NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English

Bholi NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9

Bholi NCERT Text Book Questions and Answers

Bholi Read and Find out

Question 1.
Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?
Answer:
Bholi’s father was worried about her because she was a retarded child with pockmarks all over her  face. He was worried as it was not easy to marry her off. Moreover, she was not intelligent also.

Question 2.
For what unusual reasons is Bholi sent to school?
Answer:
Bholi was sent to school to set an example for other villagers to send their daughters to school. Her mother was confident that due to her ugly face and lack of intelligence, there was no fear of the society as there was no chance of her getting married.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 3.
Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?
Answer:
Bholi was quite pleased to wear the new dress. She was excited as she met other girls of her age in the school. She expected to find a good friend among these girls.

Question 4.
Does she find her teacher different from the people at home?
Answer:
She finds her teacher different from the people at home as the teacher talked to her in a soft and soothing voice whereas at home, she was always ill-treated. The teacher showered her with great affection and encouraged her to talk comfortably.

Question 5.
Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents accepted Bishamber’s proposal because he was a well-to-do bridegroom and he was also not demanding any dowry from them.

Question 6.
Why does the marriage not take place?
Answer:
The marriage could not be solemnised because Bishamber started demanding a huge amount of five thousand rupees, which Ramlal was unable to pay and the marriage was cancelled. Finally, Bholi also refused to marry a greedy person who insulted her father for money.

Bholi Think About it

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?
Answer:
Bholi was the youngest daughter of Ramlal. Her mental growth was slow because of a fall from the cot on her head. She had pock-marks on her face because of smallpox. She was not treated nicely at home. She was always given old dresses of her elder sisters to wear. Nobody cared to mend or wash her clothes.

When her parents decided to send her to school, she was very much scared because she had never seen a school, heard about a school. She remembered how their old cow Lakshmi had been turned out of the house and sold some days ago. She had the same thought for herself also.

But when she was going to school, she got a neat and clean dress to wear. She was bathed and oil was rubbed into her dry and matted hair. Only then she began to believe that she was being taken to a place better than home. All her apprehensions and fears about going to school were no more there and she started going to school.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 2.
How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her life?
Answer:
Bholi was a totally ignored and the youngest daughter of Ramlal. She was mentally a slow child, had pock-marks on the face, she stammered while speaking and everybody made fun of her. When she was taken to school for the first time, she was very much scared. But when she reached the school, all her fears went away because her teacher was a gem. She made Bholi comfortable and relaxed with her nice and affectionate behaviour. She fully sympathised with Bholi and tried to create some confidence in her. She encouraged Bholi and turned her into a bold and confident girl.

Her father fixed her marriage with Bishamber Nath, a neighbouring grocer who was already married and father of grown-up children. He was a shameless and mean fellow. When he saw Bholi at the marriage platform, found her pock-marks, he started asking for dowry of five thousand rupees. But Bholi showed her courage and spirit that had been imparted to her by her teacher only, refused straightforward to marry such a mean, greedy, worthless and contemptible fellow.

Everybody was – stunned to see this bold and daring face of Bholi as all of them had taken her to be a dumb silent cow which could be treated either way. Bholi promised to serve her parents in their old age and help other children in the school. It all happened because of her teacher’s love and support.

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?
Answer:
Bholi was the youngest daughter of Ramlal. Her elder sisters were married. But Bholi had a slow mental growth, had pock-marks of smallpox and she stammered while speaking. Parents were much worried about her marriage because of their daughter’s shortcomings. Bholi gave her consent to an unequal match when a proposal was offered by Bishamber Nath from a neighbouring village. Bishamber Nath was an aged greedy widower, businessman with a good bank balance and did not know the weaknesses of Bholi.

But later she rejected the marriage when she saw the hidden and real greedy face of Bishamber Nath for dowry. At the time of wedding when Bishamber Nath saw her face with pock-marks, he tried to encash the situation and asked for five thousand rupees. At this Bholi got annoyed and refused to marry such a greedy and contemptible fellow.

