Bholi

Hello students, welcome to today's English lesson. I am so happy to see you all here. Today we are going to study a very beautiful and meaningful chapter from your textbook Footprints Without Feet. The chapter is called "Bholi" and it is written by a famous Indian writer named K.A. Abbas. This is a story that will touch your hearts and make you think deeply about important issues like education, dignity, and the status of girls in our society. So let's begin our journey with Bholi.

Students, before we start reading the story, I want you to understand the background and the setting. This story is set in a typical Indian village. The main character is a girl who is born into a farmer's family. Her father is called Ramlal and he is a numberdar, which means he is a revenue official in the village. He has seven children - three sons and four daughters. Our protagonist is the youngest of all the daughters. Now, let me tell you something very important about this girl right at the beginning. Her real name is Sulekha, but since her childhood everyone has been calling her Bholi. Do you know what Bholi means? It means "the simpleton" or "a foolish person". Isn't that sad, students? Right from her childhood, this girl was labeled as a fool, as someone who is not intelligent. Let's see why this happened.

When Bholi was just ten months old, she had a terrible accident. She fell off the cot on her head. This fall damaged some part of her brain, and that's why she remained a backward child. She was different from other children. Not only that, when she was two years old, she had an attack of small-pox. This disease left her body permanently disfigured with deep black pock-marks all over. Only her eyes were saved. Can you imagine, students, how difficult it must have been for a young girl to grow up with such physical marks on her body? To make things even worse, Bholi could not speak till she was five years old. When she finally learnt to speak, she had a stammer. She would say "Bh-Bh-Bho-Bholi" and struggle to get her words out. The other children in the village used to make fun of her and mimic her stammering speech. Because of this, Bholi started talking very little. She became quiet and withdrawn. She was afraid that people would laugh at her.

Now let's understand Bholi's family situation. Her father Ramlal was a prosperous farmer. They had plenty to eat and drink. All the children in the family were healthy and strong except Bholi. The sons were sent to the city to study in schools and later in colleges. The daughters - Radha, Mangla, and Champa - were all good-looking and healthy girls. Radha, the eldest daughter, was already married. Mangla's marriage was also settled. After Mangla's marriage, Ramlal would think about Champa. Finding bridegrooms for these healthy and good-looking girls was not difficult at all.

But students, Ramlal was very worried about Bholi. Why do you think he was worried? He was worried because Bholi had neither good looks nor intelligence. In those days, and unfortunately even today to some extent, a girl's marriage depended a lot on her looks. If a girl was not beautiful, it was considered difficult to find a suitable bridegroom for her. And if she was also not considered intelligent, then the situation became even more worrying for the parents. Ramlal was afraid that no one would marry his daughter Bholi.

Now let's move to an important event in the story. When Bholi was seven years old, Mangla got married. The same year, something very significant happened - a primary school for girls was opened in their village. This was a big deal, students, because in those days, especially in rural areas, sending girls to school was not very common. The Tehsildar sahib came to perform the opening ceremony of the school. The Tehsildar is a government official who looks after a tehsil, which is a sub-division of a district. The Tehsildar sahib said something very important to Ramlal. He said, "As a revenue official you are the representative of the government in the village and so you must set an example to the villagers. You must send your daughters to school."

Now, students, think about this. The Tehsildar asked Ramlal to send his daughters to school. But Ramlal was worried about what the villagers would think. Would they accept girls going to school? Would it affect their marriage prospects? That night, Ramlal discussed this with his wife. His wife was very upset. She said, "Are you crazy? If girls go to school, who will marry them?" This shows us the mindset of people in those times. They believed that a girl's only purpose in life was to get married and have children. Education was not considered necessary for girls. In fact, it was considered harmful to their marriage prospects because boys' families might not want an educated girl!

But Ramlal could not disobey the Tehsildar. He was a government official and he had to follow the government's orders. Finally, his wife came up with a plan. She said, "I will tell you what to do. Send Bholi to school. As it is, there is little chance of her getting married, with her ugly face and lack of sense. Let the teachers at school worry about her."

