How I Taught my Grandmother to Read— Summary, Explanation & Word Meanings | CBSE Class 9 English (Kaveri and Literature Reader Chapter 1)

by Meenu Saini | Apr 6, 2026 | General | 0 comments

CBSE Class 9 English Chapter 1 How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary, Explanation along with Difficult Word Meanings from Kaveri and Literature Reader (Communicative) Book

In the class 9 chapter 1 How I Taught my Grandmother to Read, the writer narrates an incident involving her grandmother who decided to gain independence and learnt the Kannada alphabet at a later age in her life. This incident shows that learning has no age restriction. We also see the grandmother’s perseverance and determination.

Question. What are the key points of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read?

Ans. The key points of the chapter “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” are as follows:

No restrictions on learning: The chapter shows that learning has no restrictions whatsoever. The grandmother is sixty-two, but her age does not make learning impossible. Not just age, but her learning had been restricted when she was a child due to her gender. With the advancements in society and new openness, age, gender and other qualities are no longer a barrier in education and learning. The chapter shows the importance of learning and that anyone can be a learner.
Importance of self-reliance and perseverance: The chapter shows the intense desire to be self-reliant and independent. A person should not need someone to read their own mother tongue. However, taking steps towards independence requires willpower, determination, and perseverance.
Role of teachers: Teachers not only impart knowledge and wisdom but also motivate and understand their students. A teacher never gives up on their student and ensures that they achieve their goals. The chapter shows the importance of a good teacher and that anyone can be a teacher.

How I Taught my Grandmother to Read Quick overview

Detail	Information
Chapter Title	How I Taught my Grandmother to Read
Author	Sudha Murty
Book	Kaveri, Literature Reader (CBSE Class 9 English)
Chapter No.	1
Narrator	Writer
Setting	A village in North Karnataka
Theme	Adult education, determination, independence through education

How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary
How I Taught My Grandmother Theme based Questions
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Lesson Explanation
Video Explanation of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read
How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Summary in Hindi

Question: Give a summary of the class 9 lesson ‘How I taught my Grandmother to Read’.

Ans. When the writer was about twelve, she lived in a village in north Karnataka with her grandparents. Those days, morning papers came in the afternoon and the weekly magazine came one day late. They would wait eagerly for the bus to arrive because all the magazines and newspapers used to come in that vehicle only. There was a writer named Triveni, who was known for her psychological and easy-to-read novels. She used to write on the daily struggles of the people at that time, which enabled the people to connect with her stories. One of her novels, Kashi Yatre, was about an old lady who gave up the money for her trip to Kashi to an orphan girl, so that the girl could marry the man she loved. The writer’s grandmother too had a desire to go to Kashi but her desire was never fulfilled. So, she identified herself as the grandmother in that story. The writer’s grandmother was illiterate, and so she asked the writer, who was a school-going girl, to read out the latest episode 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. The grandmother was always eager to learn what would happen next. She would also discuss the episode with her friends. The writer was not mature enough to understand why her grandmother took so much interest in Kashi Yatre. One day, she went for a wedding with her cousins to the neighbouring village. There, she enjoyed herself thoroughly by enjoying the freedom given by the elders. Although she was supposed to stay there for just a few days, she spent a whole week there. When she came home, she saw that her grandmother, who was otherwise a brave woman, was in tears. The writer, who became worried, asked if everything was fine and if she was okay. The grandmother nodded but did not speak. The writer did not understand and forgot about it. That night, when the writer was sleeping, her grandmother came and sat next to her. Her affectionate hands touched the writer’s forehead and the writer felt that she wanted to talk to her. She asked her what was wrong. The grandmother told her the sad incidents of her childhood, how she had lost her mother, her father was a busy man and had remarried, and at those times, education was not considered essential for girls. She got married at a very young age and had children. After that, she became busy keeping her children happy, because their happiness made her happy. She used to regret not going to school and so she made sure that her children and grandchildren studied well so that they would not feel any regret in the future. Even though the writer could not understand what her grandmother was talking about, she could see the sadness in her face. The worried-looking expression on her grandmother’s face made her sad. She leaned forward and held her hand. She asked her if she could help her in any way. The grandmother said “yes” and explained that while the writer was gone to the neighbouring village, she was desperately trying to read the next episodes of Kashi Yatre. She felt helpless and said that even though she was well-off she did not feel independent. She went on to request the writer to teach her the Kannada alphabet. The deadline for it would be Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara. The writer, who could see the determination on her grandmother’s face, childishly made fun of her desire to learn the Kannada alphabet at an old age. But the grandmother just smiled and said that for learning, there was no age bar. The next day onwards, the writer started her tuition.
Avva, the grandmother, proved to be a wonderful student. Finally the Dassara festival came. Her grandmother called the writer to the pooja place and made her sit down on a stool. They were going to exchange gifts with each other. The grandmother gave her a frock and then touched the writer’s feet. The writer was taken aback because elders do not touch the feet of youngsters. Only the feet of God, elders and teachers were to be touched as it was a sign of respect. The writer felt like what the grandmother was doing was not correct. The grandmother explained that she was touching the feet of her teacher, not her granddaughter. The writer had taught her affectionately and had made her independent in such a short period of time. A teacher should be respected regardless of gender and age. The writer returned the namaskar and gave her the gift. It was the complete novel of Kashi Yatre. Her grandmother read the title and the publisher’s name immediately, and the writer knew that her student had passed with flying colours.

