"Ammachi, where are my brothers going?" A little girl of 6 years old asked her grandmother. She was sitting on her grannies lap, folding betel leaves for her in the morning.
The grandmother with greying hair, caressed her head and answered," Well, they are going to school.."
"Then, when can I go to school?" the girl asked, her eyes twinkling in anticipation.
"The school is not a good place for girls. There are teachers who will beat children.. and some naughty kids will bully you....So you will not be send to school.. It's for your safety.. How can I let my dear child suffer!" The grandmother pinched her lovely cheeks and kissed her.
"Then, how come my brothers can go?" she asked curiously.
"Well, they are boys... They can handle that, they will be fine.. but my chellakutty, you're my dearest and you should not suffer there", the old woman hugged the little girl.
Inside the cage of wrinkled arms, the little girl thought of what kind of place was a school and closed her eyes.
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That evening, when her brothers were studying in the light of a kerosene lamp, she sat beside them on the floor. She saw them scribbling on the black slate, and saying words aloud and learning.
"Big Anna, what is school? Is it a terrible place?" she asked in a low voice.
"In school, teachers will teach you letters and words.. If you don't study and go next day, they will beat you...." her older brother answered and continued reading.
"Anna, what are you scribbling?" she asked again.
"I'm not scribbling.. I'm writing words...You won't understand." He said brusquely.
"Teach me some words also... please Anna, please" she pleaded in a sweet voice.
"No time.. you go play with something.." Her brother answered in a irritated manner.
"Anna, just two words, please,... please.." she was persistent.
"Fine!!! I'll teach you two words.. Listen carefully.." He agreed reluctantly.
He took the slate and wrote two Malayalam words- 'thara' and 'pana'.
He read those words aloud and held her little hands and traced along the letters.
"Thara"
"Pana"
The little girl kept on repeating the words.
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That night she dreamt of school, learning new words....
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Next day, she went to her grandmother; hugged and kissed her on the cheek, and asked in a cute voice, " Ammachi, I wanna go to school..."
"No dear you can't.. I told you before.. School is only for boys, not for girls..." Grandmother spoke sternly.
"Please, please Ammachi, I will be fine, I want to go to school.." She pleaded more.
"No means no... go to the kitchen and be with your Amma" Grandmother shooed her away.
Sulking she went to her father who was eating kanji for breakfast.
"Appa.." she called.
"Dear girl, come here.. What happened?" Her father beckoned her.
"Appa, Can I go to school.. I''ll go with my Annas and come back with them.. Please, can I go?" she pleaded with him too.
"No.. school is not for girls.. Have you seen any girls from our village going to school? Have your mother gone to school? School is not for girls.. Go to your mother and eat some breakfast" He send her away after rejecting her request.
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The little girl asked her parents and grandmother again and again.
But her words were not heard by them.
She learned a few more words from her brothers. But they were reprimanded for teaching her. So they refused to teach her any more.
Everyday when her grandmother combs her hair and makes it it into a tight bun while sitting in front of the house, she would watch enviously the boys going to school, wishing she were born as a boy.
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Ammachi -One of the Malayalam words used to call Grandmother
chellakutty- "My dear child"
Anna- term for older brother
'thara' and 'pana'- the initial words which are easy to pronounce and write which are usually taught in Malayalam language. Malayalam is the official language of the South Indian state Kearal.
Appa- term for father
Amma- term for mother
ESTÁS LEYENDO
Grandmother's tales
Ficción GeneralThis book is a blend of fiction and non-fiction. I had spent majority of my lifetime with my grandma. She was at times a friend, sometimes a sibling, sometimes a caring grandma. This book is a tribute to her, My Ammachi.
