How I Taught My Grandmother to Read – Class 9 Notes

Class 9 English

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

A true and touching story by Sudha Murthy — about love, literacy, determination, and the unbreakable bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter.

Table of Contents

About the Author
Central Idea
Story in Brief
Plot Flow Diagram
Characters
Themes
Short Q&A
Long Answer Questions
Extra Practice Q&A
Values & Morals

About the Author

Imp Points

Sudha Murthy was born in 1950 in Shiggaon, Karnataka.
She is a well-known Indian author, social worker, and educator.
She writes in both Kannada and English.
She is also the Chairperson of Infosys Foundation, which runs many charity programmes.
Her books are simple, honest, and often based on real-life experiences — especially from village life in Karnataka.
Famous books: Wise and Otherwise, Dollar Bahu, Mahashweta, The Magic Drum.

Central Idea

This story teaches us that the desire to learn has no age limit. A 62-year-old grandmother decided to become literate simply because she did not want to depend on anyone else. The story also shows that a teacher deserves full respect — no matter how young that teacher is. True independence comes from knowledge and the ability to read, not from money or age.

Story in Brief

🏡 The Village Setting

When Sudha was 12 years old, she lived with her grandparents in a village in North Karnataka. Transport was very poor — the morning newspaper arrived only in the afternoon, and weekly magazines came a full day late. Everyone in the village looked forward to the bus that brought papers, letters, and magazines.

🪷 The Novel Kashi Yatra

A famous Kannada writer named Triveni was extremely popular at that time. Her writing was simple, believable, and felt very close to real life. Her novel Kashi Yatra was being published as a serial story in the weekly magazine Karmaveera. Every week, Sudha would read the latest episode aloud to her grandmother on Wednesdays when the magazine arrived.

What was Kashi Yatra about?
The story was about an old woman who deeply wanted to visit Kashi (Varanasi) to worship Lord Vishweshwara. There was also an orphan girl in the story who had fallen in love but had no money for her wedding. In the end, the old woman gave all her savings for the girl's wedding — believing the girl's happiness was a greater cause than her own pilgrimage.

👵 The Grandmother's Problem

Sudha's grandmother, Krishnakka, had never been to school and could not read. Every Wednesday, after the magazine arrived, Sudha would read the episode aloud and the grandmother would listen with complete attention — forgetting all her household work. She was deeply connected to the story and could not wait for the next episode each week.

🌕 The Turning Point

One day, Sudha went to a nearby village for a wedding and stayed away for a whole week. When she returned, she found her grandmother in tears — something that surprised Sudha deeply, because her grandmother had never cried even in the hardest times.

That night, sitting on the terrace under the full moon, the grandmother explained: when Sudha was away, the magazine arrived as usual. The grandmother opened it, saw the pictures, but could not read a single word. She ran her fingers over the page, feeling helpless. She was too embarrassed to ask anyone else in the village to read it for her. That feeling of dependence and helplessness made her cry.

💪 The Grandmother's Decision

Right there, the grandmother made a firm decision: she would start learning the Kannada alphabet the very next day. She set Saraswati Puja during Dasara as her deadline — by that day, she wanted to read a novel on her own.

When Sudha giggled, saying her grandmother was 62 years old with grey hair and wrinkled hands, the grandmother smiled gently and said:

"For a good cause, if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. For learning, there is no age bar."

— Krishnakka, Sudha's Grandmother

✏️ Learning Begins

Sudha became her grandmother's teacher the very next morning. The grandmother was a remarkably hardworking student — she read, repeated, wrote, and memorised every day without fail. She completed every task Sudha gave her, never once making excuses. By the time Dasara arrived, she could read completely on her own.

🙏 The Touching Ending

On the day of Saraswati Puja, the grandmother gave Sudha a gift of cloth material. Then she did something that completely surprised Sudha — she touched Sudha's feet. In Indian tradition, younger people touch the feet of elders — never the other way around.

When Sudha asked why, the grandmother explained: "I am not touching the feet of my granddaughter. I am touching the feet of my teacher — who taught me with so much love and patience that I can now read any novel on my own. A teacher must be respected regardless of age."

Sudha then gave the grandmother her secret gift — the published novel Kashi Yatra. Without any help, the grandmother immediately read the title and the publisher's name aloud. Sudha knew then that her student had truly passed with flying colours.

