The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.
Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search
Published by eBooks, 2022-08-03 08:35:28

Jyotipunj-Eng

Jyotipunj-Eng

201

After Dr. Vanikar retired from the L.G. Hospital, he decided
to dedicate his entire life to social service. He was filled with
the spirit that the Hindu society should get united,
untouchability should be abolished, the new limitations
imposed by the society should be done away with, and the
Hindus should feel pride about their great culture and great
people. He undertook effort to realize these goals too. When it
comes to pointing out the name of any one person who assisted
in founding the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Gujarat, the only
name that will emerge in the mind is that of Dr. Vanikar. In fact,
he had devoted all his life for the development of the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad. When the Vishwa Hindu Parishad had just
been founded in Gujarat about thirty years ago, he published a
fortnightly newspaper called Vishwa Hindu Samachar and thus
he had commenced the course of mass awakening.

The personality of Dr. Vanikar was greatly respected in the
whole of Gujarat as well as the elite classes. It was no difficult
task for him to seek contribution from such wealthy families to
run the Vishwa Hindu Parishad; however, he did not do this,
rather he made a system by which the ordinary people were
associated with the Parishad. He also formulated a system of
‘Daan Peti’ (contribution or donation box). He would go to small
shopkeepers and keep in their shops copies of the Vishwa Hindu
Samachar and the contribution box. He would inspire the
shopkeepers, and he had also started the system that the copies
of the newspaper could be given free of cost to an individual
who donated something in the box. Sometimes a few
shopkeepers did not want to take up such a responsibility, then
he would go himself to convince them. He would say that if the
money collected was as low as five rupees a month, still it was
okay. It was the result of Dr. Vanikar’s hard work and effort that
these contribution boxes were kept at more than five thousand
places in small and big towns. Thus, it created a large network
to communicate the ideas of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, and it
did not take much long. The contribution of small amounts by
ordinary people became the source of running the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad. Dr. Vanikar had worked hard for this work

202
though it looked so trivial. Due to his personal reputation, he
was widely respected in different monasteries and temples of
different towns.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad was founded in the year 1964.
However, in a short span of only five years, Dr. Vanikar spread
the organisation in every corner of the state. It could be none
else but Dr. Vanikar who could have the courage to hold the
glorious conference of Gujarat Unit of the Vishwa Hindu
Parishad as far back as 1972. He got unprecedented success in
gathering saints and sages from all over Gujarat and country
on the bank of the Saraswati in Siddhapur. Millions of Gujarati
people were thankful to him for having the blessings of the
teachers, saints, sages, Mahamandaleshwars of all faiths under
the Hinduism.

At this time, the Param Pujya Guruji was afflicted by cancer,
yet he was present in this massive conference right through and
gave his guidance. Dr. Vanikar was always under the blessings
of Guruji.

In the short time period of five to seven years, the Vishwa
Hindu Parishad chalked out its own identity in Gujarat. Dr.
Vanikar was different. He lived the life of a true saint. He was
not at all contented at the stature, influence and fame of the
institution. He was ever ready to serve it in every way. Gujarat
was prone to suffer from famine at a number of times. During
the famine in 1972-73, Dr. Vanikar took upon himself the task of
serving the tribals. He toured Pal, Chitaria, Bhiloda,
Khedbrahma, Vijaynagar of Sabarkantha district. He would also
take people with him to make them feel the plight of poverty
suffered by the tribals. He made solemn effort in order to
inculcate some sentiments in the wealthy people so that they
might get ready to serve the deprived classes. He ran the Chhachh
(buttermilk) centres at some places and kitchen at other places
to help the famine victims. He also undertook a campaign to
supply ‘sukhadi’ (a sweet dish made from flour, ghee and gur)
as nutrition to the famine victims. Seeing him wandering in the
forests amongst the tribals, nobody could ever imagine that he
was the same doctor who had once practised in England; how
devoted he was to his cause.

203

An ashram school and a farming school were also
constructed for the tribals in Pal-Chitaria extension of Vijaynagar
Taluka in Sabarkantha, which have become the centres of
teaching and culturisation of tribals living there.

When Dr. Vanikar was engaged in serving in this tribal belt,
he felt very bad at seeing some greedy people taking advantage
of the simple tribals. He met sages and saints, and explained to
them the plight of the tribals, and thus made a solemn effort to
help the tribals. Dr. Vanikar possessed a very simple personality.
He did not allow his advancing age to hinder his hard work. It
was his daily routine to do the Surya Namaskar (a type of yoga)
and he followed this routine until the end of his life. He never
looked away from hard work. Every week, he would tour the
tribal belts for thousands of kilometres. He had donated one of
his older cars for social service too. He often drove himself. If
he felt tired due to long driving, he would pull up by the side of
the road, and lie down to sleep on the ground without spreading
a sheet even; and when he awoke; he would resume his journey
towards his destination.

He also significantly contributed in getting the weekly
Sadhana published—an ideological paper in Gujarat. As a trustee
of the Sadhana, he contributed greatly in making it strong. It
was the Sadhana in later period that had raised its voice against
the emergency in order to protect democracy. How could Smt.
Indira Gandhi tolerate that a small paper like the Sadhana was
challenging her government, so she got its proofreaders,
compositors, editors and trustees – everybody arrested under
the Misa and sent them all to jail. However, Dr. Vanikar never
wavered from his struggle for democracy. He was attached to
reputed and wealthy people, but they were all surprised when
a saint-like person like him was arrested. These people tried to
get him released from jail. At this, Dr. Vanikar sent a message
that he was not at all interested to come out of the jail until
democracy was reinstated again and the emergency was lifted.
He liked to be in jail until the emergency was in force.

The state office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, called
Hedgewar Bhawan, was built due to his foresight. Had it not

204

been the emphasis and planning of Dr. Vanikar, it might not
have been there.

There is a high heap of memories concerning Dr. Vanikar.
He was a messiah for the suffering. Pity was his nature. He was
a man of action. When he was in the company of saints and
seers, we could find the glimpse of a Sadhak or pupil in him. He
kept working for the society until the last of his life. He devoted
all his life in the feet of the society.

At the age of 73 years, when he was returning at 10.30 p.m.
from the forests in Dediapada after doing his service to the
tribals he was hit and crashed by a matador, which resulted in
his death. The final moments of his life too had passed in the
service of the tribals. Today, the name of Dr. Vanikar may not
be identified by people, yet his fragrance can still be felt in the
forests of Gujarat and in the lives of tribals. His fragrance is a
source of inspiration which will bloom our future.

He burnt himself to light the path,
We have discovered the path of inspiration.



Persistent Karmayogi
Kashinathrao Bagwade

We can witness a wonderful systematic life in Kashinath. He was
at all times punctual in his daily routine, priority to work, pre-
planning, information gathering, and the like. An extremely
systematic life was his chief characteristic.

Even the most ordinary people have something
extraordinary about them. It is chance or opportunity which
makes an individual experience his extraordinary faculties.
There are a few people who mould their lives themselves, just
like a sculptor moulds his image.

Before the onset of independence, the youth was curious
to do something in the world. Kashinath motivated the youth
in order to arouse this curiosity at the opportune time, and thus,
he himself became a part of the movement.

