How I Taught My Grandmother to Read (Part-1)

 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

Summary of the Text "How I Taught My Grandmother to Read":

The story is a touching autobiographical account by Sudha Murty about her relationship with her grandmother, Krishna. The narrator recalls an incident from her childhood that deeply impacted both of them.

When Sudha was a young girl, her grandmother was very fond of listening to stories. One of her favorites was a Kannada novel called Kashi Yatre, written by Triveni. Since her grandmother was illiterate, Sudha used to read the story aloud to her every week when the magazine arrived.

The novel revolved around an old woman who longed to go on a pilgrimage to Kashi (Varanasi), but eventually sacrifices her dream to help a young orphan girl get married. The story deeply moved the grandmother, and she eagerly waited each week to hear the next part.

One day, Sudha had to go to a nearby village for a wedding and stayed there for a week. During that time, the next installment of Kashi Yatre was published. The grandmother felt helpless and sad because she couldn’t read the story on her own. She realized how dependent she was on others due to her illiteracy.

When Sudha returned, she found her grandmother upset. The grandmother then made a firm decision: she wanted to learn how to read and write, even at the age of 62. She asked Sudha to teach her.

Sudha agreed and began teaching her grandmother the Kannada alphabet with patience and dedication. The grandmother worked very hard and practiced regularly, determined to achieve her goal.

On the day of Saraswati Puja, the grandmother surprised Sudha by reading a passage from Kashi Yatre on her own. This was a proud and emotional moment for both of them. As a mark of respect, the grandmother even touched Sudha’s feet, considering her as her teacher.

Message of the Story

The story teaches that learning has no age limit. With strong willpower and dedication, anyone can overcome obstacles. It also highlights how education empowers individuals and gives them independence and dignity.

Explanation Of the Text (Part-I)

Text

When I was a girl of about twelve, I used to stay in a village in north Karnataka with my grandparents. Those days, the transport system was not very good, so we used to get the morning paper only in the afternoon. The weekly magazine used to come one day late. All of us would wait eagerly for the bus, which used to come with the papers, weekly magazines and the post.

 At that time, Triveni was a very popular writer in the Kannada language. She was a wonderful writer. Her style was easy to read and very convincing. Her stories usually dealt with complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people and were always very interesting. Unfortunately for Kannada literature, she died very young. Even now, after forty years, people continue to appreciate her novels.

Word meaning

Transport system – the means of travelling from one place to another

Eagerly – with excitement and interest

Weekly magazine – a magazine published once every week

Psychological – related to the mind and feelings

Appreciate – to value or admire something

Explanation

This passage describes the narrator’s childhood in a village in North Karnataka, where newspapers and magazines arrived late due to poor transport. The family eagerly waited for them, especially for the works of Triveni, a popular Kannada author. She was known for her simple yet powerful writing style and for exploring complex psychological issues in ordinary people’s lives. Though she died young, her novels continue to be appreciated even after many years.

Text

One of her novels, called Kashi Yatre, was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera then. It is the story of an old lady and her ardent desire to go to Kashi or Varanasi. Most Hindus believe that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya. This old lady also believed in this, and her struggle to go there was described in that novel. In the story there was also a young orphan girl who falls in love but there was no money for the wedding. In the end, the old lady gives away all her savings without going to Kashi. She says, ‘The happiness of this orphan girl is more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi.’ 

Word Meaning

Ardent – very strong or passionate
Desire – a strong wish
Punya – religious merit or spiritual reward
Struggle – to try hard despite difficulties
Orphan – a child whose parents are dead
Worshipping – showing devotion to a god

Explanation

The novel Kashi Yatre tells the story of an old woman who dreams of going to Varanasi to gain religious merit by worshipping Lord Vishweshwara. However, when she meets a poor orphan girl who cannot afford her wedding, the old woman sacrifices her dream and gives all her savings to help the girl. She realizes that helping someone in need is more meaningful than performing religious rituals.

Text

My grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school so she could not read. Every Wednesday the magazine would come and I would read the next episode of this story to her. During that time she would forget all her work and listen with the greatest concentration. Later, she could repeat the entire text by heart. My grandmother too never went to Kashi, and she identified herself with the novel’s protagonist. So more than anybody else she was the one most interested in knowing what happened next in the story and used to insist that I read the serial out to her.

After hearing what happened next in Kashi Yatre, she would join her friends at the temple courtyard where we children would also gather to play hide and seek. 