Plot Flow Diagram

Setting — North Karnataka Village 12-year-old Sudha lives with grandparents. Poor transport: newspapers late, magazines a day late. Weekly arrival of bus is the big event.

Kashi Yatra Serial Begins Triveni's novel Kashi Yatra appears in Karmaveera magazine. Every Wednesday, Sudha reads the episode aloud. Grandmother (Krishnakka) listens with total attention.

Grandmother Cannot Read Krishnakka never went to school — she can identify pictures but cannot read Kannada text. She depends entirely on Sudha.

Turning Point — Sudha Goes Away Sudha attends a wedding in a nearby village and is away for a full week. The magazine arrives but the grandmother cannot read the new episode. She feels helpless and ashamed. She cries.

The Decision Sitting on the terrace under the full moon, Grandmother announces she will start learning Kannada alphabet the next day. Deadline: Saraswati Puja at Dasara.

Teaching Begins Sudha becomes the teacher. Grandmother studies hard every day — reading, writing, memorising, repeating. Never missed a day.

Dasara / Saraswati Puja Grandmother can read independently. She gifts Sudha cloth material and — surprisingly — touches Sudha's feet as a student to a teacher.

Final Gift — Flying Colours Sudha gifts Grandmother the published novel Kashi Yatra. Grandmother reads the title and publisher's name on her own. She has truly learned to read.

Cause → Effect flow of the story's turning point

Characters

Character	Who They Are	Imp Traits
Sudha Murthy	12-year-old girl; the narrator and teacher of the story	Loving, patient, caring; initially giggles but quickly becomes a dedicated teacher
Krishnakka	Sudha's grandmother; 62 years old	Determined, humble, hardworking; strong inner character; shows deep respect for knowledge
Triveni	Famous Kannada writer; author of Kashi Yatra	Simple, realistic writing style; stories based on everyday people; died young but her work lived on for decades
Old Woman (in Kashi Yatra)	Fictional character in the serial novel	Sacrifices her life's dream of visiting Kashi to help an orphan girl get married

Krishnakka's character traits — a visual map

Themes

📚 Learning Has No Age Limit

A 62-year-old woman learns to read from scratch, proving it is never too late to gain knowledge.

🙏 Respect for Teachers

The grandmother touches the feet of her 12-year-old granddaughter — showing that respect for a teacher depends on their role, not their age.

💡 Value of Literacy

Not being able to read made the grandmother feel helpless even though her family was financially well-off. Literacy is true independence.

💪 Determination Wins

With a firm goal and consistent effort, the grandmother achieved in a few months what most people say is impossible at her age.

❤️ Intergenerational Bond

The story shows the deep, loving bond between grandchild and grandparent — built on patience, care, and mutual respect.

📖 Power of Stories

A fictional serial novel became the reason a real woman changed her life — showing how stories can inspire real-world action.

Short Questions & Answers

What is this story about?

This story is about how 12-year-old Sudha Murthy taught her 62-year-old grandmother, Krishnakka, to read Kannada. After feeling helpless when she could not read her favourite serial novel, the grandmother decided to learn — and succeeded within a few months by Dasara.

Why did the morning newspaper arrive only in the afternoon?

The village in North Karnataka had a very poor transport system. Because of this, the morning newspaper reached the village only in the afternoon, and weekly magazines came a full day late.

Who was Triveni? Why was she well known?

Triveni was a famous Kannada author whose stories were simple, convincing, and based on the real problems of everyday people. Even though she died at a young age, her novels were still loved and read by people 40 years after they were written.

What was the novel Kashi Yatra about?

The novel was about an old woman who had a deep desire to visit Kashi and worship Lord Vishweshwara. There was also an orphan girl who had fallen in love but had no money for her wedding. In the end, the old woman gave all her savings for the girl's wedding, believing the girl's happiness was a higher cause than her own pilgrimage.

Why could Sudha's grandmother not read?

In those days, education for girls was not considered important. Krishnakka's mother had died when she was young, her father remarried and was busy, and no one encouraged her to study. She married young and became fully occupied with household responsibilities. She simply never had the opportunity to learn.

Why was the grandmother crying when Sudha returned?