Born in a very ordinary family of Vishnupant Bagwade in
a small village called Vai in Satara district (Maharashtra), he
was filled to the brim with a spirit to do something for the
country’s freedom. This love for the country inclined him
towards the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Due to poor
financial condition of the family, he arrived in Nadiad with his
brothers. He was employed in the New Shorok Mill. The district
of Kheda in Gujarat was an expanse which infused the spirit of
freedom in the people. Therefore, it was natural for the seed of
the Sangh culture lying in Kashinath to bloom. Kashinath was
matriculate, and possessed a lean and thin stature. His
disposition and action displayed his love for the country. He

208

was not a youth who would waste his life in the New Shorok
Mill in Nadiad. He was more invigorated to weave the country
more than he would weave the cloth in the mill. He was
ordinarily educated, but his determination was firm. Even the
strongest strands of the fabric could not restrain him. He was
never inclined towards living a good life in a city like Nadiad,
or to do something only for himself. When the family members
had seen off the young Kashinath from home, they certainly
must have seen some exalted dreams about him that he would
help them financially and the family would become financially
sound. The young Kashinath was well aware of the family’s
needs, situation and expectations from him; but the seed that
had been sown in his heart and the ardent desire for freedom
did not allow him to sit idly. He was being called by his family
inflicted by poverty on the one hand and by the country bound
in slavery in another. In the end, the struggle between the family
and the Sangh went in the favour of the latter. In 1945, Kashinath
resolved to renounce everything of his for the sake of the
country. He abandoned the family, the job, the house, and joined
the Sangh as a Pracharak in order to realize his dream of uniting
the Hindu society.

In the initial stages, he worked in Kheda. Those days, he
made an earnest effort to learn the Gujarati language out of
curiosity. In a short time, he became a Gujarati so far as language
was concerned. He was inclined towards developing his life as
per the ideals of the Sangh, and this effort on his part influenced
many of his comrades. Even the absence of an academic degree
could not become an obstacle in the path of his progress due to
his wide depositary of qualities, simplicity and hard work. Right
from the beginning of life as a Pracharak, he had secured a good
hold over Kheda.

For many years, being transferred to Kutch was considered
a type of punishment. However, the young Kashinath was
assigned the responsibility of Kutch due to his perseverance,
and he was transferred from Kheda to there. Prior to
independence, the journey to Kutch required one to travel by
sea. Kashinath camped in Kutch. He identified the

209

characteristics, attachment and internal faculties of Kutch well
enough. Even today, the Swayamsevaks of the first generation
in Kutch don’t get tired of the hard work that Kashinath
undertook in Kutch. He walked on foot and rode the bicycle; he
continued to work whether he got to eat something or not. The
zenith of hard work and labour that he undertook during that
period appear to be like some folktale to the young generation
today.

When we talk of evolution of ideology and path of
development of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Gujarat,
our attention is drawn towards two important occurrences. The
cause of both these occurrences was Kashinath, so it becomes
essential to mention them here:

While teaching the lessons of patriotism and social service
in the Sangh, it is continuously said that one hour is meant for
the Shakha and twenty-three hours for the country and society.
In 1956, an earthquake struck Anjar in Kutch. It was a major
natural calamity at that time. Prime Minister Nehru visited
Kutch immediately. At this time, the Sangh was in its infancy
due to the efforts that Kashinath had made. The Sangh was not
so powerful in Kutch, or even in Gujarat, that it could look after
the earthquake victims. The strength of the organisation was
ordinary, but zeal was extraordinary.

As soon as the news of earthquake at Anjar came in,
Kashinath started his campaign to assist the victims. In the
beginning, he delivered all that assistance that he got from
different districts and the state. It was quite disorderly after the
earthquake. There was no bridge between the relief workers
and the victims. For a large section of the Congress, the
opportunity of the earthquake at Anjar was an opportunity for
getting themselves photographed and sent their pictures to the
central leaders. In such a time, Kashinath accepted the task of
service to humanity as the responsibility assigned by the God.
He camped at Anjar with his few workers coming from different
places. He carried with him the least possible things that they
could manage with for sleeping and eating. Then they all set
down to assist and serve the victims in the best way they could.

210

Even the government machinery trusted Kashinath and his team
of Swayamsevaks for knowing the actual information regarding
the victims.

The leaders who arrived there to get themselves
photographed often pouted at seeing the Swayamsevaks clad
in khaki shorts, felt ashamed and finally when they were free
from their important errand of photography, would have no
other way out but to approach the Swayamsevaks of the Sangh
to know the actual condition prevailing there. Kashinath would
ever be remembered for his accomplishment that he did for the
earthquake victims despite his scarcity of resources. He had
only the young Swayamsevaks with him and was equipped with
unfathomable determination for this task. This was the second
calamity on the people of Anjar who had shifted from Sindh
due to partition of the country. At such a crucial time, service
and care of the Sangh became a new ray of hope for them.

During the war with China, Kashinath was the in-charge
of Mehsana district. His hard work bore fruit so widely that the
Sangh work expanded in the district very quickly. When it came
to judge the extent of Sangh’s influence, Mehsana led the other
districts in Gujarat. In its basis lay the fragrance of hard work
undertaken by Kashinath. He was short so far as his physical
stature was concerned. He was so short that his feet did not
reach the cycle pedals, yet he would ride it in the upright posture
which required additional energy, yet he continued to ride it
on the concrete and dusty roads of the city and villages.

We find an extraordinary glimpse of systematic planning
in the life of Kashinath. He was ever ready with his errands,
whether it was his daily routine, giving priority to work,
preplanning, gathering information and the like. Leading a very
systematic life was his characteristic. As a theist person worships
God in the morning and never forgets this commitment; much
in the same manner, Kashinath would rise and get ready in the
wee hours of the morning and sit down to write a number of
postcards. It was his daily routine. He would try to send his
messages across villages through postcards, and he used to this
task right before the sunrise. Every letter was unique in itself,

211

though it carried the similar information. Every letter was
written as per the status of the Swayamsevak. It was a source of
affection not only for the Swayamsevak but for his family
members too. He wrote all those letters every morning in his
own handwriting, but his letters were never illegible, you would
never find any trace of fatigue in them. Sometimes it makes us
feel that he wrote millions of letters over thirty years in order
to lay a strong foundation of the Sangh. Such an occurrence can
be certainly considered a record-breaking one.

In the other important occurrence, I had an opportunity to
notice Kashinath from close quarters in the capacity of a
Swayamsevak, an organizer, a planner – all in one. In 1964, after
the foundation of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, its work was
commenced in Gujarat. Due to religious inclination of the people
here, its work gained momentum on a rapid scale. The first state-
level conference of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in Gujarat was
held at Siddhapur. It was for the first time that the Param Pujya
Guruji of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the venerable
Shankaracharya, and other prestigious saints, seers and sages
had all gathered on the land of Gujarat. It was a wonderful
confluence of thousands of saints, seers and sages together with
millions of people. The responsibility for the entire arrangement
of this conference held in 1971-72 was held by Kashinath. This
conference was no ordinary one. Every saint is an independent
institution by himself. Every saint has his unique rules. There
is need to observe specific code of conduct, and each has his
own traditions. It is no ordinary thing to control all these diverse
people under the same roof. On the other hand, the arrangement
for millions of devotees was done very systematically. It was
appreciable.

