UP Board Class 10 English Chapter 8 – Bholi (Supplementary Reader)

The story ‘Bholi’ by K.A. Abbas follows the life of a young girl named Sulekha who is called Bholi due to her simplicity. Bholi is the fourth daughter of Ramlal, a rich and successful farmer. From a young age, Bholi faces several challenges. At ten months old, she has fallen off the cot which had damaged some part of her brain. Since then she remained a backward child. When she was two years old, she suffered from smallpox which left her disfigured with deep black marks. Bholi also struggled to speak and stammered. So, other children often made fun of Bholi.

When a girls’ primary school opens in their village, the Tehsildar encourages Ramlal to send his daughters to school as an example. So, Ramlal and his wife decide to send Bholi to school. Bholi was initially scared to go to school as she feels that she is going to be sold. On the day of the school, she is bathed, her hair is oiled and she is given new clothes to wear. When Bholi reaches the school, Bholi was happy to see other girls of her same age. In school, Bholi finds comfort and encouragement from her kind teacher. She begins to learn and gains confidence

Years later, Bholi’s family receives a marriage proposal from Bishamber Nath, an old but rich grocer. Bholi initially agreeed due to her sense of duty towards her family’s honor. The wedding preparations begin. However, when Bishamber saw Bholi’s disfigured face, he demanded a large sum of money as dowry. Ramlal, to save his family’s honour, agrees to pay. But when Bholi learns of Bishamber’s greed, she refuses to marry him in front of everyone.

Bholi’s refusal shocks her family and guests. When Bishamber and everyone went away, Bholi informed her family that she would not marry and take care of her parents in their old age. She also told them that she would teach at the school just like her teacher. Sulekha’s teacher who was watching all this drama approved Bholi’s decision. She smiled at her with satisfaction just like an artist who is satisfied after completing her masterpiece.

के. एस. अब्बास द्वारा लिखित कहानी ‘भोली’ सुलेखा नाम की एक युवा लड़की के जीवन का अनुकरण करती है, जिसे उसकी सादगी के कारण भोली कहा जाता है। भोली एक अमीर और सफल किसान रामलाल की चौथी बेटी है। बहुत छोटी आयु से ही भोली को अनेक चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ा है। दस महीने की आयु में वह चारपाई से गिर गई थी, जिसके कारण उसके मस्तिष्क का कुछ हिस्सा क्षतिग्रस्त हो गया। तभी से वह एक पिछड़ी हुई बच्ची बनकर रह गई, जब वह दो वर्ष की थी, तब उसे चेचक हो गया, जिससे उसका चेहरा काले गहरे निशानों के कारण विकृत हो गया। भोली को बोलने में भी कठिनाई होती थी और वह हकलाती थी। इसलिए अन्य बच्चे अक्सर भोली का मजाक उड़ाते थे।

जब उनके गाँव में लड़कियों के लिए प्राथमिक विद्यालय खुलता है, तो तहसीलदार, अन्य लोगों के लिए मिसाल बनने हेतु रामलाल को अपनी बेटियों को विद्यालय भेजने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करता है। इसलिए रामलाल और उसकी पत्नी भोली को विद्यालय भेजने का फैसला करते हैं। प्रारम्भ में भोली विद्यालय जाने से डर रही थी, क्योंकि उसे लगता था कि उसे बेच दिया जाएगा। विद्यालय जाने के दिन उसे नहलाया जाता है, उसके बालों में तेल लगाया जाता है और पहनने के लिए नए कपड़े दिए जाते हैं, जब भोली विद्यालय पहुँचती है, तो अपनी आयु की अन्य लड़कियों को देखकर प्रसन्न होती है। विद्यालय में भोली को अपने दयालु शिक्षक से सांत्वना और प्रोत्साहन मिलता है। वह सीखना शुरू करती है और आत्मविश्वास अर्जित करती है।

वर्षों बाद, भोली के परिवार को एक बूढ़े, लेकिन अमीर किराना व्यापारी बिशम्भर नाथ से शादी का प्रस्ताव मिलता है। शुरू में भोली अपने परिवार के सम्मान के प्रति अपने कर्त्तव्य की भावना के कारण सहमत हो जाती है। शादी की तैयारियाँ शुरू हो जाती हैं, हालाँकि जब बिशम्भर ने भोली का विकृत चेहरा देखा, तो उसने दहेज के रूप में एक बड़ी धनराशि की माँग की। अपने परिवार के सम्मान को बचाने के लिए रामलाल धनराशि देने के लिए मान जाता है, लेकिन जब भोली को बिशम्भर के लालच के बारे में पता चलता है, तो वह सबके सामने उससे शादी करने से इंकार कर देती है।

