NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Chapter 9 Bholi

NCERT Solutions for CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi are provided here. This story is written by K.A. Abbas and includes many questions that are important for exams. We have solved all the NCERT questions of the lesson with a detailed explanation that help students to complete their assignments & homework. We have provided NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 Bholi in PDF format so that you can download them for offline use.

Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Chapter 9 NCERT Questions and Answers

Read and Find Out (Page No. 54)

Question 1. Why is Bholi’s father worried about her?

Answer: Bholi was not like other children. She fell off a cot as a child due to which her brain was slightly damaged. She learnt to speak very late and used to stammer. Her face and whole body was covered with pockmarks. Thus, her father was worried about her marriage prospects.

Question 2. For what unusual reason is Bholi sent to school?

Answer: The tehsildar had performed the opening ceremony of the primary school for girls that had just opened in Ramlal’s village. He told Ramlal that as he was a representative of the government in the village, he should set an example for the villagers by sending his daughters to the school. When Ramlal discussed this matter with his wife, she said that if girls were sent to school, no one would marry them. Since Ramlal did not have the courage to disobey the tehsildar, his wife suggested that they should send Bholi to the school. She felt that as there were little chances of her getting married with her ugly face and lack of sense, she might as well go to the school.

Read and Find Out (Page No. 55)

Question 1. Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?

Answer: Bholi was afraid at first. She even wept when the teacher asked her name. She just sat in a corner. But, the beautiful pictures on the clttssroom wall attracted her. The gentle, kind and loving manner of her teacher made her comfortable. She was looking forward to her new life by the time the first day ended. Thus, although initially she did not enjoy it, but by the time she went home she had liked school.

Question 2. Does she find her teacher to be different from the people at home?

Answer: Yes, she found her teacher different from the people at home. Her teacher was very kind and spoke to her affectionately. She did not scold or command her, but encouraged her in a soothing voice. She told her that in time, she would be more learned than anyone else in the village, and no one would ever be able to laugh at her. People would listen to her and respect her. This filled Bholi with a new hope.

Read and Find Out (Page No. 58)

Question 1. Why do Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?

Answer: Bholi’s parents accepted Bishamber’s marriage proposal because they thought that Bholi might never get another marriage proposal and might stay unmarried for her entire life. Bishamber was a well-to-do grocer and had not asked for dowry too.

Question 2. Why does the marriage not take place?

Answer: The marriage did not take place because Bholi refused to marry Bishamber. When the groom saw that her face was covered with pock-marks, he declared that he would marry her only if her father paid him a dowry of five thousand rupees. Bishamber did not budge from his stand in spite of repeated pleadings by Ramlal. Finally, Ramlal placed the dowry amount at the groom’s feet. Consequently, when Bishamber was about to place the garland around Bholi’s neck, she struck out her hand and the garland was flung into the fire. She said that she was willing to marry that man only because of her father’s honour. However, on seeing that the man was mean, greedy and contemptible, she had decided not to go ahead with the marriage.

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 had many apprehensions about going to school. She had seen Lakshmi, their old cow, getting sold out.

When Bholi was given clean clothes to wear, was bathed and her hair was oiled, she felt that she was going to a better place than her home.

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

Answer: Bholi stammered and was just a bundle of nerves when she attended school in the beginning. Her teacher treated her kindly and encouraged her to have confidence and be bold. She taught her to read and write and made her an independent girl who was aware of her rights. Thus, she changed her life.

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

Answer: At first, Bholi had agreed to marry an old man because of her father’s honour, thereby placing her family’s interest over her own. However, she later refused to marry him because she saw how mean, greedy and contemptible he was. By demanding a hefty dowry, he took advantage of her bad looks and the desperateness of her father to get her married. This is why she rejected the marriage and silenced everybody else who called her shameless. This tells us that Bholi had grown in confidence and could very well speak for herself.

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?

Answer: The word Bholi means a simpleton. Throughout the story she had been a simpleton who hardly expressed her opinion on any matter. The word Sulekha means ‘a person with a beautiful sense of letters. In this story this word has a larger meaning of being a literate, intelligent and mature individual. After her education, Bholi has really changed to Sulekha and her assertion at the time of her marriage is her announcement to the world that she is no more a Bholi, but is a Sulekha.

Talk About It

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 ?

Answer: We can contribute by saying no to taking or giving dowry. We must not discriminate between a boy and a girl. Both should be given equal rights and opportunities to grow. We must also learn to respect those who are differently abled and treat them at par.

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 girl’s rights and boy’s rights?

Answer: Yes, girls should definitely be aware of their rights and assert them. Girls and boys must have the same rights, duties and privileges.

People treat boys and girls differently, especially in villages and small towns. Parents tend to spend more on the education of boys as compared to girls. They train their daughters to be polite, calm and an expert at household chores.

When we speak of ‘human rights’, law does not differentiate between girls’ rights and boys’ rights. But this disparity occurs in the society.

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.)

Answer: No, we do not think so. They spoke in Hindi. Several words like ‘numbsrdar, tehsildar sahib, izzat and pitaji’ are ample proof of that. Even the names of characters like ‘Randal’ and ‘Bholi’ support that.