Kashinath toured continuously for over forty years, led a
difficult life, competed for hard work, led a regular Sangh life;
but when it came to his personal life, he was indifferent towards
himself, and due to this negligence, his final stage of life was a
worried one. His lost his auditory ability. His heart disease was
painful too. At this juncture of life, if somebody enquired after
his health, he did not like it even a bit. He was more pained at

212

not being able to do national work rather than facing physical
difficulty.

The lamp of his life might have been extinguished, yet he
lighted a number of lamps all his life. He made efforts to light
lamps to eradicate dark in remote corners; and it remains a true
tribute to him.

Never look how far it is, how long the path is,
And never think how far the world cooperates with us.



Struggling Life
Nathabhai Jhagda

The voice of Nathabhai was loud and angry, but he possessed a
soft heart, full of sensitivities, who cared for others. Nathabhai
had not received school education, yet he was in the forefront to
make life meaningful.

Nathabhai struggled all his life, and he had to struggle
greatly with the death in the last days of his life. The body did
not cooperate with him, yet he succeeded to push back death a
number of times.

Nathabhai conducted public meetings at a number of places
in Gujarat, and anyone observing him could not guess how
much he struggled to reach that stage of life.

His childhood passed in penury, how could he get
education then? He attended school only for a couple of classes.
With an aim to provide some financial succour to the poverty-
stricken family, he started work at an age when a child is
supposed to play about. He was merely ten or twelve years old
when he held chocolate, biscuits, peppermint and the like in a
plate to sell to the people; he used to sell his wares in front of
Prakash Cinema in Karnawati Gheekanta extension of
Ahmedabad, and thus rendered some financial assistance to
his family. He invested invaluable five to seven years of
childhood in this work. In youth, he started to learn the family
occupation of gold work. During this period, he came into the
contact of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Kalupur. Thus,
the processes of becoming a gold worker and a Swayamsevak

216

started together. He got an opportunity to look at late Rajpal
Puriji, late Madhukarrao Bhagwat, and late Lakshmanrao
Inamdar (Vakil Saheb) from close quarters. On the insistence of
Vakil Saheb, he started to live in the Sangh office at Manek
Chowk while he was still learning the gold work. The fine
qualities in Nathabhai were family contacts and entertaining
guests. Now, small responsibilities of the Sangh started to be
assigned to him. As the scope of his responsibilities increased,
Nathabhai started to focus more attention towards self-
development.

In 1961-62, Nathabhai started life as a Pracharak. He gave
up the work of moulding gold and busied himself in moulding
lives. Those days, the Sangh work had just started, and it was
progressing gradually. Nathabhai initiated his life as a Pracharak
with the post of the organisation secretary with the Jana Sangh.
The duo of Vasantbhai and Nathabhai strengthened the
foundation of the Jana Sangh with insight.

Nathabhai witnessed many ups and downs in life. If we
see, Nathabhai got merely fifteen years of time to work
satisfactorily, during which he earned a great fame.

Self-development
Nathabhai did not attend school, yet he moulded himself

on the path self-development with his own insight and energy.
Between 1970-80, he was counted amongst the finest orators in
Gujarat. Hordes of workers were always seeking him for the
public meetings. He was the focus of attention due to his
impressive speech, logical arguments, reference to interesting
tales, cleverness and fearlessness. He took the meetings by
storm. Whatever might be the subject of a meeting, whether it
was a stage set for intellectuals or it was a meeting held by the
members of the Lions or Rotary clubs, whether it was to discuss
the policing points of the Jana Sangh or it pertained to
undertaking serious discussion on the problems being faced by
the country, he was equally impressive and sharp.

He did not have the luck of learning English, but his desire
for self-development was so strong that when the Sangh office –

217

Hedgewar Bhavan – was searched by the government during
the emergency, the cupboard belonging to Nathabhai had books
like Angrezi Pathmala (English Series of Lessons) and Fatafat
Angrezi Bolana Seekho (Learn English the Quickest Way).

Once many years ago, perhaps during the communal riots
of 1969, I got an opportunity to go with Nathabhai to the
residence of Udayan Cheenubhai. The late Monaben, wife of
Udayanbhai used to talk to Nathabhai in English. She asked
her questions in English. I noticed in surprise that he replied to
every question in Gujarati, and he did not commit mistake
anywhere. This was no mean accomplishment. Nathabhai
always tried to read the newspaper Organiser.

In the political domain, the formation of the Jana Sangh
was a new effort in Gujarat. These were the days when the name
of the party had to be made popular. The duo of Vasantbhai
Gajendragadkar and Nathabhai undertook extremely hard work
in order to expand the scope of the Jana Sangh. Bhaikaka of the
Swantra Party used to cut jokes at the Jana Sangh leaders when
he said, “You cannot win elections by drawing lamps on the
walls.” At that time, the election symbol of the Jana Sangh was
Deepak (lamp).

The mantra of the expansion of Jana Sangh was “a worker’s
one leg in rail and another in jail”. It meant extensive travel as
well as struggling for people’s rights and well-being. With this
mantra close to his heart, Nathabhai kept the lamp of the Jana
Sangh lighted in Gujarat.

Looking at the glorious state of affairs of the Bharatiya
Janata Party today, it is hardly imaginable the hard work that
the volunteers of the Jana Sangh have undertaken in order to
provide solid roots to this massive banyan tree.

In the initial period of the Jana Sangh, Nathabhai used to
play his role in different capacities. When a meeting of the Jana
Sangh was to be conducted in any part of Ahmedabad, he would
set out to write the information on the walls himself. On the
day of the meeting, he would set out with a tiny mike
(microphone) in his hand riding a bicycle or tricycle in order to
let people know of the meeting. And when it was the time for

218
meeting, he would change over his clothes appropriate to the
occasion because he was supposed to sit on the stage as well as
address the meeting. Looking at the resplendent address of this
man, nobody could ever imagine that he was the same man
who wrote information on the walls too, and announced the
conduct of meetings on the bicycle/tricycle. Not only this, he
himself was fully engaged in setting up the stage and making
other preparations. Nathabhai played a role in all these aspects
in order to establish the foundation of the Jana Sangh deep and
strong.

During the Congress period, it was an autocratic rule. By
nature, the Congress carried the burden of suspicion and doubt,
much like the British rulers. It had truly inherited this British
tendency. If the Congress did not exist in some corner of the
country, it would look to it with suspicious eyes. It would also
direct its intelligence services after the opponents. All important
leaders of the Jana Sangh were under the watchful eye of the
Congress government. However, he was like a headache for
the intelligence department. He used to ride his bicycle from
one corner of Ahmedabad to another in connection with his
errands of the Jana Sangh. He easily travelled on his bicycle 60-
70 kilometres a day. The policemen employed to keep a watch
on him too had to chase him all over and they used to get giddy
doing this. Therefore, anybody from the police department was
afraid of being employed to chase Nathabhai, and took it as a
punishment for himself. It was the lively instance of the zenith
of perseverance that Nathabhai undertook.