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Questions based on the themes / central idea of How I Taught My Grandmother

Question: How does How I Taught My Grandmother to Read help in the cause of adult education in the country?

Ans. The story “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” supports the cause of adult education in India by showing that learning has no age limit and that literacy can transform even the lives of older adults. It is a powerful story of how a simple thing such as reading a novel can inspire a family and community to value adult literacy. The grandmother’s helplessness when she could not read the story “Kashi Yatre” by herself portrays the pain of dependence that illiterate adults face every day. This builds empathy and underlines why adult education is essential. Adult literacy gives people independence, dignity, and confidence. The grandmother begins learning at the age of sixty‑two, which directly challenges the idea that education is only for children. By showing her determination and success, the story encourages older people to come forward and join adult literacy programmes without feeling ashamed. The story also shows how school‑going children and youth can help adults in their own homes, supporting the concept of community‑based adult education programmes where students volunteer to teach basic reading and writing skills to adults. “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read” is a story of breaking age stereotypes, and showing how even small, home‑based teaching can make a big social difference.

Question: What does the grandmother’s determination teach us about perseverance and self-reliance?

Ans. The grandmother’s determination teaches us that perseverance and self‑reliance can overcome even the biggest obstacles, like old age and lifelong illiteracy. Her journey shows that with strong willpower and consistent effort, anyone can change their life and become independent. She sets herself a strict deadline and works day after day on the alphabet, repeating, writing, and reading without giving up. This shows that perseverance is not just “wanting” something, but quietly putting in the hard work even when progress feels slow. Her determination to learn at the age of sixty‑two teaches that self‑reliance brings dignity, confidence, and freedom. Her determination tells us that age and past limitations are no excuse to stay helpless and that by persevering and choosing self‑reliance, we can transform our own lives.

Question: How did the grandmother justify the gesture of touching the feet of her granddaughter?

Ans. The traditional gesture of touching the feet of a person symbolises respect, gratitude and admiration towards that person. It is conventionally done to a person older than us, as our elders carry wisdom and guidance. However, in the story “How I Taught My Grandmother to Read”, we see that the narrator or granddaughter is the one who teaches and guides the grandmother. While the granddaughter is much younger and inexperienced, she is more independent and literate, which is why she guides the grandmother on her first step towards self-reliance. When the day of Dussehra arrives, the grandmother commemorates her success in the Kannada language by touching the feet of her granddaughter. When the granddaughter protests the gesture because she is younger, the grandmother simply points out that the gesture is to thank her as a teacher and mentor. The grandmother has broken the barriers of learning by learning the Kannada alphabet at the age of sixty-two. However, the granddaughter has also broken a barrier, which is that children cannot teach elderly people. The granddaughter has shown that anyone, regardless of any traditional restriction, can teach basic education, motivate a student, and support even an experienced person. Therefore, the act of the grandmother touching her granddaughter’s feet is justified and heart-warming.

Question: How does “how I taught my grandmother to read” reflect the idea of self-respect and dignity?