We come to know about Sulekha that she was a new-faced confident girl, who could not tolerate injustice to her and her parents and made her teacher proud by her brave and daring act.

Question 4.
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We are told this right at the beginning. But in the last paragraph of the story Bholi is called Sulekha again. Why do you think she is called Sulekha at that point in the story?
Answer:
Bholi’s real name is Sulekha. We come to know this at the beginning only but since her childhood everyone had called her Bholi — a simpleton. A pock-marked, stammering simple girl tolerated everything and never reacted. But only at the end in the last but one paragraph she has again been called as Sulekha that shows that she is no more a dumb cow by now which will never retaliate to the wrongs. With the impact of education and her teacher’s attempts, she has been turned into a rebel, confident and mature girl. She is no more a Bholi innocent lamb which will not react to the society. That is why she is called as Sulekha a new face of Bholi, a girl of substance at that point of story.

Bholi Extra Questions and Answers

Bholi Short Answer Questions

Question 1.
God created this world but teachers create human beings. How did Bholi’s teacher succeed in changing the course of her life?
Answer:
The teacher gives desired encouragement, inspires her with love. She changes her into a bold and confident girl. She protests at her marriage and refuses to get married with an aged, greedy, coward and mindless person. It transforms her life.

Question 2.
Why did Bholi at first agree to an unequal match?
Answer:
Bholi agreed for the sake of her parents. Their honour was at stake.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 3.
Why did Bholi later reject the marriage? What does this tell us about her?
Answer:
She rejected the groom because the bridegroom proved greedy, mean and hateful coward. He had demanded dowry because she had pock-marks on her face. She remained no longer a dumb cow, but became an independent girl of great confidence due to the efforts of her teachers.

Question 4.
Why did Bholi’s parents think her ‘a dumb cow’?
Answer:
Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. She was a simple girl. Everyone called her Bholi, the simpleton. She was a slow learner. She was not a good looking girl. She stammered also.

Question 5.
How did Bholi turn out to be an outspoken and a fearless girl?
Answer:
Bholi was sent to the village school which transformed her into a bold girl. Her teacher’s encouragement and affection gave her a new hope and new life. She became a sharp outspoken and fearless girl.

Question 6.
What was Bholi’s experience at school on the first day? Did she enjoy it? Give a suitable answer.
Answer:
On her first day in the school, Bholi felt alone and fearful in the new surroundings. She was happy to see many girls of her age. The coloured pictures made her happy on this very day. The soft and soothing voice of her teacher calling her ‘Bholi’ touched her heart.

Question 7.
What kind of treatment is given to Bholi by her parents? Is it justified?
Answer:
Bholi was the fourth child in her family. She was different from her other siblings. She had a disfigured face. She had black pock-marks. She was a slow learner. She used to stammer also. She was not given proper treatment at home. The treatment given to Bholi cannot be justified. There should not be any discrimination against handicapped in the family.

Question 8.
Why did Bishamber refuse to marry Bholi?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. She was not a good looking girl. She had pock-marks on her body and face. When Bishamber was about to garland Bholi, the silken veil from her face was slipped back. When Bishamber saw the pock-marks on her face, he refused to marry her.

Question 9.
When did Bholi realize that she was going to a better place than her home?
Answer:
Bholi was given a new dress to wear. Earlier she used to wear the used clothes of her sisters. She was given a bath. Her hair were oiled. These unusual things made her feel that she was going to a better place than her home.

Question 10.
How did Bholi react when her father caught her by the hand to take her to school? Why?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. When her father held her hand and told her that they were going to school, she got frightened. She recalled how a cow was taken out of house for sale. She thought that she was being dragged out of the house.