While Sudha was away for a week at a wedding, the magazine arrived with the next episode of Kashi Yatra. The grandmother opened it but could not read a single word. She felt completely helpless and was too ashamed to ask anyone else in the village to read it for her. That painful feeling of dependence made her cry.

What decision did the grandmother take and why?

The grandmother decided to learn the Kannada alphabet starting the very next day, with Saraswati Puja during Dasara as her deadline. She wanted to be able to read on her own — to stop depending on others and become truly independent.

Why did Sudha laugh at her grandmother's decision?

Sudha was only 12 years old and did not fully understand her grandmother's inner pain. She found it funny that someone who was 62, had grey hair, wrinkled hands, and needed glasses wanted to start learning the alphabet from the beginning.

How did the grandmother respond to being laughed at?

She did not feel hurt or get angry. She smiled calmly and said: "For a good cause, if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. For learning, there is no age bar." She firmly believed in her own ability to succeed.

How did the grandmother learn to read?

Sudha became her teacher the next morning. The grandmother was an outstanding student — she read, wrote, repeated, and practised every single day without fail. She completed every task Sudha gave her without any complaint. By Dasara, she could read completely on her own.

Why did the grandmother touch Sudha's feet?

She touched Sudha's feet as a mark of deep respect for her teacher. In Indian tradition, this is the highest honour a student can give a teacher. She explained she was not doing it as Sudha's grandmother — she was doing it as a student who was grateful to a teacher who had taught her with love and patience.

What gift did Sudha give her grandmother?

Sudha secretly bought the published novel Kashi Yatra by Triveni and gave it as a gift. When the grandmother received it, she immediately read the title and the publisher's name on her own — proving she had truly learned to read.

What does "passed with flying colours" mean?

"Passed with flying colours" is an idiom that means to succeed brilliantly and completely. When the grandmother confidently read the title of the book without any help, Sudha felt proud — her student had done extremely well and achieved her goal with great success.

What was the role of the magazine Karmaveera in the story?

Karmaveera was the weekly Kannada magazine that published the serial novel Kashi Yatra. It was the reason Sudha and her grandmother shared a weekly reading routine, and the missing episode in that magazine was the direct reason the grandmother decided to learn to read.

Why did the grandmother feel ashamed to ask someone else in the village to read the magazine?

Krishnakka was a dignified and self-respecting woman from a well-off family. She did not want others to know she could not read — it would have felt embarrassing and humiliating. Her dignity would not allow her to admit her helplessness to neighbours or others in the village.

Long Answer Questions

❶ What does this story tell us about the value of education and independence?

The story shows clearly that education gives a person true independence. Krishnakka came from a financially comfortable family, but even so, she felt completely helpless when she could not read the magazine. She depended entirely on her 12-year-old granddaughter — and when that support was not there for just one week, she broke down.

This taught her something important: having money is not the same as being independent. She said, "We are well off, but what use is money if I cannot be independent?" Real independence means being able to understand things on your own, read on your own, and make informed choices without depending on others. Literacy is that kind of freedom — and no amount of wealth can replace it.

The story also teaches us that it is never too late to seek this freedom. Whether you are 12 or 62, the desire to learn is what matters most. Once Krishnakka made that decision and put in consistent effort, she achieved her goal in just a few months — proving that with strong will, age is never an obstacle.

❷ Describe the character of Sudha's grandmother, Krishnakka.

Krishnakka is one of the most memorable characters in this story — a woman who is strong, humble, determined, and deeply dignified. She is always warm, smiling, and caring in her daily life. She has the inner strength to hold herself together even in difficult situations — Sudha recalls that the grandmother had never cried even in the hardest times.

But when she is faced with her own limitation — being unable to read — she does not ignore it or make excuses. Instead, she chooses to act. At 62 years old, with grey hair and wrinkled hands, she sets a firm deadline and works harder than anyone would expect. She studies every single day without fail, completing every task her young teacher gives her. By Dasara, she meets her goal perfectly.

What makes her truly special is her humility. She has the courage and grace to touch the feet of her 12-year-old granddaughter and say: "I am not touching the feet of my granddaughter. I am touching the feet of my teacher." This act shows that for Krishnakka, respect is not about age — it is about the role a person plays in your life and what they have given you. She is a role model of what it means to grow at any age.