भोली के इंकार से उसके परिवार और मेहमानों को सदमा लगता है, जब बिशम्भर और अन्य लोग चले जाते हैं, तो भोली अपने परिवार को बताती है कि वह शादी नहीं करेगी और वृद्धावस्था में अपने माता-पिता की देखभाल करेगी। वह उन्हें यह भी बताती है कि अपनी टीचर की तरह वह भी विद्यालय में पढ़ाएगी। सुलेखा की टीचर, जो यह सम्पूर्ण नाटक देख रही थी, भोली के निर्णय का समर्थन करती है। वह सन्तोष के साथ उनकी ओर देखकर मुस्कुराई, बिल्कुल उस कलाकार की तरह, जो अपनी उत्कृष्ट कृति को पूर्ण करने के बाद सन्तुष्ट हो जाता है ।

(a) Radha

(b) Rekha

(c) Sulekha

(d) Kamala

Ans. (a) Radha

(a) Mangla

(b) Champa

(c) Radha

(d) Sulekha

Ans. (c) Radha

(a) Priya

(b) Geeta

(c) Sulekha

(d) Sita

Ans. (c) Sulekha

(a) To meet the villagers people

(b) To attend Radha’s wedding

(c) To perform the opening ceremony of the girl’s school

(d) All of the above

Ans. (c) To perform the opening ceremony of the girl’s school

(a) two sons and five daughters

(b) five sons and two daughters

(c) three sons and four daughters

(d) four sons and three daughters

Ans. (c) three sons and four daughters

(a) Collector Ramlal

(b) Tehsildar Ramlal

(c) Inspector Ramlal

(d) Numberdar Ramlal

Ans. (d) Numberdar Ramlal

(a) 3 years

(b) 2 years

(c) 4 years

(d) 5 years

Ans. (b) 2 years

(a) husband

(b) companion

(c) friend

(d) classmate

Ans. (a) husband

Ans. Sulekha is called ‘Bholi’ because she is a simpleton who had suffered some brain damage after falling off a cot when she was ten months old. As a result, she is slow in learning things and also stammered while speaking.

Ans. Bholi suffered from small pox at the age of two years. Her face and body became full of deep, black pock-marks. She was still fortunate as her eyes had remained untouched and were fine.

Ans. Bholi stammered while she spoke and could not tell her name completely when the teacher asked her name. She broke into tears and sat in the corner of the classsroom with her head down.

Ans. Bholi’s parents accepted Bishamber’s marriage proposal because they were happy that Bishamber was well off and had not asked for dowry. They also realised that because of Bholi’s looks, Bishamber would be the perfect match for her.

Ans. Bholi refused to marry Bishamber because he had demanded a dowry of five thousand rupees from her father for the marriage. So, Bholi refused to marry him and called him a greedy coward.

Ans. The Tehsildar Sahib had come to the village to open the first primary school for girls. He told Ramlal that as a revenue official, he is the representative of the government in the village, and so should set an example for the villagers by sending his daug aters to school.

Ans. Bholi consoled her father that even if she did not get married, she would take care of her parents in their old age. She also told them that she would teach in the same school where she had learnt so much.

Ans. Bholi’s father, Rimlal was worried for Bholi because she was an ugly and lumb girl. She had pockmarks on her face and stammered while speaking which might become a hurdle in her ma riage.

Ans. Bholi was sent to school because when the primary school opened in their village the Tehsildar advised her father to send his daughter to the school as an example for the villagers. After talking with his wife, it was decided that if the ugly Bholi went to school, it would not harm their other daughters’ marriage prospects.

Ans. Initially, Bholi was scared to go to school. She cried and sat in the corner of her classroom. However, she was fascinated by the colourful pictɩ res on the walls which were very realistic.

Therefore, Bholi was not completely afraid in the school but did enjoy some part of it because of the kind teacher and the new life that it would bring.

Ans. Yes, Bholi found ner teacher to be different from the people at home. At home, she was neglected and no one paid attention to her.

