Literacy Autobiography (10-May-2018)

Literacy Autobiography

Introduction:

I grow up by hearing stories, reading literature, watching movies, shows, etc. from different sources like family, friends, classmates, neighbors, books, movies, dramas, etc. Autobiography meaning in a dictionary is; it’s an account of a person's life written by that person. I feel autobiography is a “Reflexive record of life”, and this autobiography is considered the oral, written, and performative genre to be an art form, art means mixing of the subject (Individual/Me) into the object (Literature). Here I am trying to write the literature, for which I related myself to that literature in the form of genre. Here I am trying to narrate my own experiences with the literature.

Literacy Autobiography

I was born in 1994, I started my schooling in 1998 with LKG (Lower kinder Garden). 2001 I completed my 1st standard, like that in 2010 I completed my 10th standard, in 2012 passed 12th standard (or) Intermediate, 2012 to 2015 Graduation period, 2015-2018 post-graduation period. I feel this might help you to know my age and in which class I was at that time. 

I feel my childhood memories are very vague now, with that vague state status only, I am trying to write this article.

From my childhood (till 6 years approx.) I use like stories a lot, especially I use to hear from my mother, grandmother, and aunt. They use to say me different stories l while eating lunch and dinner. In my childhood, Like all others, I also use to depend on others for literature. I have some curiosity to know oral literature from my mother either by seeing a book or without seeing the book, the kind of literature which I liked in my childhood was fictional, cultural, and mythological oral literature. I think I am not that skeptical about what they are saying, I just use listen for fun in my leisure time. In my early childhood, I don’t use to remember those stories at times also. I feel, I heard for time pass only. 

In my late childhood (till 12 years) also I like the oral form of literature only, my parents brought some literature books with some illustrations in the book stalls, especially from Sri Ramakrishna Math, Ramana Ashram, etc. And in the home also some old illustrated books are there which are mostly mythology based like Abhimanyu story, Srivenkateshwara story, Bishma’s story, etc. My mother use to say the story by showing illustrations. My mother use to say the story, especially during dinner times, she use to leave us by saying incomplete stories after finishing dinner and tells keep the suspense with you, which will help in remembering these stories with morality. In my late childhood, I started reading this, but I am not that much interested in reading stories kind of literature. 

From my late childhood onwards I started watching performative literature mainly through the movies, some through drama. From this time onwards I started grasping some morals from the literature. Now I feel, that literature from the movies is like a drug for me, those movie thoughts will be there in my mind for large time, and those movie thoughts use to affect my daily activities. Ex. “Stalin” Telugu movie is a story of an Indian army major, who comes out of the army, because of health reasons, later he comes to his hometown and starts a initiates with the idea that all people need to help their surroundings. After watching this movie, I also thought to do this, but my friends use to comment on me, you are a movie follower. I stopped doing that. Another example after watching “Satyam” a Telugu movie in 2004 (10 years old), this movie is about a singer, who was thrown out of his home in his adolescence age because of his mischievous behavior. Later he became a well singer. This movie gave some thoughts that “I will go out from home and after becoming a famous person I will come”, but don’t know how to go.

In the ETV Telugu channel in 2004/05 “Panchatantra” puppetry TV program use to come with, This Panchatantra is literature from Vishnu Sharma which is the fables of animals for humans through political philosophy. When I use to see these episodes on Television, in-home my parents also brought Panchatantra books, which I tried to read at my graduation. I got a doubt that how these animals are talking here in the Telugu language. I didn’t know that much about graphics, puppetry, etc. later my uncle told me that, these kinds of things are called puppetry, and for supporting those people, this channel made this kind of show. 

I am very fascinated by this Panchatantra literature, because, it changes mischievous princesses into well-educated persons with empathetic behavior by saying the stories. This also gave me some kind of thoughts, that we can get education in different ways, including by saying stories also. I think, previously I feel education gets from formal schools only by reading and writing. I feel this has a strange and nice setting because they don’t have any exam pressure. Later I got to know this widely. 