Question 11.
What were Ramlal and his wife’s plans regarding Bholi’s marriage?
Answer:
Bholi was not a normal child. Her parents knew that they would not be able to get her married. They got a proposal from Bishamber for Bholi. They readily agreed saying that Bholi would be lucky to get such a well-to-do bridegroom. Bishamber was as old as Ramlal and had children from his first wife.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 12.
Why did the Tehsildar come to Ramlal’s village? What did he ask Ramlal to do?
Answer:
He came to Randal’s village to inaugurate the newly opened primary school. The Tehsildar told Ramlal that he was the revenue officer and the representative of the government, therefore, he should be the first one to send his daughters to school.

Question 13.
Why did Bholi talk very little as a child?
Answer:
Bholi was a simpleton. She was unable to speak till the age of five. When she learnt to speak, she used to stammer. All the children of her age made fun of her. As a result, she talked very little. She was an introvert child.

Question 14.
Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?
Answer:
Sulekha was a slow child from the very beginning. She was a simpleton. Her brain was also damaged in her childhood resulting in her being slow, that is why she was called “Bholi”, a simpleton.

Question 15.
Why did Bholi look at Bishamber with cold contempt?
Answer:
Bholi’s parents arranged her marriage with Bishamber who was a 45-50 year-old widower. At the time of marriage, Bishamber demanded five thousand rupees as dowry as a compensation for Bholi’s ugly looks. Bholi refused to marry him and looked at him with cold contempt.

Question 16.
Why was Bholi reluctant to go to school with her father?
Answer:
Bholi did not know what a school was like. She remembered how their old cow had been turned out of the house and sold. Therefore, she was frightened and was reluctant to go to school with her father.

Question 17.
What happened to Bholi (Sulekha) when she was ten months old?
Answer:
When Bholi was ten months old, she (Sulekha) had fallen off the cot on her head and it had damaged some part of her brain.

Question 18.
Why did the other children make fun of Bholi?
Answer:
All the children of her age made fun of Bholi as she was a simpleton and different from others. Her speech was not clear. She used to stammer. Her introvert nature and stammering were the source of fun and entertainment for the children of her age. They always made fun of Bholi.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 19.
Why had Ramlal agreed to send his daughter to school?
Answer:
Ramlal was the revenue official of his village. The Tehsildar had inaugurated the school and he had told Ramlal to send his daughters to school. And Ramlal could not disobey the Tehsildar.

Question 20.
How did Bholi feel when the teacher asked her name?
Answer:
Bholi was very nervous when the teacher asked her name. She started sweating and stammering. But the teacher’s loving and kind attitude made her feel comfortable.

Question 21.
Why did Ramlal not send all his daughters to school?
Answer:
Ramlal had four daughters. Ramlal was not in favour of girls’ education. He thought that it would not help his daughters in their life. The first three daughters were already married. Bholi was the fourth daughter. She was the only one left who could be sent to school.

Bholi Long Answer Questions

Question 1.
Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. How did Bholi, an educated girl, face the
challenge posed by Bishambar’s greed? [2017]
Answer:
Education is always a great asset in the life of a woman. It is one of the most critical areas of empowerment for women. Bholi, an educated girl at first agreed to marry an old man because her father’s honour was at stake; thereby she placed her family’s interest over her own. However, later she refused to marry him because she saw how greedy and contemptible he was.

By demanding a hefty dowry, Bishamber took advantage of her bad looks and the desperateness of her father to get her married. That’s the reason why he rejected the marriage and shut the mouth of her detractors who called her shameless. All these were possible because education gave her the confidence needed to face a situation boldly.

Question 2.
“Don’t you worry, Pitaji! In your old age I will serve you and mother”. Through this statement the narrator wants to highlight the moral qualities Bholi was imbued with. Based on the reading of the lesson, what made Bholi aware of her rights and how did she use them?
Answer:
Bholi was an ignorant daughter of Ramlal. Her father fixed her marriage with Bishamber Nath, an aged fellow and father of grown-up children. Bishamber asked for heavy dowry. Bholi showed courage not to marry such a mean and greedy fellow. Bholi promised to serve her parents in their old age.