Students, isn't this so heartbreaking? Bholi's own mother was saying that she was ugly and had no sense. She was ready to send Bholi to school just to get rid of the responsibility. She thought that since Bholi would never get married anyway, what did it matter if she went to school? This shows us how neglected Bholi was at home. She was the youngest child but still not loved or cared for. She was called Bholi, the simpleton, and everyone thought she was good for nothing.

Now let's talk about Bholi's first day at school. The next day, Ramlal caught Bholi by the hand and said, "Come with me. I will take you to school." But Bholi was terrified. She did not know what a school was like. She was afraid of the unknown. She remembered how a few days ago their old cow, Lakshmi, had been turned out of the house and sold. She thought perhaps she too was being taken away to be sold. So she shouted in terror, "N-n-n-n NO, no-no-no," and pulled her hand away from her father's grip.

Ramlal shouted at her, "What's the matter with you, you fool? I am only taking you to school." Then he told his wife to put some decent clothes on Bholi. He was worried about what the teachers and other schoolgirls would think of their family if they saw Bholi in her ragged clothes.

Now students, notice something important here. Bholi had never received new clothes in her life. She always wore the old dresses of her sisters, which were passed on to her. No one cared to mend or wash her clothes properly. But today, for the first time, she was given a clean dress. It was actually Champa's old dress which had shrunk after many washings and no longer fit Champa. But still, it was clean! Bholi was also given a bath, and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. Only then did she begin to believe that she was being taken to a better place than her home. This tells us how neglected Bholi was. Even a little bit of care and attention made her feel special.

When they reached the school, the children were already in their classrooms. Ramlal handed over his daughter to the headmistress. Bholi was left alone in a strange place. She looked about her with fear-laden eyes. There were several rooms, and in each room, girls like her were squatting on mats, reading from books or writing on slates. The headmistress asked Bholi to sit down in a corner in one of the classrooms.

Now, students, let's understand what Bholi was feeling. She was in a completely new environment. She didn't know what a school was or what happened there. But she was glad to find so many girls almost of her own age. She hoped that one of these girls might become her friend. Even in her fear, there was a spark of hope - the hope of friendship, the hope of belonging somewhere.

The lady teacher in the class was saying something to the girls, but Bholi could understand nothing. She was too scared and too unfamiliar with the environment. She looked at the pictures on the wall. The colours fascinated her. She saw a horse which was brown just like the horse on which the Tehsildar had come to visit their village. She saw a goat which was black like the goat of their neighbour. She saw a parrot which was green like the parrots she had seen in the mango orchard. And she saw a cow which was just like their Lakshmi. Students, notice how the writer is showing us that Bholi was trying to connect this new world of school with the familiar world of her village. She was looking for something she could recognize, something that would make her feel less afraid.

And then, something wonderful happened. Bholi noticed that the teacher was standing by her side, smiling at her. The teacher asked, "What's your name, little one?" Bholi tried to answer, "Bh-Bho-Bho-." But she could stammer no further than that. She became very upset and started crying. Tears flowed from her eyes in a helpless flood. She kept her head down, not daring to look up at the girls who, she knew, were still laughing at her.

When the school bell rang, all the girls scurried out of the classroom, but Bholi did not leave her corner. Her head still lowered, she kept on sobbing. She was too ashamed and too scared to move.

Then, students, something beautiful happened. The teacher called out gently, "Bholi." The teacher's voice was so soft and soothing! In all her life, Bholi had never been called like that. No one had ever spoken to her with such kindness. It touched her heart. The teacher said, "Get up." It was not a command, but just a friendly suggestion. Bholi got up.

"Now tell me your name," said the teacher.

Bholi was sweating all over. She was afraid that her stammering tongue would again disgrace her in front of this kind woman. But for the sake of this kind teacher, she decided to make an effort. She thought, "She has such a soothing voice; she will not laugh at me."

