"Jalebis" is a delightful story written by the famous Urdu writer Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi. The story is about a schoolboy named Munna, who is given five rupees by his mother to pay his school fees. On the way to school, the tempting smell of hot jalebis from a sweet shop fills the air. Munna tries to resist, but the golden, syrup-soaked jalebis are too tempting. He decides to buy some jalebis and eat them, telling himself that he will pay the fees somehow later.
The story is a humorous and thoughtful account of temptation, greed and its consequences. Munna spends all his money on jalebis and then panics, worrying about how he will pay the fees. He tries many tricks, including praying to God, but nothing works. In the end, he learns a valuable lesson about the dangers of temptation and the importance of self-control. The story is told in a warm, entertaining style that makes it easy for readers to understand Munna's feelings.
Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi (1916-2006) was one of the most important Urdu writers of the twentieth century. He was a poet, short story writer and journalist who wrote with great warmth and understanding of human nature. His stories often focus on the lives of ordinary people, especially children, and combine humour with deep insight. "Jalebis" is one of his most famous stories, translated into English for the NCERT textbook, and it shows his skill in capturing the innocent yet mischievous mind of a schoolboy.
Munna was a schoolboy who lived in a village. One day, his mother gave him five rupees to pay his school fees. On his way to school, he passed a sweet shop where a fresh batch of jalebis was being fried. The smell was irresistible - hot, golden jalebis dipped in syrup. Munna tried to convince himself that he should pay the fees first, but the temptation was too strong. He decided to buy a small quantity of jalebis.
Munna bought jalebis and ate them. But one small serving was not enough. He bought more and more, until he had spent all five rupees on jalebis. He ate as many as he could and even threw some to the crows. His greed had consumed all the money that was meant for his school fees.
Now Munna was in serious trouble. He had no money left to pay the fees. He became very worried and scared. He thought about telling his parents but was too afraid. He even prayed to God, promising to be good if the money could be restored. But nothing happened. The money was gone, spent on jalebis.
Munna worried all day and could not focus on his studies. He was afraid of what would happen when the teacher asked for the fees. However, a strange thing happened - the fees were somehow managed, and Munna escaped the immediate punishment. Years later, as an adult, Munna still remembers the lesson of the jalebis. He realised that temptation can lead us into trouble, and that we must control our desires and act with honesty and responsibility.
| Character | Role | Key Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Munna | The schoolboy | Innocent, tempted, greedy at first |
| Munna's Mother | His caring mother | Trusting, loving |
| The Sweet Shop Vendor | The seller of jalebis | Business-like, tempting |
| The Crows | Munna's companions | Symbols of wasted money |
Munna is a character that every reader can recognise, because his struggle between duty and desire is universal. He is not a bad boy; he is simply a child who is suddenly handed a responsibility and is too weak to resist a strong temptation. When his mother gives him five rupees for his school fees, she trusts him completely. Munna, in turn, wants to honour that trust, but the hot, golden jalebis are too attractive for a hungry boy on the way to school. His decision to buy just a few jalebis, promising himself that he will manage the fees later, is a very human way of making peace with one's conscience.
The story gains depth through Munna's inner voice. As he eats the jalebis, he keeps arguing with himself, trying to convince himself that everything will be fine. When the money is gone, his panic is described with humour and sympathy - he prays, he worries, and he imagines the worst punishments. The crows that share his jalebis add a comic touch, but they also symbolise the foolish waste of a hard-earned trust. Years later, looking back, Munna understands that his childish mistake taught him a lesson that no textbook could: that giving in to temptation is easy, but paying for it later is difficult, and that honesty and self-control protect a person from many regrets.
The central theme is temptation and its consequences. Munna's greed leads him to spend the fee money on jalebis. A second theme is self-control and honesty: the story teaches that we must control our desires and be honest about our actions. A third theme is the importance of responsibility: Munna fails to fulfil his duty of paying the fees. The theme of humour in everyday life is also present, as the story treats Munna's misadventure with warmth and gentle comedy.
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Humour | Munna throwing jalebis to the crows | Creates a comic effect |
| Internal Conflict | Munna's struggle between duty and temptation | Shows character development |
| Dialogue | Conversations with the vendor and at home | Moves the story forward |
| Symbolism | The jalebis symbolise temptation | Gives the story depth |
| Flashback | Munna recalling his boyhood as an adult | Adds perspective and the lesson |
| Step | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mother gives Munna five rupees for fees |
| 2 | The smell of jalebis tempts him |
| 3 | He buys and eats jalebis |
| 4 | He spends all the money |
| 5 | He panics and prays |
| 6 | He learns a lesson about temptation |
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Money given | Five rupees |
| Purpose | To pay school fees |
| What Munna bought | Jalebis |
| Lesson | Control temptation and be responsible |
"Jalebis" is a warm, humorous and wise story about a schoolboy's battle with temptation. Munna, entrusted with five rupees for his school fees, is led astray by the delicious smell of jalebis and spends every rupee on them. His subsequent panic, prayers and worry are vividly described, and the story ends with a valuable lesson that Munna never forgets. The story teaches us that temptation can cloud our judgment, that we must control our desires, and that honesty and responsibility are always better than momentary pleasure. Through this simple tale, Ahmed Nadeem Qasimi reminds us that the sweetest rewards come from self-control, not from giving in to our cravings.