With the impact of education and her teacher’s endeavour, she became mature and confident. She became aware of her rights. It was education that made Bholi aware of her rights to raise the voice against dowry.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 3.
“Dowry is a negation of a girl’s dignity.” Prove this statement in the light of the story ‘Bholi’. How can this evil be eradicated from our society?
Answer:
Dowry is a curse on our society. It has become a monster now. Dowry, no doubt, is a negation of a girl’s dignity. Bishamber refused to accept Bholi because of her looks. The moment he saw her face full of pock-marks, he refused to marry her. He did not care for her dignity. But he was ready to marry that ugly girl if her father would give him five thousand rupees as dowry. He was ready to compromise with her looks in exchange of money. It was a sheer negation of Bholi’s dignity. Education of girls is the most powerful weapon against this evil.

Question 4.
On the basis of your understanding of the story, describe the role of the teacher, in Bholi’s life. What does it talk about her character?
Answer:
Bholi was a slow child from the beginning. Due to smallpox, her face had pock-marks which made her look different from other students. Her speech was not clear and she used to stammer. That is why, she was slower than other children. Even her parents called her dumb and witless. However, she was sent to school where her teacher changed her life.

Bholi’s teacher played a significant role in her life. She gave her encouragement and confidence to learn. She became an educated and a bold girl. Due to Bholi’s teacher, she was able to take charge of her life. It was love, compassion and sympathy in the teacher that transformed the life of Bholi. Every teacher must be like her to bring a change in society.

Question 5.
Bholi has multiple handicaps she is a girl. She has pock-marks, she stammers. How can we change the social attitudes towards the differently abled?
Answer:
Bholi is physically challenged. She is a slow girl. She has pock-marks and also stammers. What difference does it make? She is a human being and she should also be treated and honoured like other human beings. If a person lacks something on the one hand, he or she is compensated on the other by God. We see so many examples and instances in the society which prove that disability of any kind is not an obstacle in one’s life. Helen Keller was blind but proved to be a successful writer at the end.

Sudha Chandran is an example of indomitable will, who, despite losing one leg, became a dancer of world-fame. The social attitude towards these people should not be one of pity. They should be appreciated that in spite of their weakness, they are struggling hard to survive. The society will have to change its attitude towards differently abled people.

Question 6.
Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barriers by encouraging and motivating her. A teacher can transform a student by encouragement and motivation. Do you agree? What do you expect from your teacher?
Answer:
Bholi’s teacher helped her overcome social barrier. Bholi was a differently abled girl. She lacked confidence. She had an inferiority complex. When she was sent to school, her teacher transformed her from a dumb cow to a bold girl. No doubt it was the encouragement and motivation by her teacher that helped her. A teacher can transform a slow learner, dumb student to a confident person.

It is not only the knowledge that a teacher should impart, but he/she must boost confidence among his/her students. A word of appreciation by the teacher motivates a student and boosts up his/her morale and confidence. We expect that our teachers treat the children with compassion and sympathy. Their love for their students is a source of inspiration for them.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi

Question 7.
Most of the women in our society suffer silently because they dont’ know their rights. How does awareness help us? What would you suggest to bring awareness about the rights of women?
Answer:
Yes, it is true that most of the women in our society suffer because they don’t know their rights. We all are born equal with equal rights and duties. There should not be any discrimination between boys and girls. Our constitution has given us equal rights. Unfortunately, there is a lack of awareness and women don’t know their rights.

Those women who are aware of their rights have courage to oppose injustice. An educated woman is free from any such exploitation. Bholi in the story was ready to compromise with her fate because she did not know her rights. But when she was educated, she raised her voice against the evil of dowry and refused to marry Bishamber. In my opinion, awareness about the rights can be spread through education only.

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