By Savitri Narayanan
It was late in the evening. As usual Sumera was at the dining table doing her homework. The TV was off but some music was on. Mummy liked music in the house, especially while she did the cooking.
“Read louder, Sumera!” she called out from the kitchen, “I can’t hear you well!”
Sumera straightened up and continued reading her lesson louder. English and Hindi lessons were done. This was her Social Studies lesson. It was quite boring!
“What’s the capital of Uttar Pradesh?” asked Sumera.
Papa pushed open the front door and walked in.
“It’s all in your book, baby!” Papa said as he put down his briefcase and joined them at the dining table, “You’re a good student, find the answer yourself!”
“That’s exactly what I tell her too, seek help only when you can’t do it yourself!” Mummy smiled as she came in with Papa’s tea.
“Beta, you work so hard!” said Dadiji, fondly glancing at Papa. She was seated on a mat, shelling peas, “You go to office so early and come home so late!”
“Maji, have some tea!” Papa turned to Dadiji, “Have a sip from mine!”
“Stop joking, beta!” smiled Dadiji, “You know very well that I gave up tea in Kashi many years ago!”
Sumera was excited.
“Dadiji, you’ve been to Kashi! So far away! You tell me, what’s the capital of Uttar Pradesh?”
“How would I know about states and capitals, bitiya, I’m an ignorant old woman!” Dadiji smiled.
“Dadiji, when you were in school, did you too learn Social Studies?” asked Sumera. “Who helped you with the homework?”
“I never went to school!” said Dadiji as she got up with the bowl of shelled peas. “The school was so far away; girls stayed at home and helped with the house work. The boys went to school!”
“You mean your brothers went to school but you stayed home?”
“Yes, there was so much work to do!” Dadiji reminisced. “There were no washing machines, tap water or cooking gas. The house was always full of people, feeding them itself was a big task! Drawing water from the well, collecting firewood, washing the clothes in the river…”
“Sumera, go pack your school bag,” said Mummy, “it’s time for dinner!”
As they ate dinner, Sumera pursued the topic. “You mean you never went to school! That means you’re illiterate!”
“Sumera, remember your manners!” burst out Mummy. “How dare you speak like that?”
Dadiji smiled and diffused the situation as she said, “Bahu, why are you scolding the child? She’s telling the truth, I’m illiterate!”
Then she turned to Sumera with a smile, “Yours is a fortunate generation; you’ve schools nearby, educated parents who’ve enough money to send you for higher studies! Be grateful to God and fulfil your ambitions!”
Sumera thought for a while and said, “You didn’t go to school, Dadiji but you sent your daughter to school!”
“Yes, I did!” said Dadiji. “Papa was only three and Manju maasi was five when Dadaji passed away; I had no income, was dependent on the joint family, but I made sure that both the children went to school…”
“…and then to college!” Papa’s voice turned tender as he continued, “And thanks to your foresight both of us have a job and regular income today!”
When Sumera returned from school next evening, Dadiji was in the verandah.
“Help yourself to the milk and snacks; Mummy has gone to the tailor!” said Dadiji. “Then go out to play!”
Sumera came down to the front verandah and seated herself beside Dadiji.
As she emptied the glass of milk and started eating the upma, she said, “Dadiji, last night I was so sad thinking of you but I have an idea!”
As she talked, Sumera grew more and more excited.
“You learn reading and writing; I will be your teacher! See what I have for you,” she said pulling out a notebook. “Here’s the pencil and eraser too! My class one books I’ve found in the store room; the question is, ‘Do you want to learn’?”
Dadiji watched Sumera for a while to make sure she was not joking. Then she said, “What a noble thought! But an old woman waiting for God’s call – at my age – what’s the use of studying?”
“Our teacher says, ‘Age is just a number, it’s all in your mind!’” laughed Sumera. She continued persistently, “Like Usha maasi, you would be able to read the scriptures like Ramayana and Bhagavatgita, isn’t it? Also read the newspaper! How exciting!”
Soon, Sumera’s enthusiasm rubbed off on Dadiji! Within no time she turned into an eager student. It took her a long time but Sumera was patient and encouraging. In the evenings, while Sumera did her homework, Dadiji practiced too! Along with her assignments, Sumera supervised and guided Dadiji. She wasn’t so good at writing but reading came easily to her. Soon she could read simple story books, the newspaper and with some difficulty, the Ramayana, too!
“I’ve an idea,” said Mummy one day, “As she reads, Maji can listen to Ramayana on my cellphone audio; that’ll make her more familiar with it!”
“It’ll make reading easier too!” agreed Papa. Mummy turned to Sumera, “You’ve been a great teacher to Dadiji, now your challenge is to be a good student like her!”
That evening, a group of visitors appeared at the gate. There were about five or six, all familiar faces from the village. Curious, papa went to the gate and welcomed them in. He touched the feet of Sumera’s headmaster, who was his headmaster too!
The HM introduced his teammates, two senior teachers, the PTA President and the Panchayat President.
“Surely you must be wondering why we are here,” he came straight to the topic. “We’ve come to know about the wonderful thing happening in your house – an enthusiastic grandmother and granddaughter engaged in the teaching-learning process!”
“Next Friday Grandparents’ Day celebrations are to be held in the school,” said the PTA President. Then he turned to Papa, “We would like your mother to be the Chief Guest; it’ll be our honour to felicitate her, she’s an inspiration!”
“We’ll have to honour maji’s teacher, also, isn’t it?” said the HM, patting Sumera’s cheeks, “May be we’ll get her a chocolate!”
“Coming to think of it, bitiya, I owe you gurudakshina,” laughed Dadiji. “How about an outing to your favourite restaurant?”
“Imagine, being honoured in my school! Dadiji, you’re a champion!” said Sumera as they all got into the car and headed for Foodbest.
(The author is a retired educationist at present in Goa. A mother and a grandmother, loves reading, writing and travelling.)
