they were likely speaking a language like Hindi: 13.1. Names: The names are Indian (Sulekha, Ramlal, Mangla, Champa, Bishamber). 13.2. Non-English Words: The story uses several non-English words: – Numberdar (an official who collects revenue) – Tehsildar sahib (a revenue officer) – Pitaji (a respectful term for father) – Izzat (honor)