Ans. The chapter teaches us the concept and importance of self-respect and dignity. The grandmother enjoyed the story of Kashi Yatre but she could not read it herself. She had a tough childhood and she got married at a young age, because of which she could not get basic education. Therefore, she was illiterate and unable to read the Karmaveera. The narrator, Sudha Murthy, had to read the story for her. When the narrator left the village to attend a wedding for a week, the grandmother was unable to read the story because of her dependence on the narrator. She felt helpless and embarrassed to ask someone from the village to read the story for her. She regretted not going to school. When the narrator came back, she was crying because she realised that she could not uphold her dignity due to her illiteracy. She then decided to overcome this problem by learning the Kannada alphabet. She kept Dussehra as her deadline. She followed the narrator’s teaching and guidance diligently. She read, wrote, and spoke each alphabet again and again, showing that practice makes a person perfect. At the day of the festival, she was able to read the novel Kashi Yatre, thereby overcoming her illiteracy and taking a step forward towards independence. At the end of the lesson, she was confident and jubilant as she was able to build her self-respect and dignity.

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How I Taught My Grandmother to Read Lesson Explanation

Question: During the writer’s childhood, how did the newspapers and magazines reach villages?

Passage: 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 papers 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.

Word Meanings:
weekly: something that occurs or arrives once a week
post: a piece of writing, image, or other item of content

Explanation /Answer – When the writer was a twelve-year-old girl, she used to stay in a village situated in north Karnataka. She used to live with her grandparents. In those days, the transport system was not very good. This resulted in the residents of the village getting the morning papers only in the afternoon. The magazines, which came once a week, came one day late. The writer and her grandparents would wait eagerly for the bus, which used to carry the papers, weekly magazines, letters and all sorts of content. It would also carry letters. The weekly magazines were pieces which contained writing, images or any other type of content.

Question: Who was Triveni and why was she popular?

Passage: 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 Meanings:
complex: complicated, difficult to understand
psychological: related to the emotional and mental state of the human mind
appreciate: praise

Explanation /Answer – In those days there was a writer in the Kannada language who was very popular at that time. Her name was Triveni, and she was a wonderful writer. She wrote about the complicated problems in the lives of ordinary people. These problems affected the emotional and mental state of their minds and were always interesting to read about. Although Kannada literature was fortunate to have a talented writer like Triveni, they turned unfortunate when she died at a very young age. Even later, after forty years, people continued to praise her work or novels because it was impressive how she discussed relatable problems in such easy-to-read and convincing language.

Question: What is the plot of the novel Kashi Yatre?

Passage: 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 is 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 Meanings:
karmaveera: a Kannada weekly family interest magazine
ardent: very enthusiastic or passionate
punya: hindi word for ‘holy deed’

Explanation /Answer – The writer now talks about a particular novel written by Triveni which has great importance in this story. There was a novel named Kashi Yatre which was appearing as a serial in the Kannada weekly Karmaveera, which was a Kannada weekly family interest magazine. Kashi Yatre was the story of an old lady who was very enthusiastic and passionate to visit Kashi or Varanasi. She, a religious woman, wanted to go there to worship Lord Vishweshwara. Like the majority of Hindus, she too believed that going to Kashi and worshipping Lord Vishweshwara is the ultimate punya or holy deed. However, she struggled to go to Kashi, which formed the plot of the story. In the story, there was also another important character. It was a young orphan girl who was in love and wanted to marry someone. However, she did not have the sufficient money to do so. The story ended with the old lady giving away all her savings to the girl without going to Kashi. Therefore, she sacrificed her own desire and possessions so that the girl could lead a happy life. The old lady said that the happiness of that orphan girl was more important than worshipping Lord Vishweshwara at Kashi. Therefore, the story taught the readers how the old lady gave up her possessions for the happiness of another human being.

Question: What inspires the grandmother to learn the story in How I taught my grandmother to read?

Passage: 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 the 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 so she identified herself with the novel’s protagonist. 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.