During the period between 1970 and 1980, all jewellers and
goldsmiths had started a campaign against the Congress
government in connection with the Suvarnadhara. On this
occasion, Nathabhai had infused unprecedented energy into the
movement in order to bring to the fore the power of people.

The struggle during the emergency was no exception. It
was an occasion when people were supposed to struggle against
the oppressive government in order to reinstate democracy.
Nathabhai’s skill in organisation as well as his contact with rural
families all over Gujarat helped to provide momentum to this
campaign.

219

Nathabhai, who left an indelible impression on the political
arena, was a man of a delicate heart and service-oriented nature.
If anybody from anywhere in Gujarat came to any hospital or
other doctor in Ahmedabad for treatment, then his volunteers
ensured his care and nursed him. Due to this spirit of service, a
large number of doctors were in constant touch with him.

Nathabhai was fond of seeing films. If a Jana Sangh leader
visited from the centre, he was sure to formulate a programme
to watch a film together with other programmes, and during
this, he was accompanied with his friends from the city.
Whatever the task, if all people did not come together, Nathabhai
did not feel himself complete and perfect.

Family Spirit
The unbroken energy that flowed in the Sangh, that was

acting as the cementing force, was the spirit of a family. In the
Sangh, if you are not related to the family, it is considered as a
grave shortcoming. Nathabhai possessed a unique family spirit.
He lived like a member in thousands of families in Gujarat.
During the days of emergency, the underground struggle was
underway. At this time, a great many volunteers, big and small,
went underground. At that time, they felt that the families and
homes that Nathabhai had created, proved to be impregnable
fortresses during this struggle against the emergency.

Unfathomable Self-Confidence
During the course of his working, Nathabhai never allowed

inferiority complex to raise its head in him. He was beyond such
things as his education or financial status and the like. He was
capable of presenting his views before the university professors
quite effectively, and he could present his rational views in a
gathering of advocates or doctors or journalists.

It was the occasion of Karnawati Municipal Corporation
elections in 1967-68. An effort was being made by the Jana Sangh
to search out an effective candidate. Nathabhai was sitting with
others in the teachers’ block of Saint Xavier’s College. The
teachers started to blame the politicians and attacked them in

220

many ways. Nathabhai did not defend or contest even a single
point. When everybody was tired, he said softly, “In the coming
corporation elections, some of you friends should hold the
command of candidature. The Jana Sangh would nominate you.”
None of the teachers agreed to be a candidate. At this, Nathabhai
challenged them, “No place in democracy can lie vacant. If you
didn’t come, the goons and unfit people would occupy that
place.” Listening to this, all teachers present there, numbering
about 25-30, fell silent.

After the fall of the Janata Party at the centre (Delhi), the
Janata Party lost the elections. A journalist from Delhi came to
interview Nathabhai. He asked, “Why did you lose so terribly
in the elections?” At this, Nathabhai retorted, “We lost because
people did not vote for us.” The journalist had no words to say
further. In such a brief analysis, he had uttered a very profound
fact.

A large number of intellectual friends, such as the famous
humour writer Vinod Bhatt used to visit Hedgewar Bhavan to
have gossip with Nathabhai. Nathabhai served them sabudana
khichdi (sago), because he was expert in cooking it.

Vasantbhai Gajendragadkar was an advocate. He met
Nathabhai at the court. In some time, other advocates too grew
curious about Nathabhai and waited for him often. It was normal
for Nathabhai to visit the court and meet senior advocates there.

Joy of Eating
It never occurred that Nathabhai was present and the get-

together was not held, that too without eatables. It was supreme
joy when fafda, ganthiya, khaman or pakodas (Gujarati
delicacies) were served. If volunteers visited, he would ask
rightfully, “Why brother, how have you come empty-handed?”

The Bhabhis (friends’ wives) enjoyed a unique place in the
family of Nathabhai. He knew well which Bhabhi was expert in
cooking dhokla, and which in pithalun bhat, and which one in
handava, or methi pakodas. As soon as he entered the house,
both parties knew what is to be cooked that day. Nathabhai had
a number of favourite families identified after the favourite

221
dishes – panipuri family, dahibada family, dhokala family and
the like.

One day, a volunteer approached Nathabhai for a letter of
introduction for his stay in Kolkata office. Nathabhai enquired,
“We will talk letter of introduction later, first tell me which train
you are taking and which are the stations on the way.” The poor
volunteer blankly stared at his face for some time. At this,
Nathabhai said, “What are you gazing at my face for? Start
writing – Tamtam at Nadiad station, Gota at Anand station, Lilo
chevdo at Baroda, Khari (salted) sing at Bharuch, Ghari at Surat,
Patra at Bardoli…” And this way, he told him a list of the popular
dishes on each station right until Kolkata, and then in the end,
he said, “Now promise that you would get down the train and
eat something or the other at every station, only then you would
get the letter of introduction.”
Sensitive and Sympathetic Spirit

Whenever a volunteer anywhere in Gujarat faced some
problem, he rushed to Karnawati. The number of volunteers
and their families seeking admission to hospitals was especially
large. People also visited in connection with court or other
government tasks. Everybody of them needed some support or
help. Everybody came with a reference of Nathabhai. He too
did all these things whether it pertained to the requirement of
blood, place of stay for a family member of a patient, reference
of a good doctor, or even a good groom for daughter of his
acquaintance.

Once the Sabarmati breached its banks and got flooded, in
which a complete society of Paldi was washed away. At this
crucial time, Nathabhai held the command of relief work there.
He wore the saffron cap and along with the youth workers of
the Jana Sangh, worked wholeheartedly. At this, the people of
Karnawati and newspapers appreciated him greatly.

Nathabhai suffered from fracture in the hand on two-three
occasions. If he saw anybody teasing a girl or woman anywhere,
he would not remain silent. He would just jump into the fray,
and he had suffered from these fractures during such frays,
when he had to remain idle in the plaster for months together.

222

The voice of Nathabhai was heavy and angry, but he was a
man of a delicate heart, full of sensitivity who cared for others.
He had not received school education, yet he led the rest so far
as it related to making the life meaningful.

The present generation of the Bharatiya Janata Party may
not know about the life of Nathabhai, yet whatever glory the
Bharatiya Janata Party possesses today has in it the fragrance of
his perspiration. Nathabhai has turned himself into manure in
order to provide nutrition to the lotus. His hard work, his
enterprise for self-development can inspire any volunteer for
self-development. He gave up all such inferiority complexes
like being poor, uneducated and the like. He always stuck to
his goal with all devotion; and it would be a fit tribute to him
today, and the same would be the duty of today’s generation.

Let us sacrifice the whole, leaving aside the personal world,
Let infinite wealth be sacrificed for the welfare of the nation.

Let not these difficult bounds waver you a bit.
Let us sacrifice today body and mind, life and wealth.

Let us sacrifice everything in the national interest.



Multi-dimensional Talent
Babubhai Ojha

Very perseverant nature, having nature to absorb in his
responsibility, inclined to worry for even minor things…as if
Babubhai had become one with the Sangh work.