Word Meaning

Protagonist – the main character of a story
Insist – to demand firmly
Serial – a story published in parts over time
Temple courtyard – open space near or inside a temple 
Hide and seek – a children’s game where one hides and others search

Explanation

The narrator’s grandmother, Krishtakka, was illiterate and could not read, so every Wednesday the narrator would read the next episode of Kashi Yatre to her. She listened with deep attention and could even remember the story by heart. Since she had never been to Varanasi, she strongly connected with the old woman in the story. She eagerly waited to hear what would happen next. After listening, she would go to the temple courtyard to share the story with her friends, while the children played nearby.

 Text

She would discuss the latest episode with her friends. At that time, I never understood why there was so much of debate about the story. 

Once I went for a wedding with my cousins to the neighbouring village. In those days, a wedding was a great event. We children enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. We would eat and play endlessly, savouring the freedom because all the elders were busy. I went for a couple of days but ended up staying there for a week. 

When I came back to my village, I saw my grandmother in tears. I was surprised, for I had never seen her cry even in the most difficult situations. What had happened? I was worried.

Word Meaning

Savouring – enjoying something fully

Ended up – finally resulted in

Explanation

The grandmother used to discuss each new episode of the story with her friends, though the narrator did not understand their excitement. Once, the narrator went to a nearby village for a wedding and stayed longer than planned, enjoying freedom and fun with cousins. When she returned home, she was shocked to find her grandmother crying, something she had never seen before, and became worried about what had happened.

Text

 “Avva, is everything all right? Are you okay?”

 I used to call her Avva, which means mother in the Kannada spoken in north Karnataka.

 She nodded but did not reply. I did not understand and forgot about it. In the night, after dinner, we were sleeping in the open terrace of our house. It was a summer night and there was a full moon. Avva came and sat next to me. Her affectionate hands touched my forehead. I realised she wanted to speak. I asked her, "What is the matter?"

‘When I was a young girl, I lost my mother. There was nobody to look after and guide me. My father was a busy man and got married again. In those days people never considered education essential for girls, so I never went to school. I got married very young and had children. I became very busy. Later I had grandchildren and always felt so much happiness in cooking and feeding all of you. At times I used to regret not going to school, so I made sure that my children and grandchildren studied well...'

Word Meaning

Avva – mother (in Kannada)

Nodded – moved the head up and down to show agreement

Terrace – open roof of a house

Affectionate – showing love and care

Forehead – the front part of the head above the eyes

Realised – understood something clearly

Guide – to show the right path or direction

Essential – very important or necessary

Regret – to feel sad about something not done

Explanation

The narrator asks her grandmother (Avva) if she is okay, but she does not reply. Later that night, under the moonlight, Avva shares her past. She explains that she lost her mother at a young age and never got the chance to go to school because girls’ education was not valued then. She got married early and became busy with family life. Although she sometimes regretted not being educated, she ensured that her children and grandchildren received proper education.

Key Themes

• Importance of education at any age
• Determination and self-respect
• Emotional bond between grandmother and granddaughter
• Value of literacy and independence

Question & Answers

Check Your Understanding

I. Complete the cause and effect table given below based on Part I of the story. Share your answers with your classmates and teacher.

Sl.No	Cause	Effect
Ans	1.The morning papers arrived late and weekly magazines came one day late.	(i) The morning papers arrived late in the day and weekly magazines would come one day late
Ans	2. The grandmother, Krishtakka, never went to school.	(ii) She could not read or write and depended on others to read the story to her.
Ans	3.She identified herself with the story and eagerly listened to Kashi Yatre.	(iii) She was deeply interested in the story and discussed it with her friends.
Ans	4. The narrator went to a wedding for a week.	(iv) The grandmother could not hear the next episode and became very upset and emotional.
Ans	5.In those days, people did not consider education necessary for girls.	v) The grandmother never went to school.
Ans	6. The grandmother regretted not going to school.	(vi) She ensured that her children and grandchildren received proper education.

II Do you think the narrator expected to see her grandmother in tears when she returned to the village? If yes, why? If no, why not?

Ans:-  No, the narrator did not expect to see her grandmother in tears.
This is because she had never seen her grandmother cry before, even in difficult situations. So, she was surprised and worried when she saw her crying.

 III How might the narrator help her grandmother to fulfil her desire to learn to read and write?

 Answer:- The narrator can help her grandmother by teaching her how to read and write. She can start with simple alphabets, words, and sentences, and regularly practice with her. With patience and dedication, the grandmother can gradually learn to read books like Kashi Yatre on her own.

The End