Word Meanings:
identify: associate someone or something closely with; regard as having strong links with
protagonist: the main character or hero of the story
insist: request repeatedly

Explanation /Answer – The writer’s grandmother’s name was Krishtakka. She never went to school, which is why she could not read. Therefore, her grandmother was an illiterate person. She was interested in the magazines and the stories they contained, which is why she asked someone else to read out the magazine to her. Every Wednesday, the Karmaveera magazine used to come and it contained the next episode of Kashi Yatre. The grandmother was particularly interested in that story and asked the writer to read it out to her. Whenever she would be reading the next episode, her grandmother would forget all her work and would listen to the story with the greatest amount of concentration. Then, she would repeat the entire text with each and every detail and in the language used by Triveni. The grandmother associated herself with the novel’s main character, the old lady. This was because she too wanted to go to Kashi but her desire to do so was never fulfilled. She became so attached to the story that she was the one who was most interested to know what would happen in the next episode, and the writer had never seen anyone else being so eager for the next episode of Kashi Yatre. Since she was illiterate, she used to request the writer repeatedly to read out the next episode as she could not contain her curiosity.

Question: What did the grandmother discuss with her friends at the Temple Courtyard?

Passage: 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. 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.

Word Meanings:
courtyard: an unroofed area that is completely or partially enclosed by walls or buildings
gather: come together

Explanation /Answer – After listening to the next episode, her grandmother and the writer would go to a temple. They would sit at the temple courtyard, which was a place which did not have a roof. There, the children would come together to play hide and seek and the grandmother would join her friends and discuss the latest episode with them. The writer, who was a young girl at that time, could not understand why the women would discuss the story so much with one another.

Passage: 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.

Word Meanings:
thoroughly: to a great extent
endlessly: in a manner that had no end
savouring: enjoying the taste or feel of something

Explanation /Answer – One day, the writer went to the neighbouring village to attend a wedding. She went there with her cousins. Her grandparents or any other elderly person did not go with her. In those days, a wedding used to be a great event. The writer and the rest of the children enjoyed the event greatly. They ate and played so much that it seemed as if it was never going to end. The children were enjoying the feeling of freedom because either the elders were not with them or they were busy with the wedding ceremonies and other work. No one was there to stop or restrict them, and so they felt free. The writer had gone there for a couple of days but she was having so much fun that she ended up staying there for a week.

Question: 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?

Passage: 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 of situations. What had happened? I was worried.
‘Avva, is everything fine? Are you alright?’

Explanation /Answer – When the week was finally over and the event had ended, the writer came back to her village. She returned home and saw that her grandmother was in tears, meaning that she had been crying. The writer was surprised. There had been many days where they faced the most difficult of situations. She had not seen her grandmother cry in even those moments. So, the writer was worried that something had worse happened and she was not aware about it. She called her grandmother ‘Avva’ and asked her if everything was fine and if she was alright.

Question: What does the narrator call her grandmother?

Passage: 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 the 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?’

Word Meanings:
terrace: a flat and open area situated near the building or at the top of a building

Explanation /Answer – The word ‘Avva’ is a word in Kannada language which means mother. The language is used in north Karnataka, where the writer and her grandparents lived. The writer used to refer to her grandmother using the word ‘Avva’, even though she was not her mother. It means that even though Krishtakka was the writer’s grandmother, the writer saw her more as a motherly figure. The grandmother nodded, meaning that she told the writer that she was fine. However, she did not reply or she did not say anything, indicating that she was lying when she said she was fine. The writer did not understand what it meant and she forgot about it. Then, the writer was sleeping in the open, flat area of the house, after having her dinner. It was a summer night and the full moon was out in the sky. Avva, her grandmother, came and sat next to the writer’s bed. Her hands, which were warm and full of affection, touched her forehead. The writer realised that her grandmother wanted to speak to her. She asked what was the matter.

Question: Describe the circumstances that contributed to the grandmother’s loss of education in the lesson ‘How I Taught my Grandmother to Read’.

Passage: ‘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. He 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 …’
I could not understand why my sixty-two-year-old grandmother was telling me, a twelve-year-old, the story of her life in the middle of the night. One thing I knew, I loved her immensely and there had to be some reason why she was talking to me. I looked at her face. It was unhappy and her eyes were filled with tears. She was a good-looking lady who was almost always smiling. Even today, I cannot forget the worried expression on her face. I leaned forward and held her hand.