"Bh-Bh-Bho-Bho-," she began to stammer.

"Well done, well done," the teacher encouraged her. "Come on, now — the full name?"

"Bh-Bh-Bho-Bholi." At last she was able to say it, and she felt relieved as if it was a great achievement.

"Well done." The teacher patted her affectionately and said, "Put the fear out of your heart and you will be able to speak like everyone else."

Bholi looked up as if to ask, 'Really?'

"Yes, yes, it will be very easy. You just come to school every day. Will you come?"

Bholi nodded.

"No, say it aloud."

"Ye-Ye-Yes." And Bholi herself was astonished that she had been able to say it.

Students, isn't this wonderful? This teacher did something extraordinary. She did not scold Bholi for stammering. She did not laugh at her. Instead, she encouraged her. She made her feel that she was capable of speaking just like everyone else. This is what every teacher should do - encourage their students, especially those who are struggling.

The teacher then gave Bholi a book. The book was full of nice pictures in colour - dog, cat, goat, horse, parrot, tiger, and a cow just like Lakshmi. And with every picture was a word in big black letters. The teacher said, "In one month you will be able to read this book. Then I will give you a bigger book, then a still bigger one. In time you will be more learned than anyone else in the village. Then no one will ever be able to laugh at you. People will listen to you with respect and you will be able to speak without the slightest stammer. Understand? Now go home, and come back early tomorrow morning."

Students, can you imagine what was going on in Bholi's heart at this moment? She felt as if suddenly all the bells in the village temple were ringing and the trees in front of the school-house had blossomed into big red flowers. Her heart was throbbing with a new hope and a new life. For the first time in her life, someone believed in her. Someone told her that she could be more learned than anyone else in the village. Someone gave her hope. This is the power of education, students. This is the power of a good teacher.

Now let's move ahead in the story. Many years passed. The village became a small town. The little primary school became a high school. There were now a cinema under a tin shed and a cotton ginning mill. The mail train began to stop at their railway station. Everything was changing, developing, modernizing.

One night, after dinner, Ramlal said to his wife, "Then, shall I accept Bishamber's proposal?" So students, someone had proposed to marry Bholi! His wife said, "Yes, certainly. Bholi will be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom. A big shop, a house of his own and I hear several thousand in the bank. Moreover, he is not asking for any dowry."

Now, students, let's think about this. Bishamber Nath was a well-to-do grocer. He had a big shop, a house of his own, and several thousand rupees in the bank. And he was not asking for any dowry. In those days, dowry was a big problem. Families had to give a lot of money and gifts to the groom's family. So not asking for dowry was considered a big thing.

But there were some concerns too. Ramlal said, "That's right, but he is not so young, you know — almost the same age as I am — and he also limps. Moreover, the children from his first wife are quite grown up."

So Bishamber was already a widower with grown-up children. He was almost as old as Ramlal himself, and he had a physical disability - he limped. But Ramlal's wife said, "So what does it matter? Forty-five or fifty — it is no great age for a man. We are lucky that he is from another village and does not know about her pock-marks and her lack of sense. If we don't accept this proposal, she may remain unmarried all her life."

Students, listen to this carefully. They were saying that Bishamber did not know about Bholi's pock-marks and her lack of sense. They were planning to hide Bholi's true condition from the groom! And they were ready to accept this proposal because they were afraid that if they didn't, Bholi would remain unmarried forever. This shows us how desperate they were to get Bholi married off, regardless of who the groom was.

Ramlal said, "Yes, but I wonder what Bholi will say."

His wife replied, "What will that witless one say? She is like a dumb cow."

Students, notice how they kept calling Bholi names. They called her witless, a dumb cow. They never considered that she might have her own feelings, her own wishes. They never thought that she might want to have a say in her own marriage.