I feel my adolescence age (2006 to 20l0) is the main turning point in my literacy autobiography. From this period onwards I think I started reading literature on my own, without any support from others. From 2007 to till now I stopped watching movies on the silver screen, because of reading the literature of “Bharati Samuskruti Parishad” Maxine (might be another similar name), in this I read about the article on our President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. In that Maxine, I saw that He didn’t watch any movies in his lifetime, and for 40 years he is using only “Made in India” products. I was inspired by this and stopped watching Movies, Television and started using only Made in India products. Till now, I don’t the reality, whether this is true or not, but I just followed this blindly. But by another oral literature from my aunt, I started using foreign goods also, she told me that “You are a citizen of India, which is in this world, so you are a citizen of the world, so you can use all nation products”. This oral literature also changed my thoughts. with this, I put a full stop to using only Made in India products. 

From 2008 onwards till 2011, I am a regular reader of stories that use to come in Sakshi newspaper the Telugu daily newspaper. In that, I used to read Kid's special paper, mainly the stories and life history of famous persons like Dayananda Sarasvati, Chanakya, and Paramaveera Chakra holders. These stories (written literature with one illustration) changed some of my perceptions of life. Some fascinating stories I read in that newspaper were, 1st one, One Buddhist monk used to beg from others along with his disciples, at that time one man, who was angry with that monk, blames him a lot, later that monk smiles and goes forward. After this incident his disciple asks him, why he didn’t respond to his words, then the monk replies, when I take that only it will become mine, when I will not take, that’s not mine, here I didn’t take his words, those things will be with him only know. This story impacted me a lot till now also, when others will scold me without any reason, if I will try to not take those words into mind, this makes me happy, going forward in my life happily. Another important story is of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, here Ramakrishna Paramahamsa wants to say things, what he is doing only, not what he is going to do. He says don’t eat sugar to girl, after he stops eating sugar. I use to mostly remember this story when I behave like a hypocrite. They are some other stories also, which impacted my life a lot.

In 2008 only I started writing a book “Collections Book”, in that I use to write the general knowledge things like all countries list, states list, rivers in India and their dams & kilometers, highest peaks; current affairs like prime ministers list, chief ministers list, governors & president l list etc.; paper cuttings & charts of first aid, seven wonders, small articles on famous persons, etc.; writing movie songs mainly motivation & mythological songs, etc.; Keeping some information on Hindu Mythology. 

In this collection book, I was more reflective on paper cutting which have some small articles on famous persons. I keeping and reading this I got more knowledge. I will share the two articles on two famous persons. One is on “Charles Phillip Brown” he is the deputy collector of Kadapa District, who made lots of research on Telugu literature and translated so many “Sathakas” mostly focused on “Yogi Vemana Sathakas” into English, and so many English people appreciated him for this work. In my childhood, I use to feel only English is the superior language, as a English speaker he shown very much in Indian language. This also makes to feel, Telugu is also great language for foreigners also. I am glad for being Telugu speaker. 

In my 10th class (2010) there is one non detailed lesson called “The Hound of Baskervilles”. After listening the lessons, it increased my curiosity levels to completely read the story. I feel, this book is my non-Telugu literature book to read for pleasure sake not for any academic sake. I use to share this story a lot with others, I got an idea to make this lesson as Movie. In 2007 we had non-detailed lessons on “Gulliver Travels”, while hearing I like that, I watched Gulliver Travels animated movie in voluntarily in a TV channel even though I didn’t understand that English. 

When I watched Arya-2 Telugu movie in 2011 (I didn’t watch it, when it released in 2009), I was inspired by seeing dairy. Here hero writes his daily activities and what he likes, and what he wants, etc. I also started writing daily one line dairy, mostly what I did. This movie became the trigger for me to write the dairy in a simple manner. I started making the record of family members, birthday’s list of my family members and classmates, classmates list, familiar persons vehicle number list, the things which I like most, family tree’s, strangers whom I met in my journeys, movies and serials which I watched, places I visited on which date and years. Teachers, whom I met in my institutions, etc. One of most important thing in my dairy is comments & compliments on me on my past behaviour and future assumptions also. 

