Chapter 8 – “Bholi” (by K.A. Abbas)
🟩 Summary (English)
“Bholi” is the story of a simple, shy girl named Sulekha, called Bholi by everyone because she was slow and stammered. As a child, she suffered from smallpox, which left scars on her face. Her parents neglected her, thinking she was useless and would never find a husband.
When a girls’ school opened in her village, her father sent her there unwillingly. But Bholi’s life changed when her kind and patient teacher encouraged her to speak and study. Slowly, Bholi gained confidence and learned to value herself.
Years later, her parents arranged her marriage to a rich but old and greedy man named Bishamber Nath. During the wedding, Bishamber demanded a dowry of ₹5000 after seeing her pock-marked face. Bholi refused to marry him, showing courage and self-respect. She decided to serve her parents and teach in the same school.
At the end, she is called Sulekha again — a sign that she is no longer the innocent “Bholi” but a strong, educated woman.
🟨 सारांश (Hindi Summary)
“भोली” कहानी एक साधारण और डरपोक लड़की सुलेखा की है, जिसे सब भोली कहते थे। बचपन में उसे चेचक हुआ जिससे उसका चेहरा दागदार हो गया और वह हकलाने लगी। परिवार ने उसकी कभी परवाह नहीं की।
जब गाँव में लड़कियों का स्कूल खुला तो उसके पिता ने उसे वहाँ भेज दिया। स्कूल में उसकी शिक्षिका ने बहुत प्यार से उसका आत्मविश्वास बढ़ाया और उसे बोलना सिखाया। धीरे-धीरे भोली पढ़ाई में अच्छी हो गई और आत्मनिर्भर बन गई।
सालों बाद उसके माता-पिता ने उसकी शादी एक बूढ़े और लालची व्यक्ति विशंबर नाथ से तय कर दी। विवाह के समय उसने दहेज में ₹5000 की माँग की। भोली ने यह विवाह करने से मना कर दिया और कहा कि वह अपने माता-पिता की सेवा करेगी तथा उसी स्कूल में पढ़ाएगी जहाँ उसने शिक्षा प्राप्त की थी।
अंत में जब उसे सुलेखा कहा गया, तो यह दर्शाता है कि अब वह समझदार, आत्मनिर्भर और आत्म-सम्मान वाली स्त्री बन चुकी है।
🟦 Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)
Q1. Why was Bholi called a simpleton?
Ans: Because she stammered, was slow in learning, and her brain was slightly damaged when she was a child, everyone thought she was foolish and called her a simpleton.
Q2. What happened to Bholi when she was two years old?
Ans: She had smallpox, which left her face and body covered with dark marks, ruining her beauty.
Q3. How did Bholi’s teacher change her life?
Ans: The teacher treated Bholi with kindness and encouraged her to speak and study. This gave Bholi confidence and changed her entire life.
Q4. Why did Bishamber demand ₹5000 as dowry?
Ans: When Bishamber saw Bholi’s pock-marked face, he became greedy and demanded ₹5000 to marry her.
Q5. What was Bholi’s final decision at her wedding?
Ans: Bholi refused to marry Bishamber because he was greedy and disrespectful. She chose self-respect over marriage.
🟧 Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
Q1. Describe the transformation of Bholi from a shy girl to a confident woman.
Ans:
Bholi was a neglected and timid girl who stammered and was often mocked. Her parents treated her as a burden. When she joined school, her teacher’s encouragement and love changed her completely. She learned to speak confidently and understand her worth. Years later, she refused to marry a greedy man and decided to serve her parents and teach others. Her courage and self-respect showed her true transformation.
Q2. What social message does the story “Bholi” convey?
Ans:
The story gives a strong message about the importance of education for girls. It shows how education can help women become independent and confident. It also criticizes the dowry system and the way society neglects girls who are not beautiful. Bholi’s courage teaches that self-respect is more important than marriage.
🟥 Important CBSE Exam Questions
- Who was Bholi and why was she called so?
- How did education change Bholi’s life?
- What made Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber Nath?
- What role did Bholi’s teacher play in her transformation?
- What message does the story “Bholi” convey about women’s rights and education?
🟩 1. Who was Bholi and why was she called so?
Answer:
Bholi’s real name was Sulekha. She was called Bholi because she was simple, innocent, and a little slow in understanding things. When she was ten months old, she fell off her cot and hurt her head, which affected her brain. Later, smallpox left marks on her face, and she stammered while speaking. People thought she was a foolish girl, so everyone started calling her Bholi (the simpleton).
🟩 2. How did education change Bholi’s life?
Answer:
Education completely transformed Bholi’s life. Earlier, she was shy, scared, and stammered while speaking. But her kind and loving teacher encouraged her to speak with confidence and study hard. Gradually, Bholi gained self-respect and courage. She realized her value and became bold enough to refuse to marry a greedy man. Education made her an independent and self-respecting woman.
🟩 3. What made Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber Nath?
Answer:
Bholi refused to marry Bishamber Nath because he was greedy and heartless. During the wedding, when he saw her pock-marked face, he demanded a dowry of ₹5000. Bholi felt insulted and realized that such a man did not deserve her respect or love. She boldly threw the garland into the fire and refused the marriage, showing her self-respect and courage.
🟩 4. What role did Bholi’s teacher play in her transformation?
Answer:
Bholi’s teacher played a major role in changing her life. She treated Bholi with kindness, love, and patience, unlike others who always insulted her. The teacher encouraged Bholi to speak without fear and made her realize her own worth. Her support helped Bholi gain confidence, overcome her stammer, and become an educated, independent woman.
🟩 5. What message does the story “Bholi” convey about women’s rights and education?
Answer:
The story “Bholi” conveys a strong message about the importance of girls’ education and women’s self-respect. It shows how education can give confidence and power to women to fight social evils like dowry and gender discrimination. Through Bholi’s transformation, the author K.A. Abbas emphasizes that every girl has the right to education and equality.
🟩 6. Describe the transformation of Bholi from a timid girl to a confident woman.
Answer:
Bholi was once a frightened, neglected girl who stammered and was ridiculed by everyone. Her parents ignored her, considering her a burden. But her schoolteacher changed her life by giving her love and confidence. Education made Bholi aware of her rights and dignity. Later, she boldly refused to marry a greedy man and decided to live with self-respect. This shows her journey from fear to confidence.
🟩 7. What social evils are highlighted in the story “Bholi”?
Answer:
The story highlights several social evils such as:
- Gender discrimination – girls are considered a burden.
- Neglect of girl child – girls are not given education or care.
- Dowry system – the demand for money by the groom.
- Superficial beauty standards – a girl’s worth is judged by her looks.
Through Bholi’s courage and education, the author shows that these evils can be defeated when girls become educated and self-reliant.
🟩 8. Why was Bholi’s father worried about her?
Answer:
Bholi’s father, Ramlal, was worried because she was neither beautiful nor intelligent. Her face was full of pock-marks, and she stammered while speaking. He feared that no one would marry her, and she would remain a burden on the family.
🟩 9. Why did Ramlal send Bholi to school?
Answer:
When the Tehsildar insisted that Ramlal, being a government official, should set an example by sending his daughters to school, Ramlal’s wife agreed to send only Bholi. She thought that since Bholi was ugly and foolish, there was no harm in sending her to school as no one would marry her anyway.
🟩 10. What happened at the end of the story?
Answer:
At the end, Bholi refused to marry Bishamber Nath because of his greed for dowry. She boldly declared that she would not marry such a man. She decided to stay with her parents and serve them, and also teach in the same school where she studied. Her teacher was proud of her, and everyone was surprised to see her courage.