In the other corner of the courtyard, Bholi lay awake on her cot, listening to her parents' whispered conversation. She heard everything! She knew that her parents were planning to marry her off to an old man who limped, just so that she would have a husband. She knew that they were hiding her true condition from the groom. And she knew that they were calling her a dumb cow. But what could she do? She had always been told that she was worthless. She had always been told that no one would marry her. So she agreed to the marriage. Why? Let's understand this.

Bholi agreed to the marriage because she had been conditioned to believe that she was lucky to get any suitor at all. She had been told all her life that she was ugly and had no sense. She had been told that no one would marry her. So when Bishamber came along, even though he was old and limped, she thought this was the best she could hope for. She thought she should be grateful for even having a marriage proposal. This is very sad, students, but this is the reality for many girls even today. They are made to feel worthless, and they internalize this feeling. They settle for less than they deserve because they don't believe they deserve better.

Now let's see what happened on the wedding day. Bishamber Nath came with a big party of friends and relations. A brass-band playing a popular tune from an Indian film headed the procession, with the bridegroom riding a decorated horse. Ramlal was overjoyed to see such pomp and splendour. He had never dreamt that his fourth daughter would have such a grand wedding. Bholi's elder sisters who had come for the occasion were envious of her luck. They thought Bholi was so lucky to get such a wealthy groom!

When the auspicious moment came, the priest said, "Bring the bride." Bholi, clad in a red silken bridal dress, was led to the bride's place near the sacred fire. The priest said, "Garland the bride." One of Bishamber's friends prompted him.

Bishamber lifted the garland of yellow marigolds. A woman slipped back the silken veil from the bride's face. Bishamber took a quick glance. And students, what happened next? The garland remained poised in his hands. He had seen Bholi's face! He had seen the pock-marks!

Bishamber said to his friend next to him, "Have you seen her? She has pock-marks on her face."

His friend said, "So what? You are not young either."

But Bishamber was not satisfied. He said, "Maybe. But if I am to marry her, her father must give me five thousand rupees."

Students, can you believe this? Bishamber was demanding five thousand rupees from Ramlal because he said Bholi was not beautiful enough! He was blackmailing the family! He was taking advantage of the situation.

Ramlal went and placed his turban - his honour - at Bishamber's feet. He said, "Do not humiliate me so. Take two thousand rupees."

But Bishamber refused. He said, "No. Five thousand, or we go back. Keep your daughter."

Ramlal begged him, "Be a little considerate, please. If you go back, I can never show my face in the village."

Bishamber was firm. "Then out with five thousand."

Tears streaming down his face, Ramlal went in, opened the safe, and counted out the notes. He placed the bundle at Bishamber's feet. He paid five thousand rupees to get his daughter married! This was the height of humiliation. But he did it because he was worried about what the villagers would say. He was worried about his izzat, his honour. He thought that if the wedding was called off, it would be a shame on the family.

On Bishamber's greedy face appeared a triumphant smile. He had gambled and won! He got the money and now he was ready to marry Bholi.

Once again the veil was slipped back from the bride's face. But this time, students, something was different. This time her eyes were not downcast. She was looking up, looking straight at her prospective husband. And in her eyes there was neither anger nor hate, only cold contempt. Bholi was looking at Bishamber with complete disdain. She had realized what kind of man he was. She had seen his greed, his cruelty, his lack of character.

Bishamber raised the garland to place it round the bride's neck. But before he could do so, Bholi's hand struck out like a streak of lightning and the garland was flung into the fire. She got up and threw away the veil.

Students, this is the turning point of the story! Bholi refused to marry Bishamber! Let's see what she said.

She said in a clear loud voice, "Pitaji!" And her father, mother, sisters, brothers, relations, and neighbours were startled to hear her speak without even the slightest stammer! They couldn't believe it! The girl who had always stammered was now speaking fluently!

"Take back your money. I am not going to marry this man."

Ramlal was thunderstruck. The guests began to whisper, "So shameless! So ugly and so shameless!"

Ramlal shouted, "Bholi, are you crazy? You want to disgrace your family? Have some regard for our izzat!"