Word Meanings:
regret: feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over something that one has done or failed to do
considered: paid attention to
immensely: in a huge or immense amount

Explanation /Answer – The grandmother started telling the writer about her childhood. She told her that she had lost her mother when she was a young girl. Her father was a busy man and he remarried, which made him so busy that there was no one to look after and guide her. In those days, people never paid attention to the importance of education for girls. Therefore, she never went to school, and she just got married even though she was very young. Then she had children, which made her a busy woman. Then she had grandchildren. She loved her children and grandchildren, which was why she felt happy when she made them happy by cooking and feeding them. There were times when she felt sad that she had not gone to school, and so she made sure that her children and grandchildren studied well. She did not want to put them in her situation, and their happiness was ultimately her happiness.
The writer could not understand the reason why her sixty-two-year-old grandmother was telling the writer, a twelve-year-old, the story of her life in the middle of the night. However, she was sure of one thing and it was that she loved her grandmother very much and there had to be a reason why she was telling the story of her life to her. The writer then looked at her face, which was unhappy. Her eyes were filled with tears. The grandmother, who was a good-looking lady who had a happy, smiling face, had a worried expression on her face. The worried-looking expression had a strong impact on her as she remembered this expression even after many, many years. The writer did not want her grandmother to be sad and so she leaned forward and held her hand.

Question: Why did the grandmother feel so helpless when her granddaughter went to attend a marriage?

Passage: ‘Avva, don’t cry. What is the matter? Can I help you in any way?’
‘Yes, I need your help. You know when you were away, Karmaveera came as usual. I opened the magazine. I saw the picture that accompanies the story of Kashi Yatre and I could not understand anything that was written. Many times, I rubbed my hands over the pages wishing to understand what was written. But I knew it was not possible. If only I was educated enough… I waited eagerly for you to return. I felt you would come early and read for me. I even thought of going to the village and asking you to read for me. I could have asked somebody in this village but I was too embarrassed to do so. I felt so very dependent and helpless. We are well-off, but what use is money when I cannot be independent?’

Explanation /Answer – The writer asked her to not cry. She asked her what was the matter and if she could help her in any way. The grandmother said that she did need her help. When the writer was away, Karmaveera came as usual. She opened the magazine and saw the picture that comes with the story, but she could not understand anything that was written. She rubbed her hands over the pages, thinking that it would make her understand or give a clue as to what was written. However, since she was illiterate, she knew that she could not read the magazine. She again wished that she had received her education. She waited eagerly for the writer to return home. However, the writer had extended her visit to the neighbouring village, discouraging her grandmother. The grandmother then thought of going to the village and asking someone there to read it for her. But she felt too ashamed to ask for such a help. She felt very dependent and helpless. She added that she did not have a shortage of money, but money could not compensate for the lack of education. Money was of no use if she could not be independent.

Question: In the class 9 lesson How I Taught my grandmother to read, why was the grandmother weeping? What did she decide?

Passage: I did not know what to answer. Avva continued.
‘I have decided I want to learn the Kannada alphabet from tomorrow onwards. I will work very hard. I will keep Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara as the deadline. That day I should be able to read a novel on my own. I want to be independent.’

Explanation /Answer – The writer did not know what to say in response. Avva continued speaking. She told the writer that she had decided that she wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet from the next day to the Saraswati Pooja day during Dassara. She said that she would work very hard and on Dassara, she would be able to read a novel on her own without feeling helpless. She wanted to be independent.

Question: Why did the narrator laugh at her grandmother, in the lesson ‘How I taught my grandmother to read’?

Passage: I saw the determination on her face. Yet I laughed at her.
‘Avva, at this age of sixty-two you want to learn the alphabet? All your hair is grey, your hands are wrinkled, you wear spectacles and you have so much work in the kitchen…’
Childishly I made fun of the old lady. But she just smiled.

Explanation /Answer – The writer could see how determined her grandmother was from her face. However, she laughed at her, saying that even though she was sixty-two-years-old, she wanted to learn the Kannada alphabet. She said that her hair had become grey, her hands were wrinkled, she wore spectacles and had so much work in the kitchen, and she still wanted to learn something new. The writer made fun of the old lady in a childish way, meaning that she was not insulting the old lady but she was just expressing her disbelief that someone of her age wanted to learn something new. The grandmother smiled in response to the writer’s disbelief.

