THE REAL JEWEL

Vijayawada (city on fast track)... 

Nowadays the literacy rate here is increasing high, people are enterprising and hardworking. They are travelling all over the world in search of employment.

Every day while coming from college at around 6 - 6.30, I see a old women on da way... she will be walking with her grandson.. She is very confident and strong by nature... she reminds me my grandmother... As today the weather is so pleasant and cool, i sat on a bench in the nearby park... She came and sat next to me and started asking questions about, what I’m studying and so on... she is talking in such way that she is well educated, so I asked her 'did you study when u were young'

She sighed as if she was in pain.

'No, unfortunately I did not go to school. When i was young we were extremely poor and was a coolie in the garden of a school teacher. I always felt education is essential. if you can read and write you can secure a better job. In my case it was not possible. So i was determined that my only son 'Venkateswar Rao' should study as much as possible he could and i would work hard for that. My husband also felt the same way, but he was killed by a snake bite when my son was five years old. It was my promise to him that i would educate my son.

'My son did not disappoint me. he went to Bombay as a hotel boy, he cleaned the plates in the morning, and in the evenings went to "MOGHAVEERA NIGHT SCHOOL" (it is situated in Worli) and studied there.

Once he finished his schooling he became a clerk at the counter of a hotel and went to Night College. He got his degree and started his own hotel in Bombay. He became very successful.

Then I asked why he is here now??

She smiled. I could see she was proud.

'He started many hotels in Bombay but i remained here only. i never felt comfortable in Bombay in spite of all money he had because  nobody spoke Telugu there and i love Vijayawada..

There was a saying in Sanskrit also

"janani janmabhoomischa

swargadapi gariyasi" 

She continued..

My son became very wealthy and handed over his business to his son. he is now 55yrs old and 10yrs back he returned here.

I was unable to understand how a busy successful person like him could retire to this godforsaken sleepy big village (Vijayawada city is also known as big village)

Then she replied when he became rich, my son asked me, "Amma i have earned so much of wealth. I want to know what you want. I remember you sold all your jewellery for my fees in college. Now I want to buy lots of jewellery for u.

I asked what did you answer??

'I told my son that in life, the real jewellery is education' 

The teacher for whom i worked when i was young used to tell everything will perish over a period of time, but education brings confidence to your face and that is the real beauty. I have crossed the age to wear jewelleries. If u respect my wishes, build as many schools (with low fee) as possible. My son understood my feelings.
He himself shifted here and has, till today built ten schools in and around Vijayawada (VIDYA VIHAR).

Now i understood the increase in literacy rate in Vijayawada.

Women like granny had not studied but they had understood the importance of good education.

"It is certainly true that if one man studies, only one man is educated whereas if one lady studies, the entire family is educated."