Bholi replied, "For the sake of your izzat, I was willing to marry this lame old man. But I will not have such a mean, greedy and contemptible coward as my husband. I won't, I won't, I won't."

An old woman said, "What a shameless girl! We all thought she was a harmless dumb cow."

Bholi turned violently on the old woman and said, "Yes, Aunty, you are right. You all thought I was a dumb-driven cow. That's why you wanted to hand me over to this heartless creature. But now the dumb cow, the stammering fool, is speaking. Do you want to hear more?"

Students, this is so powerful! Bholi is finally standing up for herself! She is speaking her mind! She is refusing to be treated as worthless! She is telling everyone that they thought she was a dumb cow, but now she is speaking, and she will not be silenced anymore!

Bishamber Nath, the grocer, started to go back with his party. The confused bandsmen thought this was the end of the ceremony and struck up a closing song. Ramlal stood rooted to the ground, his head bowed low with the weight of grief and shame. The flames of the sacred fire slowly died down. Everyone was gone.

Then Ramlal turned to Bholi and said, "But what about you, no one will ever marry you now. What shall we do with you?"

And Sulekha said in a voice that was calm and steady, "Don't you worry, Pitaji! In your old age I will serve you and Mother and I will teach in the same school where I learnt so much. Isn't that right, Ma'am?"

Students, now notice something very important. At the end of the story, Bholi is called by her real name - Sulekha! This is the first time in the entire story that she is called Sulekha after the introduction. Why do you think this is so? We'll discuss this in the exercises later.

The teacher had all along stood in a corner, watching the drama. She replied, "Yes, Bholi, of course." And in her smiling eyes was the light of a deep satisfaction that an artist feels when contemplating the completion of her masterpiece.

Students, can you imagine how the teacher must have felt? She had believed in Bholi when no one else did. She had encouraged her, taught her, given her confidence. And now she was watching Bholi stand up for herself, refuse to be humiliated, and speak with such clarity and courage. The teacher felt like an artist who had completed a masterpiece. This is the greatest reward a teacher can get - seeing their student succeed, seeing their student become independent and confident.

Now let's look at the glossary to understand some important words.

Simpleton means a foolish person who is easily tricked by others. This is what people called Bholi.

Numberdar is an official who collects revenue. This was Ramlal's position in the village.

Matted means entangled. Bholi's hair was dry and matted because no one took care of it.

Squatted means sat on their heels. In traditional Indian schools, students used to sit on mats on the floor.

Scurried means ran or moved hurriedly. The girls scurried out of the classroom when the bell rang.

Ginning is separating raw cotton from its seeds. This was done in the cotton ginning mill that came up in the village.

Downcast means looking downwards. Bholi kept her head down when she was crying.

Now, students, let's move to the exercises. We have "Think about it" questions and "Talk about it" questions. Let me answer each one for you.

Question 1: Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school. What made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home?

Students, let's recall what happened. When Bholi's father first told her that he was taking her to school, she was very frightened. She thought she was being taken away to be sold, like the old cow Lakshmi. She refused to go. But then her mother gave her a clean dress to wear. She was bathed and oil was rubbed into her hair. For the first time in her life, Bholi received some care and attention. She felt that maybe she was being taken to a place where people would care for her. Also, when she reached the school, she saw many girls of her age. She hoped that she might make friends there. And most importantly, the teacher was very kind to her. She smiled at her, encouraged her, and gave her a beautiful book with pictures. All these things made Bholi feel that school was a better place than her home. At home, she was neglected, called names, and treated as a burden. But at school, she was treated with kindness and respect. That made all the difference.

Question 2: How did Bholi's teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?