Question: Why did the narrator, Sudha Murty, call her Avva a wonderful student?

Passage: ‘For a good cause if you are determined, you can overcome any obstacle. I will work harder than anybody but I will do it. For learning, there is no age bar.’
The next day onwards, I started my tuition. Avva was a wonderful student. The amount of homework she did was amazing. She would read, repeat, write and recite. I was her only teacher and she was my first student. Little did I know then that one day I would become a teacher in Computer Science and teach hundreds of students.

Explanation /Answer – The grandmother told her that she was determined to work hard for a good cause, and when someone is determined for a good cause, they can overcome any problem on the way. She said that she would work harder than everyone but she would make sure that she finally achieved her goal. She told the writer that when it comes to learning, there is no such thing as an age bar. The writer started the tuition from the next day. Avva was true to her word and was a wonderful student. She did an immense amount of homework which surprised the writer. She would work hard to learn the alphabets by heart by reading, repeating, writing, and reciting. The writer was the only person who was teaching her and her grandmother was her first student. Although there were many chances that the writer would not be a successful teacher, she became her only teacher. That twelve-year-old girl was not at all aware that she would grow up to become a teacher in Computer Science and teach hundreds of students.

Question: In the story ‘How I taught my grandmother to read’, why did the grandmother touch the narrator’s feet on Dussehra?

Passage: The Dassehrra festival came as usual. Secretly, I bought Kashi Yatre which had been published as a novel by that time. My grandmother called me to the pooja place and made me sit down on a stool. She gifted me a frock. Then she did something unusual. She bent down and touched my feet. I was surprised and taken aback. Elders never touched the feet of youngsters. We have always touched the feet of God, elders and teachers. We considered that as a mark of respect. It is a great tradition but today the reverse had happened. It was not correct.

Word Meanings:
youngsters: young people

Explanation /Answer – The festival came as usual and it was finally time for Avva’s knowledge to be put into test. The writer had secretly bought the novel Kashi Yatre as a gift for her grandmother. Her grandmother called her to the place where they performed their pooja and made her sit down on a stool. She then took out her gift, which was a frock, and gave it to her. Then, she did something unusual. She bent down and touched her granddaughter’s feet. The writer was both surprised and shocked at the same time. She was surprised because her grandmother had never touched her feet before, and she was shocked because what she did was not correct. Elders never touched the feet of young people. In fact, only the feet of God, elders and teachers were to be touched. Touching the feet of someone is seen as a mark of respect in the Hindu religion. It is a tradition which has been followed till date, but the reverse of the tradition occurred that day. The writer felt like it was not correct.

Question: To Avva the narrator was more than a granddaughter. Explain

Passage: She said, “I am touching the feet of a teacher, not my granddaughter; a teacher who taught me so well, with so much of affection that I can read any novel confidently in such a short period. Now I am independent. It is my duty to respect a teacher. Is it not written in our scriptures that a teacher should be respected, irrespective of the gender and age?’

Explanation /Answer – The grandmother must have noticed the shock on the writer’s face. She explained that she was not touching the feet of her granddaughter, but she was touching the feet of her teacher. She was giving respect to a teacher who performed her role excellently with affection and love. The writer taught her in a short period while having no prior experience of being a teacher. The writer helped her become independent, and it was her duty to respect such a teacher. It was written in their scriptures that a teacher should be respected regardless of who they are, and what their gender and age is.

Question: What did the narrator gift her grandmother?

Passage: I did return namaskara to her by touching her feet and gave my gift to my first student. She opened it and read the title Kashi Yatre by Triveni and the publisher’s name immediately.
I knew, then, that my student had passed with flying colours.

Word Meanings:
namaskara: a traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect
flying colours: achieve a great amount of success in something

Explanation /Answer – The writer returned the namaskara by touching the grandmother’s feet and giving her the gift. Here namaskara means that she returned the gesture of respect. This indicates the elders are to be respected even if they are our students. Avva opened the gift and she read the title and the publisher’s name immediately. With this, the writer knew that her student had passed and achieved great success in learning the Kannada alphabet.

