Updated on 20/06/2026
Ch.-8. Bholi (K.A. Abbas)
1. Who is the author of the story ‘Bholi’?
Ans. K.A. Abbas (Khwaja Ahmad Abbas)
2. What was the real name of ‘Bholi’?
Ans. Sulekha
3. How was Bholi’s physical appearance at the time of her birth?
Ans. She was fair and pretty
4. At what age did Bholi begin to speak?
Ans. At the age of five
5. Who was Ram Lal’s eldest daughter?
Ans. Radha
6. How many siblings did Bholi have?
Ans. Six siblings (three brothers and three sisters)
7. How many daughters did Ram Lal have?
Ans. Four daughters (Radha, Mangla, Champa and Bholi)
8. Who was Laxmi?
Ans. Bholi’s cow
9. What was the name of Bholi’s father?
Ans. Numberdar Ram Lal
10. Which post did Ram Lal hold in the village?
Ans. Numberdar (Village revenue official)
11. Who came to marry Bholi?
Ans. Bishamber Nath
12. How much dowry did Bishamber demand from Ramlal?
Ans. Five thousand rupees (Rs. 5000)
13. Which colourful animal pictures did Bholi see on her school walls?
Ans. A green parrot, a black goat, and a cow resembling Laxmi.
14. How did Bholi find her class teacher’s attitude on her first day in the school?
Ans. Kind, soft and loving
15. Who is compared to ‘a real artist’ at the end of the story?
Ans. Bholi’s school teacher.
16. Why did Bholi refuse to marry Bishamber?
Ans. Because he was a cruel, greedy man who demanded dowry and humiliated her father for money.
Textual Questions
*1. Why is Bholi’s father Ramlal always worried about her future?*
Ans. Bholi's father was worried about her because she was neither beautiful nor intelligent. Bholi suffered from a damaged brain and her skin was covered in ugly black pock-marks from smallpox. She also stammered heavily when she spoke. He was worried how he would find a suitable groom for her.
*2. What were the root causes behind Sulekha's severe stammering?*
Ans. When Sulekha was only ten months old, she fell off her cot, landing on her head. This accident damaged a part of her brain, making her a slow learner. She didn't speak at all until she turned five, and when she finally tried, the other children made fun of her, causing her to lose confidence and start stammering.
*3. Why did Ramlal’s wife agree to send Bholi to school?*
Ans. Ramlal's wife believed that educated girls would never find husbands because no man would want to marry them. However, she agreed to send Bholi to school because she figured Bholi's physical pock-marks and lack of intelligence meant she had no chance of getting married anyway. She decided to let the school teachers worry about her instead.
*4. Does Bholi enjoy her first day at school?*
Ans. Yes, Bholi enjoys her first day at school as she was glad to find so many girls almost of her own age. The bright, colorful pictures of animals on the walls fascinated her, and her teacher's extraordinarily gentle, soothing voice made her feel completely safe for the first time in her life.
*5. Why was Sulekha nicknamed Bholi?*
Ans. Sulekha was nicknamed 'Bholi' (which means a simpleton or an innocent soul) because her early childhood brain injury left her mentally backward. She was quiet, innocent, and mentally slow; anybody could befool her.
*6. Why did Bholi’s parents accept Bishamber’s marriage proposal?*
Ans. Bholi's parents felt that if they did not accept Bishamber's proposal, she might remain unmarried. Her mother said that Bishamber did not know about Bholi's pock-marks and her lack of sense. He was a wealthy grocer with a large shop, his own house, and thousands of rupees in the bank. Hence, they accepted his marriage proposal.
*7. How did Bholi’s teacher play an important role in changing the course of her entire life?*
Ans. Bholi's teacher played an important role in changing the course of her life. She was polite and friendly which touched her heart. She encouraged her every time. The teacher transformed her into a confident person who could read, write and speak clearly.
Long Answer
*1. Why was Ramlal worried about Bholi, and not about his other children?*
Ans. Numberdar Ramlal lived a comfortable life, and his three sons and three eldest daughters (Radha, Mangla, and Champa) were all healthy, intelligent, and physically attractive. His sons were sent to the city for higher studies, his eldest daughter was already married, and the other two were beautiful enough to secure good matches easily. But Bholi (Sulekha) was mentally slow and had chickenpox marks on her face. Bholi's father was worried about her as she was neither beautiful nor intelligent. He was worried how he would find a suitable groom for her. Bholi's parents felt that if they did not accept Bishamber's proposal, she might remain unmarried all her life. Her mother said they were lucky that Bishamber was ready to marry her. Hence, he accepted the marriage proposal.
2. Why did Bholi’s marriage to Bishamber not take place?
Ans. The grand wedding between Bholi and the elderly grocer, Bishamber Nath, fell apart because of Bishamber’s extreme greed and Bholi’s sudden, powerful awakening. During the garland ceremony, a woman slid back Bholi's silken veil, exposing her pock-marked face to the groom. Bishamber immediately took advantage of the situation, halting the ceremony and demanding a dowry of five thousand rupees from her father.
Ramlal wept and placed his turban at the grocer's feet, begging him to accept two thousand rupees instead, but Bishamber refused. To save his family's honor, Ramlal went inside and returned with the five thousand rupees. When Bishamber stepped forward to place the garland around her neck, Bholi struck it away into the sacred fire with a hand like lightning. Speaking clearly and firmly without a single stutter, she told her father to take the money back. She announced to the entire gathering that while she was willing to marry an old, lame man to respect her family, she refused to spend her life tied to a cruel, greedy coward. Her bold stand successfully broke off the marriage, proving that her education had given her the strength to protect her dignity.