There is a general notion about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh that only the people belonging to the elite Brahmin
families are linked with the Sangh, and other sections of the
society have no place in it. In fact, this fact is as distant from
truth as is land from the sky. In Gujarat, the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh is a Hindu organisation and has adopted
the Hinduism, so there is no question of any distinction on the
basis of caste or financial status. No greater importance is
attached to the higher classes, nor is any lower caste refused
entry. As a consequence, the rumoured deformity does not exist
in the Sangh even in the slight. All sections of the society are
represented in the Sangh. They all cooperate together, but no
high talks are held about this harmony; therefore, the rumour-
mongers find it convenient to confuse people. However, the
truth is truth, and cannot be denied.

Babubhai Ojha occupied high posts in the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh in Gujarat for many years. Due to his
subtitle ‘Ojha’ and as a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s
Swayamsevak, he was identified as a man belonging to an elite
Brahmin caste. There is no tradition of identifying people by
the caste, and so, the suspicion revolving around the caste was
never taken seriously.

226

Babubhai belonged to a very ordinary Prajapati family of
Mehsana in north Gujarat. He was deprived of the fatherly love
in his infancy. All his family members were engaged in the
traditional earthen work. As he came into the touch with the
Sangh, his outlook changed towards the family life. Babubhai
was energetic by nature. It was his nature to do anything with
total attention. His education could not be hindered due to the
family’s financial condition and social environment, mainly
because of his resolve. He completed his education in
engineering even in those times. Doing the Sangh work
regularly, he became an engineer. He was the first from his
community to proceed abroad for further study. He went to
America due to his excellent educational qualification. He
obtained the M.S. degree from the Illinois University.

Another rumour that is spread about the Sangh is that only
those people can join it who possess ordinary educational
qualification, while the truth is far from it. You will find an
example in Babubhai himself. He went to America about fifty
years ago to obtain a degree, which is a matter of pride not only
for the Indians but the Americans too. In America, everybody
asked him just one thing, “In your absence, does your wife stay
with your parents?” Babubhai explained to them, “In India,
marriage is not coming together of two individuals; rather it is
the social binding between two families, that joins them. The
wife adopts not the husband alone, but the entire family.”

In 1950-55, he was enrolled for getting higher education in
America and had all the chances to lead a fine, prosperous life
in America with a golden future; yet he preferred national
interest to his private interest. Instead of absorbing himself in
the glorious life of America, he decided to return to India in
order to use knowledge and experience for the sake of the
country; and bade farewell to America for all times to come,
and thus settled in the lap of India.

A particular characteristic of the Sangh culture is that it
adopts the whole society as one’s own family. An instance that
occurred in the life of Babubhai in America manifests this. While
he was a student at Illinois University in America, he became a

227
friend to his co-student, Kiran Singh, who belonged to Laliad
village in Limbadi Taluka in Surendranagar district.
Unfortunately, Kiran Singh met untimely death. He performed
his last rites there and informed his family about all the
developments there. The most amazing thing about him was
that he had kept the Asthis (mortal remains) with him until he
visited India next. He brought them with him. He himself visited
Laliad to hand over the Asthis to Mobat Singh Jhala, Kiran
Singh’s father. It was a moving moment for everybody when
the remains of the deceased friend were delivered to the family.
Mobat Singh and his family were moved at this kind act of
Babubhai. From then on, Babubhai remained like a member of
Mobat Singh’s family.

Another instance is an amazing illustration of his
characteristics. The personal relations, sensitive behaviour and
simplicity are inculcated in the Sangh and are part of its working
style, which all leave an indelible impression on different
people. Dr. Deepakbhai Pandya, the father of the world famous
astronaut Sunita Williams, came into the contact of Babubhai in
his childhood. In his first meeting itself, he had felt a strange
attraction in him. Due to regular contact with Babubhai, he too
succeeded in constructing his life as a true Swayamsevak, for
which he gave credit to Babubhai.

Deepakbhai’s father died in his childhood, and he was small
when his mother died too. During this difficult time, Babubhai
and a team of seven-eight Swayamsevaks cooperated with
Deepakbhai. Not only this, these small Swayamsevaks took over
the responsibility of the final rites of his mother, and stayed
with him round the clock in order to provide him some mental
solace. When Deepakbhai recalls this instance, his eyes become
moist.

The very people, who cry hoarse in the name of democracy,
do not miss an opportunity to inflict atrocities on the
Swayamsevaks of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Due to
his faith in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Babubhai had to
quit his job in the AEC (Ahmedabad Electricity Company) and
join an ordinary job in Maharashtra. Babubhai preferred to
resign his job to quitting the Sangh.

228

After his return from America, Babubhai got a job on a high
post in the renowned company Jyoti Ltd. of Baroda. His job
was prestigious and reputed. Nanubhai Amin of the Jyoti Ltd.
was one of the venerable personalities of Baroda. Nanubhai and
Babubhai became close friends. Now, people looked up to him
with respect, one because he occupied a high post, and two he
was a close friend of Nanubhai Amin. He had everything that
was needed to include him in the elite class in Baroda, he needed
not doing anything to make more effort towards it. However,
as a Swayamsevak, he kept himself aloof from all these things.
He made efforts how he could give more and more of his time
to the Sangh, and how he could benefit it by his knowledge and
experience.

Babubhai was in a situation in which he could have derived
respect and honour in the elite life of Baroda. He could have
joined a few institutions in order to obtain what all he might
have desired for his personal life. 40-50 years ago in our country,
the society looked up to a man in a different perspective if he
had returned from America after obtaining higher studies.
Everybody looked at him with awe and respect, and thought of
having close contact with him. However, Babubhai did not like
this type of pretension even a bit. He gave his priority to the
Sangh work all his life. He devoted as much time to the Jyoti
Ltd. as was enough to do justice to his reputed job, and he
invested the remaining time and energy in the well-being of
the society, as he had learnt from the Sangh’s culture.

Babubhai enjoyed a high reputation in the Jyoti Ltd. because
of his personality and education. He could have served in it so
long he wished to, but he decided to take retirement from there
at the age of 58 years, and decided to devote the remaining
period of life to the Sangh.

In the rank hierarchy of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,
the post of the Sanghchalak is quite prestigious and reputed.
With his retirement, he was given the post of the Sah-prant-
Sanghchalak of Gujarat. With his decision to dedicate his whole
time to the Sangh, he engaged himself in expanding the Sangh
work in every corner of Gujarat. Unfortunately, Keshavrao

229

Deshmukh, the then Prant Pracharak, breathed his last suddenly.
A Prant Pracharak is the chief moving force in the Sangh. All of
a sudden, the official on this high post had left for his heavenly
abode. In such a testing time, Babubhai Ojha was selected as
the Prant Pracharak despite his being a householder. While
carrying out his family duties, he took up the Sangh’s
responsibility equally devotedly. He transformed the Sangh
office as his house, and his contact with the family was reduced
to only telephonic or written conversation. He carried out the
Pracharak tradition in true sense of the term, and invested every
moment of his time in infusing new vitality in the Sangh.

To ensure that he did not lag behind in any of his duties,
Babubhai put in more physical work than he was capable, and
thus accepted the difficult life in all willingness.

