NCERT MCQ Solutions for Class 10 English Supplementary Chapter 8 Bholi

Bholi’s real name is Sulekha, but she is called Bholi, which means simpleton, because of her intellectual and physical challenges resulting from childhood accidents and illness.

Due to a fall in childhood and an attack of smallpox, Bholi suffered both intellectual and physical setbacks, leading people to consider her backward and simple, thus calling her Bholi.

When Bholi was two, she had smallpox, which disfigured her body with deep black marks but spared her eyes. The marks affected her appearance and prospects.

Bholi was the youngest of Ramlal’s seven children, having three brothers and three sisters. She was neglected at home compared to her siblings, who were healthy and strong.

Ramlal’s wife reluctantly agreed to send Bholi to school because she thought no one would marry Bholi due to her looks and lack of sense, so education was not a threat to marriage prospects.

Bholi was terrified when her father took her to school, fearing she was being abandoned, but later she felt hope after receiving kindness from her teacher.

Bholi’s teacher showed her warmth, affection and encouragement, which was new to Bholi. The teacher helped her overcome fear and start speaking with confidence.

With encouragement, Bholi managed to say her name out loud for the first time without severe stammering, which filled her with hope and happiness.

The teacher promised Bholi that if she continued her studies, she would become more learned than anyone else in the village, giving Bholi a sense of purpose and pride.

Bishamber Nath, a well-to-do grocer from another village, came to marry Bholi, seeing an opportunity since she was less likely to demand a dowry.

Bishamber was much older than Bholi and had a limp. He was also a widower with grown-up children but was considered a good match because he was wealthy.

On seeing Bholi’s pock-marked face, Bishamber demanded five thousand rupees from Ramlal to proceed with the marriage, threatening to leave otherwise.

After pleading failed, Ramlal tearfully paid Bishamber the full amount, fearing public humiliation if the marriage was called off.

Summoning courage, Bholi refused to marry Bishamber, condemning his greed and cowardice in front of everyone, asserting her dignity for the first time.

The guests and her family were shocked and saw her as shameless for refusing the match, highlighting the social stigma attached to women’s independence.

Bholi chose to dedicate herself to caring for her aging parents and teaching at the same school that empowered her, displaying self-respect and compassion.

Bholi’s education and the support of her teacher helped her find her voice, confidence and self-respect, allowing her to stand up for her dignity.

The teacher, who had guided Bholi, watched with satisfaction, feeling proud that Bholi asserted herself and refused to accept injustice or humiliation.

Bholi’s journey shows how education transformed a neglected, timid girl into a confident, self-respecting woman, capable of making her own decisions and demanding dignity.

The story centers on Bholi’s struggle for acceptance and self-worth, ultimately highlighting how support, education and self-belief can empower women to challenge societal injustice and demand respect.