Students, the teacher played a very crucial role in Bholi's transformation. Let's see how. First, when Bholi was crying in the corner, the teacher did not ignore her or scold her. Instead, she called her gently and made her feel safe. Second, when Bholi stammered while speaking, the teacher did not laugh at her or get impatient. Instead, she encouraged her and said "Well done, well done." Third, the teacher gave Bholi confidence by telling her that she would be able to speak like everyone else if she came to school regularly. Fourth, the teacher gave Bholi books to read and promised her that she would become more learned than anyone else in the village. Fifth, the teacher told Bholi that no one would be able to laugh at her if she studied hard. All these things changed Bholi's life. The teacher gave Bholi something that no one else in her family ever gave her - hope, confidence, and belief in herself. The teacher saw potential in Bholi when everyone else saw only a simpleton. This teacher was truly instrumental in transforming Bholi's life.

Question 3: Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match? Why did she later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?

Students, let's analyze this carefully. Bholi agreed to marry Bishamber because she had been conditioned to believe that she was lucky to get any suitor at all. Throughout her life, she was told that she was ugly and had no sense. She was told that no one would marry her. So when Bishamber proposed, even though he was old, limped, and had children from a previous marriage, she thought this was the best she could hope for. She wanted to make her parents happy. She wanted to stop being a burden on her family. She thought that getting married would give her a place in society.

But later, Bholi rejected the marriage because she saw Bishamber's true character. When he demanded five thousand rupees just because she had pock-marks on her face, she realized that he was a greedy, mean, and contemptible man. She realized that he was treating her like a commodity, like something to be bought and sold. She realized that she deserved better than this. She stood up and refused to marry him. She said she would not have such a mean, greedy, and contemptible coward as her husband.

This tells us that Bholi was not really a simpleton. She was intelligent and had a strong sense of self-respect. She had been silent all her life because she was afraid and because she had no confidence. But once she gained education and confidence, she was able to think for herself and make her own decisions. She was able to recognize injustice and stand up against it. This shows us the power of education. It can transform a person completely. It can give them the courage to fight for their dignity.

Question 4: 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?

Students, this is a very thoughtful question. Let's think about it. At the beginning of the story, we are told that her name was Sulekha, but everyone called her Bholi, which means simpleton. Throughout the story, she is referred to as Bholi. This shows how society had labeled her. They saw her only as a simpleton, not as an individual with her own identity.

At the end of the story, when Bholi refuses to marry Bishamber and decides to become a teacher, she is called Sulekha again. This is significant. At this point, Bholi has proven that she is not a simpleton. She has shown courage, intelligence, and self-respect. She has transformed herself. By calling her Sulekha at this point, the writer is showing that she has regained her true identity. She is no longer defined by the nickname that was given to her. She is Sulekha - a confident, educated, and dignified woman. The name Sulekha represents her true self, her true identity. The nickname Bholi represented how others saw her - as a fool. But now, by using her real name, the writer is showing that Bholi has overcome the labels that society placed on her. She has become her own person.

Question 5: Bholi's story must have moved you. Do you think girl children are not treated at par with boys? You are aware that the government has introduced a scheme to save the girl child as the sex ratio is declining. The scheme is called Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Save the Girl Child. Read about the scheme and design a poster in groups of four and display on the school notice board.

Students, this is an activity question. I want you to think about the issues raised in the story. Unfortunately, even today, in many parts of our country, girl children are not treated equally with boys. They are considered a burden. They are not given the same opportunities for education. In some cases, even today, girls are not born because of the preference for sons. This has led to a declining sex ratio in our country.

The government has introduced the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme to address this issue. This scheme aims to save the girl child and ensure her education. It promotes the empowerment of women and girls. The government wants to change the mindset of people who discriminate against girls.

For this activity, I want you to read about the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme. Find out what it does, what its objectives are, and how it is being implemented. Then, in groups of four, design a poster. The poster should create awareness about the importance of girl children. It should encourage people to treat girls and boys equally. It should promote the education of girls. You can use slogans, pictures, and colours to make your poster attractive. Once you have designed the poster, display it on the school notice board so that other students can also see it and learn from it.

Now let's look at the "Talk about it" questions. These are discussion questions, and I will give you some points to think about.

Question 1: 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?