It appeared that Babubhai had fully absorbed into the Sangh
work, especially with his perseverant personality and care to
do even trivial things carefully; all this told upon his health
adversely in his advancing age.

However, he did not care about his body. He continued to
work despite some minor ailments. He used to conceal his
ailments from his comrades that it might pain them.
Consequently, he suffered from a heart stroke one day. He
breathed his last working to the last moment of his life.

Babubhai’s affectionate behaviour, continuous work, simple
and natural way of living are all etched in the minds of a number
of Swayamsevaks.



At your feet I offer the music of life, O Mother,
And I offer the millions of sons equipped with infinite qualities.



Gangaghat
Bachubhai Bhagat

By nature, Bachubhai was never struggling, but he was firm in
the mind. In the Sangh, small and big shivirs (camps) are very
important; and making arrangements in them is in no way an
easy task. The development that the Sangh has witnessed in
Gujarat so far as the organisation is concerned, was the outcome
of the hard work undertaken by Bachubhai. Even today, the
traditions he founded are continued to be followed; and we find in
them a glimpse of his touch and working style.
Endless faith of Indian culture, that is Ganga Smaran
(remembering Ganga)
Ganga Darshan (witnessing Ganga)…
Ganga Snan (bathing in Ganga)…
Ganga Achaman (sipping from Ganga)…
This is a wish in every Indian’s heart – to sip Ganga water
in the last moment of life.
How intense faith it is!
Ganga is the witness of the rise and fall of our great culture,
of ever development and expansion.
There is nothing new in worshipping or praying to the
Ganga.
But have you ever thought of the Gangaghat, the bank of
Ganga? Have you ever heard of somebody writing about it or
thinking about it?
It does not appear if ever a poet set down to write a poem
on Gangaghat; and if you suppose, the horizon of the thoughts
appears to be spread to the farthest point.

234

Crores of people must have prayed the Ganga and sipped
from it.

Numerous people must have washed the dirt off their
bodies.

Numerous people must have lighted lamps and incense
sticks.

Numerous people must have spread fragrance from
rubbing sandal.

Numerous people must have undertaken meditation.
And many people like Sant Tulsi must have created eternal
literature of life.
But, look at the special feature of our great cultural heritage.
It is not necessary for Gangaghat to be at the Ganga.
On the bank of the Sangh Ganga flowing in Gujarat, there
is a lively Gangaghat, faith and institution incarnate, that is the
late Bachubhai Bhagat.
In Gujarat, when the Sangh’s Ganga was still like a small
stream like the Gangotri, from that time, the life of the student
Bachubhai has been actively witness to the development of the
Sangh there. Right from the late Madhukarrao, the late Rajpal
Puriji or the late respectable Vakil Saheb, or anybody else from
the present generation, Bachubhai has been very reliable
comrade to each one of them.
The ruinous office at Manek Chowk, which lacked even
the basic facilities, which was an office only in name, was home
to Bachubhai for years.
We never noticed any extravaganza, external show, rise and
fall, pity or anger in the life of Bachubhai. On the bank of the
Sangh Ganga have developed a number of small and big centres
of pilgrim in the form of families. All Swayamsevaks, volunteers
or leaders used to come and sit by Gangaghat in the form of
Bachubhai, and drink from his learning before proceeding
ahead. He had moral influence on all of them. There was no
occasion when Bachubhai asked for something to be done within
the family, and it was not done. All are witness to this banyan
tree of the Sangh family that Bachubhai never intervened in
any task pertaining to the family. Of course, he always rendered

235
help. He remained loyal to the Sangh all his life; he continued
to do only the Sangh work. In the first glance, this limitation of
the practical life might look insignificant, yet he had never
crossed this limitation right through the fifty years. He always
kept himself under complete control. It reveals how patient he
was.

Several families have contributed in helping the Sangh
Ganga to flow and develop continuously, we claim so. If we
look at this claim expressed in words, we find out a truth that
shakes our hearts.

All people who have been linked in the journey of development of
the Sangh Ganga have come into Bachubhai’s contact, directly or
indirectly. Bachubhai assisted them all to drink from the Ganga
as if he was the Gangaghat. His personality was like the Gangaghat
which has aroused inspiration and love in the life of several people.
Madhukarrao Bhagwat, the father of the present
Sarkaryawah the Pujya Mohanrao Bhagwat, came to Gujarat for
the Sangh work. He made a great contribution in colouring the
student Bachubhai in the colour of the Sangh. Right since his
time as a student, Bachubhai had absorbed himself into the
Sangh Ganga. When he was just 19 years old, his father Biharilal
Bhagat left this mortal world and left him an orphan. As he was
more interested in the Sangh, he did not pay much attention to
his father’s occupation. It resulted into mounting debts, and they
had to sell out two houses near Manek Chowk. One house could
be saved, but it had to be mortgaged. It became difficult to take
admission to college. He had to drop out from the second year
in the college. He underwent a course called GCD (Government
Commercial Diploma), and joined a job with Chandubhai Ravji
Bhavsar at a salary of ` 270 per month. It became difficult to
decide whether to use this much money in repaying the debt or
running the family. Despite all these hardships, he kept
attending the Sangh work regularly, and never let anybody
know about his difficulties.
We can see the intensity of his devotion to the Sangh from
one instance. His father had died and the dead body was lying

236

at home, still he went to the Shakha saying at home, “I’ll just
come after the prayer.” It was not that he had such emotional
intensity towards the Sangh during his youth. Right before the
Sankalpa Shivir in Gujarat, Bachubhai’s wife, our Motiben (elder
sister) died. On the first day of the Shivir was the Terahavin
Vidhi (the ritual held on the thirteenth day after death).
Bachubhai was unwell; still he completed the ritual in the
morning and arrived at the Shivir before noon. In all
programmes held in 60 years of the Sangh Ganga, there must
not have been even a single programme in which he was not
present.

‘One hour Shakha and twenty-three hours Sangh’ was the
motto of Bachubhai’s life. He was a sales tax and income tax
advocate. There has not been noticed an instance in which he
might have settled a case by taking a bribe of even a single paisa.

The income tax and sales tax officers respected him greatly.
Many years ago, a sales tax officer pointed out a wrong entry
worth ` 46 in the case of one of his clients, Tribhuvan Choksi.
An amount of ` 46 was no big deal in that period, but the Sangh’s
traits did not allow him to admit this error, and he went in
appeal. He won the case and kept the flag of his principles flying
high.

Pity was a natural emotion in the life of Bachubhai. During
his days as a student, he had suffered once from typhoid and
was quite serious. During those days, the late Gajananbhai
Devdhar, the father of Sanjeevanbhai Devdhar, was quite a
venerable name in the Sangh family. Gajananbhai himself served
Bachubhai a great deal. Due to this touch of pity, Bachubhai
always possessed a sentiment of pity in himself and he displayed
it whenever somebody in the Sangh family was afflicted from
some trouble. He would nurse the sick in the hospital without
caring whether it was day or night. There are a number of such
instances.