From 2011 onwards, my personal diary became reference for my past activities, according to an order wrote some like all classmates birthday on one place, family trees from both sides at one place, my likes at one place, from 2012 to 2018 calendar days where I am, at one place, headings on pages are somewhat clear. When I get some doubts on my life history, I use to check my diary. It developed and modified a lot in these present days. This writing diary became my major record of my life till now also. I reflected on my life so many times because of this writing diary habit. Whenever I get free time, I use to think and reflect on my diary activities. Till 2016, I use to write single lines activities, which I did, but from 2016 onwards I started writing my own feelings, perceptions, beliefs etc. on my diary, I feel this is the major transformation in my literacy autobiography.

How means I share some of writings in the dairy 

My style of writing diary (Sample)

26-July- 2012: I practiced learning bike:

18-Aug-2012: I went to YV street for shopping and ate Dosa there. 

Others comments (Sample)

15th November 2014: My Aunti said to me that “You need to go according to situations, but expect the situations need to be like this”

My perceptions (sample)

I am saying to others when they asks me “How are you studying” (especially my parents) my conditional reply was “I am studying well”, it became very mechanical. I feel I am cheating my parents, I need to say the things unconditionally. I want to say truth to my parents (22nd August 2015) 

When I am reading or recall I become conscious on my mistakes. 

In 2012, in holiday’s time, after completing my Intermediate, I made a pledge to read the story of famous personalities daily. I started with a hype, but later it became very dull, but those literature also helped me a lot. At that time I read Vivekananda story, Dayananda Sarasvati, Chatrapathi Sivaji, Chanukya Chandragupta, Ramana Maharshi, Yogi Vemana, Tukaram, etc. These all short life stories are realizing experiences for me of their hard work and determination.

Here I share two things here, one is Dayananda Sarasvati: After he come out from home, he searches for finding a guru, at some time he fed up with his journey and tries to commit self-murder. Later he withdraws that ideas and goes forward to search. After reading this I felt, I don’t have that much commitment on my ideas which I believe. This is a kind of shame on myself.

While reading Ramana Maharshi’s story, When he sleeps he gets dream in that, he think about “Who am I” after wake up, he disturbed a lot and leaves home to meet his father (GOD). I was surprised how he made one dream as such a valuable thing and left everything, and goes to Tiruvannamalai. Even though I so gave value for dreams, I will not give value to put those things in the praxis. But he gave value to dream and put that Idea in praxis.

While doing this activity in home, I got some respect from my home that, he is reading a lot. I was happy to hear this.

My degree days, was with mostly on my “Collection Book” & Diary based literature is more. Here what I mentioned up that only happened in degree days also specially in literature. 

Now my Post-Graduation period is made (Still making) me to value of literature. Three years of my PG program made to think a lot. Till my graduation time, I mostly focused on only one language that is Telugu, here I started with new (old) language in my literacy journey. I feel this period is the central core 

Here I am mostly focused on oral English literature and then written literature. Each subject literature gave me some insights on my auto-biography (Reflective record of life). 

My thoughts are in very vague state to explain this literacy auto-biographic situations here. 

When I came here on first day (On inauguration day only) oral literature was the glimpse of my whole APU life.

Anurag Behar sir told his tree points with some detailed description, but I remembered those two points only, those are also the essence of my Azim Premji University Life {APU LIFE}, first point was “Freedom with responsibility leads to the golden rule”, and second one was the “Diversity is an Opportunity for Development”. I feel, theoretically I experienced while listening on the first day, while leaving APU I experienced this practically/empirically. 

I feel connected, when one of senior said the story of eagle, who behaves like a Hen. Story here is, once a farmer see eagle’s egg, and brought that and keeps that egg along with the Hen’s egg. After some days they eagle and hen comes out from their eggs. This eagle also grows along with hen, and behaves like hen, one day, one educated man see’s that and asks farmer to give this eagle-hen to me, I will make it eagle, after some discussions he agrees. He makes the eagle-hen into eagle after some efforts. Here eagle-hen is you (students) and educated men is professors, there main aim is to get your own capabilities. I like these all things (Freedom with responsibility, diversity is an opportunity, and this story). While experiencing these things, it like a bitter gourd for me, but after experiences, it gave larger amount of happiness and knowledge for me. 

