Time of the event - 1981 April - June
I still remember when my Grandpa gifted me a book of Fairy Tales. It was an exquisite book with 3 endearing and inspiring fairy tales:
I was reading it one day in Garividi in front of my Grandpa. (I came to Garividi along with my mom and my brother Krishna to spend my Summer vacation...) The first line of "Jack and the Bean stalk" went something like "There was a boy called Jack...". I must be around 7 or so; and my interpretation of english was as straightforward as it could be.. The sentence I understood as was that a certain boy called another named Jack.
I really am not sure how my Grandpa and I got to talk about it; But I am assuming that I was reading it out to him... He somehow understood that I didn't catch on to the meaning and so, He explained what the sentence meant. He explained the story to me! It cautioned me then that English is not straightforward as it seems. It was fascinatingly intriguing! So NEVER translate an English sentence directly into my native language telugu without first understanding the gist of the passage!
My Grandpa never ridiculed or teased my knowledge in anything; Nor did He ever point out my flaws other than gently (but firmly) telling me the right way to see things.
Although I was too playful to actually understand the beauty and melody in a language; some things really stayed with me no matter how small I was when they happened.
One more episode that I still remember and mention it to my friends is when my Grandpa explained to me the meaning of the word "Breakfast".It was during the same time as the above incident...
My Grandpa once asked me (may not be his actual words because I don't distinctly remember the conversation, just only the crux of it) "Why do they call it Breakfast? Do you know? " I wasn't sure because truly what were we breaking; how can you break fast (for me back then, fast meant opposite of slow!)... did they mean breakfast to mean taking it slow? Didn't make sense... My grandad knew my ignorance only well and so he explained... "Fast also means a ritual where you don't eat. So when you are sleeping you don't eat the entire time; that means you are observing a fast. The first meal after you get up breaks that fast for you and hence it is named Breakfast!". If ever He did, He might have said the same in fewer words; but they really hit the mark on the mindset of a 7 year old!
Thats the time when I was pulled more deeper into the beauty of English language! Every word has a reason to be as it it is! No word is a result of meaningless ramblings. If you research enough, you will know that each word has its own root and the root could be quite ancient and maybe from a different language altogether. Ever since, I always tried to dissect different words to understand them better... Some I could manage; but some still are elusive. My Grandad would have put to rest the doubts of the Hero of the movie "Chupke Chupke" who claims that English is a nutty language, otherwise why would you pronounce "PUT" and "BUT" differently when the vowel used is one and the same?
Probably that led me to learn about english beyond my textbooks. I remember once researching on different words and their roots in Old English and Middle English in a dictionary! I got so caught up in it; I actually wrote my daily journal using words from Old and Middle english which I used to replace the words from mordern english.. Result was hilarious! No one, but I understood what my journal meant! Now... no one can access my thoughts even if they hack my password!
The way my Grandpa influenced me was and is very deep. He showed me the sweetness of intellectual pursuit. It truly makes a day worthwhile, when we discover truth even if it be a small one. It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction when I can discuss knowledge with someone. I mean knowledge as in Truth - literature, biography, science... and when I say biography; I certainly don't mean day-to-day doings of my next-door neighbor! But I do mean the great achievements of great people including my own family!
In my adulthood, I have come to realize that each and every person in my family (both by birth and acquired by marriage) is a true Hero and Heroine because I saw them (or have known them to) struggle and conquer all their troubles and win all their joys; today each one is a self-made man or self-made woman; and each an achiever! From time to time I really wonder how they managed it! Because I know the struggles I face in my life! I only admire their tenacity that each one showed and still displays in their lives... From time to time I derive my solutions, resolutions and determination from them! This only made me appreciate every other person as an achiever no matter what part of the world or life they come from!
One of the people I always try to emulate is my Grandfather - how can someone upkeep his dignity and honor every single second of his life? Probably by making it one's own nature! Maybe thats what my Grandfather did; or maybe He was just born with it!
If I was a handful of clay as a child, then my Grandpa was one of those first few to mould me into the person that I am today and I am going to be!
Tatagaru, I am still as ignorant in many things as I was back then when I was a mere child; I still need You to inspire me and open my closed doors towards the truth! And I know You will!
See how a chapter from a Fairy Tale can actually mould a handful of clay!
Yours,
Pinky.