Bachubhai often said: I have three centres of devotion – the
most venerable Guruji, Mahant Dadaji of Karnali Akhada and
the late Vakil Saheb. The entry of Dadaji and Gita Mandir
occurred in the life of Bachubhai by the Bhabhi (Motiben) after

237

marriage. It was the large-heartedness of Bachubhai’s life. He
himself was fully absorbed in the Sangh; still he accepted the
Gita Mandir quite naturally and thus displayed his devotion.

Bachubhai’s faith in the Sangh was so unshakable that he
did not care for the Muhurta (auspicious moment) for the
wedding of his daughter Manda or his son Kaku. He set the
date for his daughter’s wedding that was convenient to Guruji,
considering it the most auspicious moment. Similarly, he
wedded his son on the day that was convenient to the Man.
Balasaheb.

Bachubhai possessed a unique personality. During his
period with the Sangh over several years, there were only two
friends who called him Bachu; they were the Swayamsevaks
Maheshbhai Nanavati and Nanubhai Mehta.

During his Sangh life, Bachubhai had close friends in the
late Keshavrao Deshmukh and the late Nathabhai Jhagda. They
went to cinema together. Bachubhai was an expert carom-player
and played it in the advocates’ bar. He was very fond of
playing it.

Many a storm came during his journey with the Sangh. The
Congress did not miss an opportunity to crush down the Sangh
on whatever pretext it could find – whether it was a ban on the
Sangh or trivial tensions in Karnawati. In such times too,
Bachubhai remained firm like a hill. Bachubhai was never
inclined to struggle, but he was firm in mind. It is a major task
to undertake management of the small and big Shivirs (camps)
in the Sangh, which he undertook devotedly and perfectly.
Whatever development the Sangh family in Gujarat has seen in
terms of management, was founded by Bachubhai. The
traditions and rules he set during his time continue to be
followed even today. We can find a glimpse of his touch and
working style even today. On the occasion of 51st birth
anniversary of the venerable Guruji, Bachubhai was hardly 25-
30 years of age. Seeking cooperation from several gentlemen
from the society, he completed the task quite well.

The foundation stone of the state office, Hedgewar Bhavan,
was laid 37 years ago. We would not have Hedgewar Bhavan

238

today had we not with us the enterprise of Dr. Vanikar and
management of Bachubhai.

All those who have been linked with the journey of
development of the Sangh Ganga in Gujarat, have come into
direct or indirect contact with Bachubhai. Like the Gangaghat,
the bank of the Ganga, he cooperated with them all in taking a
sip from the Sangh Ganga. His personality was like the
Gangaghat which has kept inspiration and love in the life of
many a man.

A devoted lamp in the Mother’s Temple I am,
I wish that I go on burning.



Witty Personality
Vasudevrao Talvalkar

It was no small thing to decide to quit the job in his youth when
there were a great many aspirations and ambitions heaped upon
him from the family. It could be considered a vital decision in the
life of an individual. Vasudevrao had decided in his heart to
undertake the Sangh work in national interest. He quit his job,
abandoned home, and then set out to serve Mother India.

If we talk of Vasudevrao, we find Kathiawadi accent in his
speech. He was basically a Maharashtrian, yet he had completely
turned into a Bhavnagari, a resident of Bhavnagar.

Vasudevrao engaged himself in the Sangh work at
Bhavnagar; initially he served with the railways. Of all the
government jobs, more importance was attached with a job in
the railways. Vasudevrao continued in his job, undertook studies
and engaged himself in the Sangh work. In other words, he was
fully sentimental when it concerned the Sangh work.

In expansion of the network of Shakhas in Bhavnagar, he
acted as the main worker who laid down a strong foundation;
still he was not much satisfied with his work. He had a streak
of restlessness in his heart. He worked in the Sangh office for
hours; still he kept thinking how he could do still better.
Bhavnagar is a town of culture and tradition. Literature and
culture have been inseparable parts of its life. Vasudevrao
thought that the common families in Bhavnagar should all be
soaked in the colour of literature, and thinking this, he decided
to open a library there. He also thought about manifesting the

242

Sangh work and inculcating Sangh’s traits in it, so that people
might know more about the Sangh. But he worked in a unique
manner. Instead of collecting funds for the library, he contacted
people in an effort to gather such books which could inspire
the families about patriotism and nationalism. He started his
project with the collection of the books and magazines that
people had read, and thus started a small library. He also formed
a new peer group which had interest in reading. Gradually, this
peer group stepped towards patriotism. Consequently, it came
to be utilized for the expansion of the Sangh work too.

Vasudevrao did not enjoy much his job in the railways,
though it was very prestigious to be serving in the railways
those days. It was considered to be as prestigious as serving in
some airlines or telecom sector in the modern times. A common
man strives for better career prospects while in the job, yet
Vasudevrao on the contrary, made all efforts to quit his job.

It was no small thing to quit the job in his youth when his
family had a great many aspirations and ambitions. It could be
considered the most vital decision in the life of an individual.
Vasudevrao had decided in his heart to quit the job in order to
devote himself in the service of the nation. He quit the job,
abandoned home and set off in the service of Mother India.

Vasudevrao was fond of reading. He possessed satisfactory
knowledge of the English language. In the beginning, he satiated
his hobby of reading while travelling in the bus or train; it helped
him proceed towards the goal of self-development.

Working in the capacity of a Pracharak, he had passed much
of his time working in different districts of Saurashtra. In the
view of all senior Pracharaks, he possessed an image of a
hardworking Pracharak. He was an ideal for the youth
Swayamsevaks too. Climbing up Girnar mount in Junagarh had
transformed itself into as good as a part of the Sangh work for
the enterprising youths.

The working style of Vasudevrao had several unique
features. He was quite distinct from other Sangh Pracharaks
who generally lived a uniform type of life. In his personal life,
he never paid any attention to himself. He did not care to comb

243

his hair even. His clothes were disorderly. He looked strange in
his old and worn chappals and thick spectacles. The more
disorderly he was in his personal life, the more systematic he
was while doing the Sangh work. He did all the tasks assigned
in the management of the Sangh works, and ensured that no
shortcoming could be pointed out anywhere. When it came to
undertaking the Sangh work, he was insistent, uniform and
regular and accorded priority to it; but when it came to his
personal life, he was not bound in any limits of bathing, eating,
sleeping or reading newspaper. Often he could be found
washing his clothes at one in midnight; it signalled the others
that he had been busy the whole day.

In the main team of the Sangh those days, Anantrao was
popular for his sweet voice. On the contrary, Vasudevrao had
nothing to do with voice, tune or pitch; still he sang the Sangh
songs during his processes. Singing a Sangh song has its
scientific significance too. It is said that singing collectively helps
to cultivate team spirit. Vasudevrao knew this fact well, so he
continued with this tradition even with his shabby, ugly voice,
and thus emerged as an inspiration for his co-volunteers, and
thus he coloured them too in the spirit of patriotism.

