Exhaustive Study Notes: How I Taught My Grandmother to Read by Sudha Murty

Introduction and Literary Context

• Setting: The story is set in a village in north Karnataka. The narrator was a girl of approximately $12$ years old at the time of the events.
• Communication Infrastructure: The transport system was underdeveloped. Morning newspapers reached the village only in the afternoon, and weekly magazines arrived one day late. Residents would wait for the bus that brought papers, magazines, and the post.
• Triveni (The Author):     - A highly popular writer in the Kannada language.     - Known for a style that was easy to read and very "convincing."     - Her stories often explored complex psychological problems in the lives of ordinary people.     - She passed away at a young age, but her work remained appreciated for over $40$ years after her death.
• The Serial "Kashi Yatre":     - A novel by Triveni appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly magazine Karmaveera.     - Plot: Centered on an old woman who desperately wishes to go to Kashi (Varanasi) to worship Lord Vishweshwara, which Hindus believe results in the ultimate "punya."     - Resolution: In the story, the woman meets a young orphan girl who lacks money for her wedding. The old lady gives all her savings to the girl, stating, ‘The happiness of this orphan girl is more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi.’

Character Analysis: Krishtakka (The Grandmother)

• Status: The grandmother, named Krishtakka, was illiterate because she never went to school.
• Connection to Literature: Every Wednesday, when Karmaveera arrived, the narrator would read the next episode of Kashi Yatre to her.
• Identification: The grandmother identified deeply with the protagonist of Kashi Yatre because she also had never been to Kashi.
• Diligence: She would listen with the greatest concentration, often forgetting her work, and could later repeat the entire text by heart.
• Social Life: She would discuss the latest episodes with her friends at the temple courtyard, leading to debates that the narrator initially did not understand.
• Personal History:     - She lost her mother at a young age.     - Her father was busy and remarried.     - At that time, education was not considered essential for girls.     - She married young, had children, and later grandchildren, finding happiness in cooking and feeding her family.     - She lived with a persistent regret regarding her lack of education and ensured her children and grandchildren studied well.

The Conflict: The Narrator's Absence

• The Incident: The narrator went to a neighbouring village for a wedding with her cousins. Although planned for a couple of days, she stayed for a week due to the freedom and enjoyment found with other children while elders were busy.
• The Return: Upon returning, the narrator found her grandmother in tears, which was shocking as the grandmother was usually strong even in difficult situations.
• The Problem: While the narrator was away, the magazine Karmaveera arrived. The grandmother opened it, saw the illustrations for Kashi Yatre, but could not read a single word.
• The Emotional Impact: She felt dependent and helpless. She remarked, ‘We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent?’
• The Decision: At the age of $62$, the grandmother decided to learn the Kannada alphabet. She set a deadline: the day of Saraswati Puja during Dassara.

The Educational Journey and Achievement

• The Narrator as Teacher: The twelve-year-old narrator became the teacher for her grandmother. Initially, the narrator laughed at her, citing her grey hair, wrinkled hands, and spectacles as reasons she was too old to learn.
• Grandmother's Philosophy: She replied, ‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle… For learning there is no age bar.’
• Learning Process: The grandmother was an outstanding student who practiced reading, repeating, writing, and reciting.
• The Climax: On the day of the Dassara festival, the narrator gifted her grandmother a copy of the Kashi Yatre novel (which had been published as a full book by then).
• The Act of Respect: The grandmother did something unusual—she touched the feet of her granddaughter.     - Explanation: She explained that she was not touching the feet of her granddaughter, but the feet of her teacher who had made her independent.     - Scriptural Reference: She noted that scriptures dictate a teacher should be respected regardless of gender or age.
• Outcome: The grandmother successfully read the title of the book and the publisher's name immediately, passing her "test" with flying colours.

Vocabulary and Language Structures

Definitions from Text

• Protagonist: The main character of a story.
• Debate: Discussion or argument.
• Episode: A part of a story (often in a serial).
• Community: People living in one particular area.
• Concentration: Deep focus.
• Eagerly: With excitement or anticipation.
• Convincing: Believable.
• Guided: Directed or mentored.
• Ardent: Keen or passionate.
• Savouring: Enjoying something to the fullest.
• Immensely: Extremely or to a very large degree.
• Taken aback: Surprised by something unexpected.

Binomials

Expressions with two words linked by a conjunction (usually "and" or "or") in a fixed order:

• Sink or swim: Succeed or fail without help.
• On and off: Sometimes, occasionally.
• Mix and match: Put different things together to get a range of possibilities.
• All or nothing: Something to be done completely or not at all.
• Part and parcel: Complete part of or belong to.
• Pick and choose: Choose only the best things/people.
• Sooner or later: At some time in the future.
• Leaps and bounds: Increase or develop very quickly.

Prefixes for Negative Meanings

• un-: Unhappy, Unusual, Unpopular, Unimportant, Uninteresting.
• ir-: Irrespective.
• in-: Independent, Incorrect.
• im-: Impossible.
• dis-: Disbelief, Disrespect, Discontinue.
• mis-: Misunderstand.
• extra-: Extraordinary.

Learning Idioms

1. To hit the books: To study seriously.
2. To draw a blank: To be unable to remember.
3. To learn the ropes: To understand how to do an activity.
4. To rack one’s brain: To think very hard.
5. To learn by heart: To memorise something.
6. Burn the midnight oil: To study or work late into the night.
7. Pass with flying colours: Outstanding performance.

Grammatical Focus: Tenses

Simple Past vs. Past Perfect

• Simple Past: Used for a recent past action (e.g., "bought").
• Past Perfect: Used for an action that occurred further back in the past, specifically before another past action (form: $\text{had} + \text{past participle}$).
• Examples from text:     - "Secretly, I bought Kashi Yatre which had been published as a novel by that time."     - "I knew then that my student had passed with flying colours."

Literacy Concepts and Initiatives

• Digital Literacy: The ability to use digital technology to find, evaluate, and communicate information. It includes protecting personal information and recognizing scams or fake news online.
• Financial Literacy: The ability to understand and apply financial skills like budgeting, investing, and personal financial management.     - NCFE: National Centre for Financial Education integrates these concepts into curricula.
• Adult Education in India:     - NLMA: National Literacy Mission Authority designs and implements adult education.     - DAE: Directorate of Adult Education facilitates implementation.
• Early Literacy Project (ELP): Targets out-of-school children and those in Grades $1$, $2$, and $3$ in rural primary schools, focusing on marginalised communities.
• Cultural Literacy: Appreciation of diverse traditions, arts, and languages. Supported by the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT).

Questions and Discussion Points

Reflect and Respond

1. "Which language(s) do your grandparents or elderly relatives speak?"
2. "How do they spend their time? How do you spend time with them?"
3. "What is your favourite experience with them?"
4. "What is something that the elderly in your family cannot do easily but enjoy watching you do?"

Critical Reflection Questions

• "Why do you think the grandmother felt embarrassed to ask someone else to read to her while the narrator was away?"
• "What does the grandmother’s desire to learn the Kannada alphabet reflect about her?"
• "How effectively does the story highlight the value of education in supporting personal independence?"