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Video Explanation of How I Taught My Grandmother to Read

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How I Taught my Grandmother to Read FAQs

Question: Who is the writer of How I Taught my Grandmother to Read?

Ans. The class 9 lesson How I Taught my Grandmother to Read is written by Sudha Murty.

Question: What is the theme of the class 9 lesson How I Taught my Grandmother to Read?

Ans. The theme of the story How I Taught my Grandmother to Read is that education has no age limit and education leads to independence. Respect of one’s teacher, determination and hardwork are a few other themes that the story highlights.

Question: Who is Triveni in the class 9 lesson How I Taught my Grandmother to Read?

Ans. Triveni is a famous writer who writes relatable stories in Kannada language. The characters are close to real life and so, the readers relate to them.

Question: What does the title “How I Taught my Grandmother to Read” denote?

Ans. The title of the story shows the role played by the writer Sudha in her grandmother’s educational journey.

Question: What is the story How I Taught my Grandmother to Read about?

Ans. The story is about the importance of education and the incident that leads the protagonist to realize it. Krishtakka is an old woman who never got a chance to get education. However, old age did not deter her once she took the decision to learn the alphabet.

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Summary of the Lesson How I Taught My Grandmother to Read in Hindi

जब लेखिका लगभग बारह वर्ष की थी, तब वह अपने दादा–दादी के साथ उत्तरी कर्नाटक के एक गाँव में रहती थी। उन दिनों सुबह का अखबार दोपहर में और साप्ताहिक पत्रिका एक दिन देर से आती थी। वे बस के आने का बेसब्री से इंतज़ार करते थे क्योंकि सारी पत्रिकाएँ और समाचार पत्र उसी गाड़ी में आते थे।
त्रिवेणी नाम की एक लेखिका थीं, जो अपने मनोवैज्ञानिक और आसानी से पढ़े जाने वाले उपन्यासों के लिए जानी जाती थीं। वह उस समय लोगों के दैनिक संघर्षों पर लिखती थीं, जिससे लोग उनकी कहानियों से जुड़ पाते थे। उनका एक उपन्यास, काशी यात्रा, एक बूढ़ी औरत के बारे में था जिसने अपनी काशी यात्रा के लिए पैसे एक अनाथ लड़की को दे दिए, ताकि वह लड़की उस आदमी से शादी कर सके जिससे वह प्यार करती थी।
लेखिका की दादी को भी काशी जाने की इच्छा थी लेकिन उनकी इच्छा कभी पूरी नहीं हुई। इसलिए, उसने उस कहानी में अपनी पहचान दादी के रूप में बताई। लेखिका की दादी अनपढ़ थीं, और इसलिए उन्होंने लेखिका से, जो एक स्कूल जाने वाली लड़की थी, उसे नवीनतम एपिसोड पढ़कर सुनाने के लिए कहा। उस दौरान वह अपना सारा काम भूल जाती थी और पूरी एकाग्रता से सुनती थी।
बाद में, वह पूरे पाठ को कंठस्थ कर सकती थी। दादी हमेशा यह जानने के लिए उत्सुक रहती थीं कि आगे क्या होगा। वह अपने दोस्तों से भी इस प्रकरण पर चर्चा करती थी । लेखिका यह समझने के लिए पर्याप्त परिपक्व नहीं थी कि उसकी दादी काशी यात्रा में इतनी रुचि क्यों लेती थीं। एक दिन, वह अपने चचेरे भाइयों के साथ पड़ोस के गाँव में एक शादी में गयी। वहां उसने बड़ों द्वारा दी गई आजादी का भरपूर आनंद उठाया।