She never bathe 1, nor were her clothes washed. She was criticised and everyone made fun of her. Her teacher was entirely different. She was kind, soft and affectionate. She encouraged her and filled her with a hope of new life.

Ans. At the time of the marriage, Bishamber asked for a dowry of five thousand rupees because he saw Bholi’s pock-marked face. Ramlal had no choice but to pay. However, Bholi refused to marry the greedy man. Thus, the marriage could not take place.

Ans. Bholi was taken to school for her primary education because when the primary school opened in their village the Tehsildar advised her father to send his daughter to the school as an example for the villagers. After talking with his wife Bholi’s father decided that if the ugly Bholi went to school it would not harm their other daughter’s marriage prospects. This is how Bholi was taken to school for her primary education.

Ans. Bholi had many apprehensions about going to school because the day she was going to school she was forced by her parents to dress nicely. She was bathed and her hair was oiled. She was even given a clean dress to wear. The special way in which everyone treated has made her feel that she was going to a better place.

Ans. Bholi agreed to the unequal match at first to fulfil her parents’ wishes. Later on, she rejected the marriage when the bridegroom asked for dowry. This tells us that Bholi was not a timid and dumb girl. She was aware of her rights. She also knew how to fight for her own dignity and feared no one.

Ans. Bholi had the following character-traits

Simpleton Since her childhood, Sulekha was called Bholi, the simpleton. Her brain got damaged when she fell off a cot at the age of ten months hence, she became a slow child.

Ugly-looking Bholi suffered from small pox when she was two years old and had developed pock-marks all over her face and body except her eyes. Her appearance became ugly and her parents were worried that no one would marry her.

Ignored by her Parents Bholi never bathed and her clothes were never washed. She wore her sister’s old dresses and was ignored by everyone.

Stammered Bholi learnt to speak at the age of five and stammered while speaking. Because of her stammering, everyone made fun of her and mimicked her.

Sincere Student Bholi was slow at learning but because of her hard work and her teacher’s motivation, she became well-educated.

Transformed into a Confident Girl Bholi’s teacher encouraged Bholi and with her help, Bholi became a literate and confident girl who stood up for herself, wanted to serve her parents and who opposed the practice of dowry.

Ans. The best thing the boy’s family gets in wedding is the girl in the form of bride. Anyone demanding material goods is actually insulting the bride. Hence, no girl or woman likes dowry. Dowry makes a wedding a transaction. Whereas it should the union of two families.

In the chapter Bholi also does not like the fact that Mr. Bishamber, the bridegroom demands 5000 rupees as dowry from Bholi’s father. He makes this demand because of Bholi’s pock marks. Mr. Ramlal, Bholi’s father pleads to Mr. Bishamber to reconsider his decision; but he does not relent! It is at this time Bholi stuns everyone! She tells her father she will not marry, Mr. Bishamber, who is both greedy and inhumane. She says she will rather remain spinster than be married to a mean man. She decides she will spend the rest of her life teaching at the school where she had learnt so much. This decision making on the part of Bholi proves that no girl likes dowry because it is a negation to a girl’s dignity.

Ans. Bholi used to stammer and was afraid to speak when she attended school in the beginning. She even cried and isolated herself by sitting in the corner of her classroom. She was timid and did not have confidence due to her stammering while speaking. She was often mocked and mimicked for this reason.

However, Her teacher treated her kindly and encouraged her to have confidence. She taught Bholi to read and write and made her an independent girl who was aware of her rights. It was because of her teacher’s guidance that Bholi developed her personality. Thus, with her kindness, love and affection she changed Bholi’s life.

Ans. Education aids growth and development and also fills one with confidence and courage. In the story ‘Bholi’, school and education completely transforms Bholi.

Initially, she was timid and fearful, as she was ugly and stammered while speaking. She gains a hope of new life with education. She studies and grows into a courageous as well as confident woman. She gets aware of her rights. It was education which made Bholi bold enough to say ‘no’ to Bishamber, when he demanded five thousand rupees as dowry. She not only saves her father from a huge expense but also becomes capable to support her parents in their old age. From a girl who couldn’t speak properly, she transforms into a lady who speaks strongly and is willing to become a teacher and educate others. Education changes her life and she through her education holds the power to change the society and nation.