Students, this is a very important question. The story shows us many social problems - the neglect of girl children, the emphasis on looks over character, the belief that girls are a burden, and the lack of education for girls. Bholi's teacher helped her overcome these barriers by believing in her and encouraging her. But how can we, as students, contribute to changing these attitudes?

First, we can treat everyone equally, regardless of their gender. We should not discriminate against girls or make fun of those who are different from us. Second, we can support the education of girls in our communities. If we know of any girl who is not going to school, we can encourage her to study. Third, we can speak up against injustice. If we see someone discriminating against a girl, we should not stay silent. Fourth, we can respect our own parents and elders, but also try to change their mindset if they have biased views. Fifth, we can become good citizens who value equality and dignity for all. These are some ways in which we can contribute to creating a more just and equal society.

Question 2: 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?

Students, this is another very important question. Girls should definitely be aware of their rights. They should know that they have the right to education, the right to choose their own career, the right to marry whom they want, and the right to live with dignity. They should assert these rights and not accept anything less.

Girls and boys should have the same rights, duties, and privileges. Both should have the opportunity to study, to work, and to contribute to society. Both should be treated with respect and dignity. However, unfortunately, society often treats girls and boys differently. Boys are often given more freedom, better education, and more opportunities. Girls are often expected to do household work, to get married early, and to prioritize their families over their careers. These are examples of gender discrimination, and they need to change.

When we speak of human rights, we should not differentiate between girls' rights and boys' rights. Human rights are universal. They apply to every human being, regardless of gender. Everyone has the right to life, liberty, security of person, education, and participation in cultural life. These rights belong to all of us, equally.

Question 3: 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.)

Students, this is a very interesting question. The story is written in English, but is that how the characters actually spoke? Let's look at the clues.

The names in the story are Indian - Ramlal, Sulekha, Bholi, Mangla, Champa, Radha, Bishamber Nath. These are Indian names. The story mentions words like Tehsildar, numberdar, which are Hindi or Urdu words. The characters use words like Pitaji, which is a Hindi word for father. They use words like izzat, which means honour. They use words like aunty. They talk about the sacred fire in a Hindu wedding ceremony. They mention the garland of yellow marigolds, which is a custom in Indian weddings.

All these clues tell us that the characters were actually speaking in their local language, probably Hindi or a dialect of Hindi. They were not speaking in English. The story is written in English for the purpose of the textbook, but in reality, these characters would have spoken in their native language. This is an important point to remember when we read literature. The language of the story may not be the same as the language spoken by the characters in real life.

Now, students, we have covered the entire chapter. Let me now give you a complete summary of everything we have learned.

This chapter, "Bholi," is a story about a girl who was neglected at home because she was considered ugly and unintelligent. She was called Bholi, which means simpleton, and was treated as a burden by her family. When she was sent to school, a kind teacher believed in her and encouraged her. With the teacher's support, Bholi gained confidence and education. Years later, when her parents tried to marry her off to an old, greedy man, Bholi refused. She stood up for herself and decided to become a teacher. The story shows us the power of education and the importance of treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of their appearance or abilities.

The key themes in this chapter are the importance of education, especially for girls, the need to treat everyone with respect and dignity, the harmful effects of labeling and discrimination, and the transformation that is possible through love, care, and education.

The characters in the story teach us important lessons. Bholi teaches us to believe in ourselves and to stand up for our dignity. The teacher teaches us the importance of encouragement and belief in others. Ramlal teaches us about the pressure of societal expectations. Bishamber teaches us about greed and lack of character.

This story is relevant even today because many of the issues it raises - discrimination against girls, the importance of education, and the need for self-respect - are still present in our society. We must learn from this story and work towards creating a more just and equal world.

Students, I hope you have understood this chapter well. Remember, each one of you has the power to change your life through education, just like Bholi. Never let anyone tell you that you are not capable of achieving your dreams. Believe in yourself, work hard, and you will succeed.

Thank you for listening to this lesson. I will see you in the next class. Take care, students!