❸ How does the story show that a teacher must be respected regardless of age?

In Indian culture, students touch the feet of elders as the highest form of respect. But in this story, Krishnakka reversed this tradition by touching the feet of her 12-year-old granddaughter. This surprising act carries a deep message about what respect for a teacher truly means.

The grandmother explained it clearly: she was not doing this as Sudha's grandmother. She was doing this as a student grateful to her teacher. She said that the scriptures teach us that a teacher must be honoured regardless of their age or gender. What matters is what the teacher has done for you — the knowledge they shared, the patience they showed, and the care they gave.

Sudha had taught her with love and consistency, never losing her patience over the many weeks of lessons. That deserved the highest respect a student could give. The story teaches us that real respect is earned through deeds, not through how old or young a person is. A teacher — whether young or old — who truly helps you grow deserves our deepest gratitude.

❹ Why was Triveni's writing so popular? What did it mean to Krishnakka?

Triveni was popular because her stories were simple, believable, and deeply connected to real life. She wrote about ordinary people facing real problems — not grand heroes or impossible situations. Her characters felt like people you might actually know from your own village or neighbourhood. Because of this, readers connected with her stories emotionally, not just intellectually.

For Krishnakka, Kashi Yatra was more than entertainment — it was something she emotionally lived through. She listened so intently every week that she forgot her household work. The story of the old woman who gave up her life's dream to help an orphan girl get married must have spoken to Krishnakka's own values about sacrifice and selflessness.

Triveni's work was so powerful that even though she died young, people were still reading her novels 40 years later. And most importantly, one of her novels — through the indirect effect of one missed episode — changed a real person's life by motivating her to become literate. This shows the extraordinary power that honest and simple storytelling can have on real people.

Extra Practice Questions & Answers

★

What is the significance of Saraswati Puja in this story?

Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, and wisdom. The grandmother chose Saraswati Puja during Dasara as her deadline — this was deeply meaningful. It showed she saw her goal not just as learning the alphabet, but as a sacred pursuit of knowledge. Achieving literacy by the day that celebrates the goddess of learning gave her accomplishment a spiritual and personal significance.

★

What do we learn about the role of women in rural Karnataka at that time?

The story shows that in those days, girls in rural areas were rarely educated. Krishnakka's situation was not unusual — her mother died young, no one encouraged her to study, and she married early and took on household responsibilities. Education was seen as unimportant or unnecessary for girls. This social reality was the root cause of her illiteracy, not any personal failing on her part.

★

How did the story of the old woman in Kashi Yatra connect with Krishnakka's own life?

Both women — the fictional old woman in the novel and the real Krishnakka — had deep desires they were unable to fulfil on their own. The fictional woman could not complete her pilgrimage without giving up her savings; Krishnakka could not read the story she loved without depending on her granddaughter. Both stories are about sacrifice, determination, and the willingness to act for what truly matters. This is probably why Krishnakka connected so deeply with the novel.

★

What qualities made Krishnakka a good student?

Krishnakka was a remarkable student because she was consistent, motivated, disciplined, and hardworking. She practised every single day — reading, writing, and memorising — without skipping even once. She never made excuses about her age or her difficulty. She completed every task her teacher gave her and kept a clear deadline in her mind. Her motivation was genuine and deeply personal, which made her effort consistent and unstoppable.

★

What does the ending — reading the title of the book — symbolise?

The ending is beautifully symbolic. The book Kashi Yatra had been the reason Krishnakka wanted to learn to read. Now, she could read its very title on her own — independently, without anyone's help. This full circle moment shows that she did not just learn an academic skill. She gained the freedom to access the stories she loved, on her own terms, at any time. Reading the title confirmed that her journey was complete and her goal was fully achieved.

Values & Morals

Values and morals that the story teaches us

One-Line Morals to Remember

Learning has no age limit — it is never too early or too late.
A teacher deserves respect regardless of age — what matters is what they teach you.
True independence comes from knowledge and literacy, not just money.
Strong determination can help you cross any obstacle.
Even one good story can change a person's life.

"For learning, there is no age bar."

— Krishnakka | How I Taught My Grandmother to Read · NCERT Class 9

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