I still remember when my Grandpa gifted me a book of Fairy Tales. It was an exquisite book with 3 endearing and inspiring fairy tales:
- Jack and the beanstalk
- Hansel and Gretel
- Rip Van Winkle
I was reading it one day in Garividi in front of my Grandpa. (I came to Garividi along with my mom and my brother Krishna to spend my Summer vacation...) The first line of "Jack and the Bean stalk" went something like "There was a boy called Jack...". I must be around 7 or so; and my interpretation of english was as straightforward as it could be.. The sentence I understood as was that a certain boy called another named Jack.
I really am not sure how my Grandpa and I got to talk about it; But I am assuming that I was reading it out to him... He somehow understood that I didn't catch on to the meaning and so, He explained what the sentence meant. He explained the story to me! It cautioned me then that English is not straightforward as it seems. It was fascinatingly intriguing! So NEVER translate an English sentence directly into my native language telugu without first understanding the gist of the passage!
My Grandpa never ridiculed or teased my knowledge in anything; Nor did He ever point out my flaws other than gently (but firmly) telling me the right way to see things.
Although I was too playful to actually understand the beauty and melody in a language; some things really stayed with me no matter how small I was when they happened.
One more episode that I still remember and mention it to my friends is when my Grandpa explained to me the meaning of the word "Breakfast".It was during the same time as the above incident...
My Grandpa once asked me (may not be his actual words because I don't distinctly remember the conversation, just only the crux of it) "Why do they call it Breakfast? Do you know? " I wasn't sure because truly what were we breaking; how can you break fast (for me back then, fast meant opposite of slow!)... did they mean breakfast to mean taking it slow? Didn't make sense... My grandad knew my ignorance only well and so he explained... "Fast also means a ritual where you don't eat. So when you are sleeping you don't eat the entire time; that means you are observing a fast. The first meal after you get up breaks that fast for you and hence it is named Breakfast!". If ever He did, He might have said the same in fewer words; but they really hit the mark on the mindset of a 7 year old!
Thats the time when I was pulled more deeper into the beauty of English language! Every word has a reason to be as it it is! No word is a result of meaningless ramblings. If you research enough, you will know that each word has its own root and the root could be quite ancient and maybe from a different language altogether. Ever since, I always tried to dissect different words to understand them better... Some I could manage; but some still are elusive. My Grandad would have put to rest the doubts of the Hero of the movie "Chupke Chupke" who claims that English is a nutty language, otherwise why would you pronounce "PUT" and "BUT" differently when the vowel used is one and the same?
Probably that led me to learn about english beyond my textbooks. I remember once researching on different words and their roots in Old English and Middle English in a dictionary! I got so caught up in it; I actually wrote my daily journal using words from Old and Middle english which I used to replace the words from mordern english.. Result was hilarious! No one, but I understood what my journal meant! Now... no one can access my thoughts even if they hack my password!
The way my Grandpa influenced me was and is very deep. He showed me the sweetness of intellectual pursuit. It truly makes a day worthwhile, when we discover truth even if it be a small one. It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction when I can discuss knowledge with someone. I mean knowledge as in Truth - literature, biography, science... and when I say biography; I certainly don't mean day-to-day doings of my next-door neighbor! But I do mean the great achievements of great people including my own family!
In my adulthood, I have come to realize that each and every person in my family (both by birth and acquired by marriage) is a true Hero and Heroine because I saw them (or have known them to) struggle and conquer all their troubles and win all their joys; today each one is a self-made man or self-made woman; and each an achiever! From time to time I really wonder how they managed it! Because I know the struggles I face in my life! I only admire their tenacity that each one showed and still displays in their lives... From time to time I derive my solutions, resolutions and determination from them! This only made me appreciate every other person as an achiever no matter what part of the world or life they come from!
One of the people I always try to emulate is my Grandfather - how can someone upkeep his dignity and honor every single second of his life? Probably by making it one's own nature! Maybe thats what my Grandfather did; or maybe He was just born with it!
If I was a handful of clay as a child, then my Grandpa was one of those first few to mould me into the person that I am today and I am going to be!
Tatagaru, I am still as ignorant in many things as I was back then when I was a mere child; I still need You to inspire me and open my closed doors towards the truth! And I know You will!
See how a chapter from a Fairy Tale can actually mould a handful of clay!
Yours,
Pinky.
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