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How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary

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How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary – In this post, I am sharing the summary of “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read,” a story included in the Class 9 Communicative English curriculum. Written by Sudha Murty, the story illustrates the inspiring journey of a young girl who teaches her illiterate grandmother to read. Through their heartwarming relationship, the story emphasizes that learning has no age limit and highlights the importance of education.

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How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary

In “How I Taught My Grandmother To Read,” Sudha Murty tells the story of Krishtakka, an illiterate old woman determined to learn how to read. Wanting to read a novel by herself, the grandmother set a deadline and worked hard to achieve her goal, which seemed almost impossible. At the age of sixty-two, she successfully read the novel “Kashi Yatre” in Kannada on her own. Her young granddaughter served as her teacher, guiding her through the process. This story shows that age is no barrier to learning.

Triveni’s Popular Novel—Kashi Yatre

The narrator, a twelve-year-old girl, lived in a village in north Karnataka with her grandparents. During that time, Triveni was a popular writer in Kannada. Her writing style was simple and convincing, often addressing complex issues faced by ordinary people. One of Triveni’s novels, “Kashi Yatre,” was being published as a series in the Kannada magazine Karmaveera. The story is about an old woman who wants to visit Kashi to worship Lord Vishweshwara. There is also a young orphan girl in the story who cannot marry because she lacks money for her wedding. In the end, the old woman gives all her savings to the girl, choosing the orphan’s happiness over her pilgrimage to Kashi, showing that she valued the girl’s happiness more than her own wish to worship.

Grandmother Krishtakka

The narrator’s grandmother never attended school, so she couldn’t read or write. Every Wednesday, when the Karmaveera magazine arrived, she would ask her twelve-year-old granddaughter to read the latest episode of the story to her. She listened with full attention, setting aside all her work, and could later recite the entire text from memory. Although the grandmother had never visited Kashi, she related to the heroine of the novel. After listening to each new episode of “Kashi Yatre,” she would go to the temple courtyard to discuss it with her friends.

Grandmother in Tears – How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary

Once, the narrator went to a neighboring village with her cousins to attend a wedding. She planned to stay for a few days but ended up staying for a week. When she returned to her village, she found her grandmother in tears, which shocked her because she had never seen her grandmother cry, not even in tough situations. The grandmother then shared her story with her granddaughter. She had lost her mother when she was very young, and there was no one to care for or guide her. Her father remarried, and back then, people didn’t think it was important to educate girls, so she never went to school. She got married at a young age, had children, and later became a grandmother.

Regret for Not Going to School

The grandmother found great joy in cooking and feeding her children. However, sometimes she regretted not going to school. She had learned a valuable lesson from her own experience, so she ensured that her children and grandchildren received a good education. While the narrator was away, the Karmaveera magazine arrived as usual. The grandmother opened it but couldn’t understand anything written there. For the first time, she felt truly dependent and helpless.

Grandmother Takes a Decision

The grandmother decided to start learning the Kannada alphabet the very next day. She was determined to work hard and set Saraswati Pooja during Dassara as her deadline. By that day, she aimed to be able to read a novel on her own, wanting to gain independence. The narrator noticed the determination on her grandmother’s face but still laughed at her decision, teasing her. However, the grandmother just smiled and said nothing, staying focused on her goal.

A Wonderful Student – How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary

From the next day, the narrator began giving lessons to her grandmother. The grandmother turned out to be an excellent student, doing her homework diligently. She would read, repeat, write, and recite the lessons. The narrator was her only teacher, and the grandmother was her first student.

Grandmother Reads Kashi Yatre on Her Own

The Dassara festival arrived as usual, and by then, the novel Kashi Yatre had been published. The narrator secretly bought a copy of the novel. Her grandmother called her to the pooja area and had her sit on a stool. She gave her a gift of frock material. Then, the grandmother did something unexpected—she bent down and touched her granddaughter’s feet. The narrator was surprised, and the grandmother explained that she was touching the feet of her teacher, not just her granddaughter. She said her granddaughter had taught her so well that she could now read any novel with confidence. She believed that a teacher deserves respect, regardless of their gender or age. Then, she opened the novel and read the title, Kashi Yatre by Triveni, proving that she had succeeded with flying colors.