Holding meetings is very important in the Sangh work.
Collective thinking, collective decision-making and collective
responsibility – all these are the unique features of the Sangh.
In a way, these have been an important constituent of the Sangh’s
strength. As a result, the process of holding meetings has become
a tradition in the Sangh. These meetings are held over a long
period of time, in which even small points are managed and
discussed in detail. If you had Vasudevrao in the meeting, and
still it would not be a stimulating one, it could not happen at
any time. He was the one who presented in the meeting totally
novel and original views, and explained them to all those
present there. It often occurred that his view was rejected at the
outset, but as the meeting progressed, he would explain the
significance of what he was telling, and by the time the meeting
came to a conclusion; his proposal was more often than not
approved. There were only a few people to be present in a

244

meeting to have the good luck to have Vasudevrao too present
in it.

In the absence of Vasudevrao, a meeting appeared to be
solitary, lifeless and colourless, because Vasudevrao was wont
to crack some jokes at some intervals turning the entire
atmosphere light; which enabled the other people to discuss
even a serious topic with a light heart.

He had passed a large part of his life as a Pracharak working in
different districts of Saurashtra. Among all other Pracharaks, he
had an image of a hardworking Pracharak. He was a role model
for the young Swayamsevaks too. The contest to scale Girnar
Mount in Junagarh had become as if a part of the Sangh work for
the enterprising youths.

Vasudevrao was very witty. Once when Lakshmanrao
Inamdar (Vakil Saheb) was speaking in a meeting in the capacity
of the Prant Pracharak, he pointed out Vasudevrao and said he
did not get regular and complete feedback about his working
area. At this, the witty Vasudevarao said, “Vakil Saheb, the
quantity of letters has increased in the Sangh, so I have made a
rule not to open a letter if it is a printed one. It is okay not to
read a typed letter, but a handwritten letter is supposed to be
important, so I read it carefully and implement it too.” This witty
response from Vasudevrao was creative in every way. Vakil
Saheb too laughed at this for long.

When it came to means of transport, Vasudevrao did not
like anything other than bicycle, bus or train. All his endeavours
to learn driving a car or riding a motorcycle went futile. He
loved to ride a bicycle even at an age of 60 65 years. He would
manage car or motorcycle for his juniors, but for himself, he
never wanted anything more than a bicycle.

A large part of Vasudevrao’s life had passed in Saurashtra.
They kept working there. After many years, he was given the
charge of south Gujarat. Once the topic under discussion was
the experience in new areas. He very simply compared the
characteristics of Saurashtra and south Gujarat, and said: “In

245

Saurashtra, if two vehicles had crashed against each other and
none of them had suffered any damage, still the two drivers
would get down and fight until one of them has a broken
forehead or teeth. However, I have noticed in south Gujarat that
if two vehicles crashed together and suffered some damage,
still the drivers would say that both of them were in the wrong,
and then they would proceed towards their destinations in
peace.”

All Sangh Pracharaks take interest, guide and render help
in the development of projects in other aspects of life, but
Vasudevrao will not do it at the cost of the Sangh work, though
he accepted the importance of development in other areas. Due
to this, he did not display any interest in projects in other fields.
He was like an Arjuna who kept himself absorbed with his goal,
that was the Sangh work, and nothing else.

Vasudevrao displayed indifference at all times when it came
to caring himself; consequently, he had grown weak and fragile.
The serious stomach illness made him quite helpless. He
concealed his illness from his closest friends too for years. He
did never waver from his work and did it with due attention.
He passed a long time in Saurashtra, so he loved the people
there greatly. Thousands of families were ready to serve him
devotedly, yet Vasudevrao continued to work at Bharuch as the
centre of his activity, despite his illness, and struggled with his
illness. When he was advised complete bed rest, and he felt a
little better, he would get up and engage himself in the Sangh
work. He was an ideal illustration of the most excellent spirit of
dedication to his work.

He remained active in the Sangh work until the final
moment of his life. He departed from this world a bit too early.
An entire generation of his comrades still feels the vacuum that
was created by Vasudevrao’s death.

Sitting in the shade of this massive banyan tree of the Sangh
family, we all shall ever remain indebted to him.



My sun, cloud, planet, constellation and sky, I am a Hindu.
I am proud that I am a human and I am a Hindu.



Evergreen Spring
Vasantrao Chipalunkar

If you want to understand the concept of dying for ideology, then
you have to look at the Sadhana (dedication) of Vasantrao for the
Sadhana (a weekly). The high point of his life was to fill everything
in life with humour and to feel the entire life as if prosperous spring
season. During his stint with the Sadhana, we could find a glimpse
of his humorous nature every moment.

When we look at the life of Vasantrao Chipalunkar, a
Pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, it would appear
that he was ever the same, the season of fall (autumn) never
seemed to have entered his life. A resident of Akola town in
Maharashtra, Vasantrao took our leave at the age of 80 years.
For about 60 years, he worked as a Pracharak of the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh in Gujarat. His life as a Pracharak was no
less than a Tapasya, a dedication. He passed through stringent
tests during his lifetime.

During the initial period of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh, Gujarat was as good as unknown to the Sangh work.
Gujarat was something new by its name, ideology and working
methodology. Of the people who contributed to strengthen the
foundation of the Sangh in Gujarat, one was Vasantrao
Chipalunkar, who significantly contributed towards this cause.
His life was filled with a range of difficulties and troubles.
However, when we glance through his life, we will be compelled
to think of the energy that kept him happy among all those
difficulties. He never cared for his difficulties; he kept people

250
in good humour. His viewpoint of looking at the material world
was quite amazing. He always said that the only mantra to keep
happy in life was never to expect anything from anybody, nor
should you plead with somebody for a favour. No expectation,
no pleading. His principle seemed to be very simple, and it was
the mantra that kept him happy under all circumstances.

Today, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is identified
amongst the largest organisations in the world; in its basis lies
the fragrance of such great people as Vasantrao who have
irrigated it with their sweat. In his initial period, Vasantrao went
to Sabarkantha to start the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh work.
He vowed to establish the Sangh at Idar and Himmatnagar.
There was no support there to start his work there. Neither he
had money to stay there. Facing such adverse situations, he
started the work in his youth. He started the Shakha at
Himmatnagar. He would attract a few children there, and as
soon as the Shakha was over, he would walk to Idar, sometimes
he ran, because he did not have the money to travel by bus. He
walked about 28 kilometres every other day. It became a part of
his routine. He worked at Idar, and often slept in the caves there.
He did not have time to cook his dinner, nor had he any place
to stay, so he often bought bajra flour and soaked it in water to
drink for his dinner. Thus, he worked hard; it was like penance,
and thus, he laid the foundation of the Sangh work there. In
some time, he was assigned to supervise the Sangh work at
Nadiad too. He got a room in the Santram Temple for his stay,
and with this, the Sangh work started to expand.

A couple of Swayamsevaks attending the Shakha at Nadiad
were vegetable trader, so they often gifted Vasantrao some
vegetable. The Swayamsevaks felt that the vegetable would
make his meals tastier, but they never realized that he had
nothing to eat anything with the vegetables. Often he ate up
cabbage, tomato and onion in salad and was content with it.
When these Swayamsevaks realized the truth, they were amazed
to know the penance that Vasantrao was undertaking, but he
never let anyone know of it. It led to firm up their spirit of service
in the Sangh. They also determined to send food for Vasantrao
from their homes in turn.


Click to View FlipBook Version