While writing and preparing for each assignment, I use to get pressure; after completing that I will get happiness, after having consecutive exams, I am get immense happiness, but while writing the exams is bitter gourd for me.   

First one “Freedom with responsibility leads to the golden rule”. Firstly I felt this is coming from outside that means from university side. Because university is giving me assignment questions 15 days before, asking us to complete on dead line, here you are giving me freedom and also giving responsibilities. Here some exams are open book exams are also there, this is also a type of freedom without much restrictions. I feel these freedom & responsible experiences (Instructions, questions) are giving from authority. I feel, the university gave golden rule, by keeping informal culture.

{I copied this from my assignment}In formal setting I will be under the control of some authority, there you need to complete your work by given time, with some fixed expected outcome will be there, here is there is no value for individual concerns. Second is informal setting, here is also you (I) will be under the control (guidance) of other, this is also like formal setup but individual concern will take into the consideration. Third is causal setting, there no one will control you, if you are interested only, then only we can work without any consideration of outcomes, this casual is not outcome oriented nor process orientated. I selected the informal setting school. Informal culture will be there in formal and casual setting also, and formal and casual settings will be there in informal setting also. It is very difficult to me to find genuine informal school, that why I selected informal cultured named school. {{This focusing on outcome by considering individual concerns can happen in every settings, when the teacher and students are connecting to each other artistically considering each other experiences.}}

I feel this informal culture in APU, gave me lots of clarity & hope in my life, that where I go I can sustain. 

Second one is “Diversity is an opportunity for development” when we unite those diversified things/beings. This is also made me to realize the value of the diversity through the experiences. Here in APU deliberately selected and maintained diversity, Not only diversity in places, castes, religions, class, languages, graduation streams, ages, work experience wise, etc. (these are in selection process). But also in maintaining process of diversity, through the orientation programs, classroom discussions, seminars, colloquiums, open courses, workshops, etc, everyone have a flexibility to choose their interest. By freedom with responsibilities, I feel, this development is happening through diversity. 

If I am completely in air condition, I can’t feel that happiness, when I come from place, then I sit in AC it gives me immense pleasure, through the diversity, I feel, I am knowing the value of that diversity.       

3rd one making Eagle-Hen as Eagle, in that process, I felt my faculty as devils, who gives us lots of assignments. Approximately I have 3 or 4 exams for assignments every month, while giving those assignments (making process of eagle-hen into eagle), sometimes I use to feel them as devils, but completing those assignments because of their (faculty & friends) I feel very happy. That means I feel, here the faculty (university) intension and work is good, but with dangerous look. “That sugar in salt packet”. 

In APU, in one of the class, one faculty told about “Phenomena of Teacher & Curriculum” that became the trigger to change my whole perception on Education/world also. Here he told about “language phenomenon is Expression and communication”; “science phenomena is observation and experimentation”; Math phenomena is logic and pattern”. This changed me think on the source of subject, instead of product of those subjects that are poems, prose, theory, theorems, formulas, etc. Here we need to use products as Map for experiences, not substitute for our experiences. 

By listening this class, I felt, I lead my life in a more mechanical way than in organic way. In organic way I feel everything (process) is valuable. In mechanical way, there will be value for temporary things only, later there might be now value. . If lost I lost my phone, my life, may not become reverse, but I feel disturbed/reverse, but nothing is might be there & when I get new phone I will forget about old phone after some time. But in organic process if we lose something that affect us a lot e.g. If I lose my hands I feel disturbed/reversed, If I get artificial hand also I feel I really lack something. 

I feel, this oral literature became the trigger to skeptic on my life, whether I am thinking on product (or) source of that product that means whether I am love myself or for my material things. Here loving my self means loving for everything means loving happiness, sadness, success, failure, profit and loss, etc. This made to only think, (I am not practicing) on everything, trying me make me open myself. Instead of focusing on outcomes.

I want to love everything (happiness, sadness, success, failure, profit and loss), but I am loving only comfortable things. “Rama is need, Ravana is indeed”