हालाँकि उसे वहाँ केवल कुछ दिनों के लिए रुकना था, लेकिन उसने वहाँ पूरा एक सप्ताह बिताया। जब वह घर आई तो उसने देखा कि उसकी दादी, जो अन्यथा एक बहादुर महिला थी, रो रही थी। चिंतित लेखिका ने पूछा कि क्या सब कुछ ठीक है और क्या वह ठीक है। दादी ने सिर हिलाया लेकिन बोलीं नहीं। लेखक को समझ नहीं आया और वह इसके बारे में भूल गया।
उस रात जब लेखिका सो रही थी तो उसकी दादी उसके पास आकर बैठ गईं। उसके स्नेह भरे हाथों ने लेखिका के माथे को छुआ और लेखिका को लगा कि वह उससे बात करना चाहती है। उसने उससे पूछा कि क्या ग़लत था। दादी ने उन्हें बचपन की दुखद घटनाएँ बताईं, कैसे उन्होंने अपनी माँ को खो दिया था, उनके पिता एक व्यस्त व्यक्ति थे और उन्होंने दूसरी शादी कर ली थी, और उस समय लड़कियों के लिए शिक्षा आवश्यक नहीं मानी जाती थी। उनकी शादी बहुत कम उम्र में हो गई और उनके बच्चे भी हुए।
इसके बाद वह अपने बच्चों को खुश रखने में व्यस्त हो गईं, क्योंकि उनकी खुशी उन्हें खुश रखती थी। उन्हें स्कूल न जा पाने का अफसोस रहता था और इसलिए उन्होंने यह सुनिश्चित किया कि उनके बच्चे और पोते–पोतियां अच्छी पढ़ाई करें ताकि उन्हें भविष्य में कोई पछतावा न हो। हालाँकि लेखिका को समझ नहीं आ रहा था कि उसकी दादी किस बारे में बात कर रही हैं, लेकिन वह उनके चेहरे पर उदासी देख सकती थी।
उसकी दादी के चेहरे पर चिंतित भाव ने उसे दुखी कर दिया। वह आगे झुकी और उसका हाथ पकड़ लिया। उसने उससे पूछा कि क्या वह उसकी किसी भी तरह से मदद कर सकती है। दादी ने “हाँ” कहा और बताया कि जब लेखिका पड़ोस के गाँव में गई हुई थी, तो वह काशी यात्रा के अगले एपिसोड पढ़ने की बेताबी से कोशिश कर रही थी। उसने खुद को असहाय महसूस किया और कहा कि भले ही वह संपन्न थी लेकिन वह स्वतंत्र महसूस नहीं करती थी। उसने लेखक से उसे कन्नड़ वर्णमाला सिखाने का अनुरोध किया। इसकी समय सीमा दशहरा के दौरान सरस्वती पूजा का दिन होगी।
लेखिका, जो अपनी दादी के चेहरे पर दृढ़ संकल्प देख सकती थी, ने बचपन में बुढ़ापे में कन्नड़ वर्णमाला सीखने की उनकी इच्छा का मजाक उड़ाया। लेकिन दादी ने बस मुस्कुरा कर कहा कि सीखने के लिए उम्र की कोई सीमा नहीं होती. अगले दिन से लेखिका ने अपनी ट्यूशन शुरू कर दी।
दादी, एक अद्भुत छात्रा साबित हुईं। आख़िरकार दशहरा उत्सव आ गया। उनकी दादी ने लेखिका को पूजा स्थल पर बुलाया और उन्हें एक स्टूल पर बिठाया। वे एक–दूसरे को उपहार देने जा रहे थे। दादी ने उसे एक फ्रॉक दी और फिर लेखिका के पैर छुए। लेखिका आश्चर्यचकित थी क्यूंकि बुजुर्ग युवाओं के पैर नहीं छूते। केवल भगवान, बड़ों और शिक्षकों के पैर ही छूने थे क्योंकि यह सम्मान का प्रतीक था।
लेखिका को ऐसा लगा जैसे दादी जो कर रही थी वह सही नहीं था। दादी ने समझाया कि वह अपनी पोती के नहीं, बल्कि अपने शिक्षक के पैर छू रही थीं। लेखिका ने उसे प्यार से पढ़ाया था और इतने कम समय में ही आत्मनिर्भर बना दिया था। लिंग और उम्र की परवाह किए बिना एक शिक्षक का सम्मान किया जाना चाहिए। लेखिका ने नमस्कार करके उसे उपहार दिया। यह काशी यात्रा का संपूर्ण उपन्यास था। उनकी दादी ने तुरंत शीर्षक और प्रकाशक का नाम पढ़ा, और लेखिका को पता चल गया कि उनका छात्र अच्छे अंकों से उत्तीर्ण हुआ है।

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