Profile of Parul

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/032319/1

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Profileso parut PROF. PRATAP KUMAR J. TOLIYA

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LATE KUM. PARUL TOLIYA MEMORIAL SERIES - 2. PROFILES OF PARUL (Life Sketch : Glimpses : Reminiscences : Tributes : Articles) By PROF. PRATAPKUMAR TOLIYA Inmates, Artistes & Friends VARDHAMAN BHARATI INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION 12, Cambridge Road, Bangalore - 560 008, Ph : 578557 (INDIA U.K. W. GERMANY U.S.A.)

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Author & Editor: Publisher : Places of Availability : Prof. Pratapkumar J. Toliya. VARDHAMAN BHARATI INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION 12, Cambridge Road, Bangalore-560 008 (India). INDIA : Bangalore : As above. Bombay : SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA SWADH YAY MANDAL, TUSHAR & Co., Prem Bhuvan, 234/36. Narsi Natha St. Masjid Bunder, Bombay-400 009 (Ph: 8557535, Res : 865726) Anil Toliya, Vijay Niwas, Gopal Lane Ghatkopar (W), Bombay - 400086. (Ph: 5125194) Ahmedabad: Chimanbhai L Shah, 4, New Shre yas Apartments, opp. Jain Temple, Tagore Park, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad - 380 015. U. K. : KUMUDBHAI MEHTA, 123, Prin cess Avenue, LONDON, NW9, 9SJ (Ph: 01-204-280) W. GERMANY : AJITKUMAR BENADI, LINDEN STR. 55 2359 HENSTEDTULZBURG (W.G.) (Ph: 04193 - 3152) U.S.A. New York: PETER VICTOR : MARIANNA FORTUNATO, 1625, 78th Street, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, N.Y., 11214 (Ph: 718-259-0851) New Jersey : MANU PATEL, 19, Blooming Dale Avenue, CRANFORD, NJ. 07016 (Ph: 201-272-2229) Dr. Kum. Vandana Toliya, Kum. Bhavita Toliya, Kum. Falguni Toliya, Chi. Kinnari Toliya & Smt. Sumitra P. Toliya. First, August 1990. 1000 Sai Printers, Cambridge Layout. Bangalore-8. Cover : NKS Printers, Chikpet, Bangalore-53. . Rupees 11-00 (Postage extra Rs. 2-00) Abroad U.S. Dollars 3.00 Copyrights : Edition : Copies : Printed by : Price

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PREFACE PARUL, our super-talented, and unusual eldest daughter, silently entered into our life like an overflow of luminary light, enlighting "everything" and lifted all of a sudden when in her blooming youth, leaving behind a void difficult to fill. Destiny snatched her away from us in a road-crossing accident and that too during my absence from India when I was on foreign soil! All our family members, especially our brave second daughter Dr. Kum. Vandana, had to bear this rude shock unexpectedly !! 1 Well, Paramgurus the Great Masters SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI and YOGINDRA YUGPRADHAN SRI SAHAJANANDGHANJI from their distant spiritual abodes and our most revered MATAJI, the Holy Mother of Hampi from her solitary cave and also our numerous relatives and friends like Sri Kantilal Parikh (whose introduction follows this one), have all graceously come to our rescue and have stood by us throughout these two years, directly and indirectly. No words of gratitudes and thanks are capable enough of expressing our Inner most salutations to them! Now, amidst the world, amidst the loving family inmates and friends, amidst the people at large, everything, nodoubt, goes on as usual, but this home which was shining with serene Parul's Divine Smiles, vibrating with her Songs and Sitar and was blessed with her Silence, has become completely barren and bereft of her TOTAL existence, inspite of her subtle spiritual presence with us......! Inspite of abovementioned Great Masters' constant Grace, we have lost so much with the passing away of dear Parul that no amount of kindness or consolation has been able to completely comfort us and heal our wounds ... !!! More than her physical existance, we long to have a glimpse of her spiritual self. This small book attempts to reflect the same through an picture of Parul's illustrous life as seen from various angles. May someone's inner self be awakened through this! We are thankful to ALL concerned who have made it possible to bringout these Profiles. of Parul for the benefit of the public especially to Col. Bhagra of Sri Sai Printers & Others.

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Although PARUL has become "past", Parul is also living in "present" with us and will also become part of our future-Sumitra's, mine and all of ours. Salutations to her Super lands-tracking Soul ! 'Anant' 12, Cambridge Road., Bangalore-560 008. 28 Aug. 1990. PRATAPKUMAR TOLIYA CONTENTS : *PARUL 1. *TRIBUTES ... 32 (C) *PARUL-AS SEEN BY HER INMATES: Kinnari, Falguni, Bhavita, Vandana, Sumitra, Sharmila, Pratapkuinar....47. *FROM PARUL'S OWN PEN : The Flower at Night, Atma-drishta Mataji, Master of Strings Pandit Ravi Shankar, Thinking ...65. INTRODUCTION : PARUL - A SERENE SOUL Introduced to me as Prof. Toliya's eldest daughter, my agnaine tance with Parul was of a short duration before she accidentally passed away at a very early age. She was a person of many parts and she excelled in what ever she attempted to do. Over and above her high grade of intelligence, she was a very conscientious Worker and always strived to do her best. But above all these things, she appeared to me most as a sensitive and serene soul, whose eyes were ever Scanning the distant skies and who was compassionate towards all that was living. -- KANTILAL PARIKH (A Free Thinker, Seekar-Aspirant & Studious Associate of Sri J. Krishnamurti, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore and others) An humble Request : Kindly preserve this book carefully since it contains valuable photo plates and sayings of greatmen which deserve to be respected.

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THE GREAT MASTER YOGINDRA YUGPRADHAN SRI SAHAJANANDGHANJI Unsolvable remained the mystery and beyond comprehension & understanding His Grace of then saving little Parul's life and sacrificing his own...! (-P.P. 18) WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWMA

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LATE OLD MOTHER ACHARATBA LATE REVOLUTIONARY BROTHER KIRTI "She believed : KIRTI was re-born as PARUL !" (P.P. 12)

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PARUL THE FLOWER THAT BLOOMED, BLOSSOMED and WAS BRUTALLY CRUSHED IN BANGALORE.......... ! REMINISCENCES AND A TRIBUTE TO LATE SCHOLAR-MUSICIAN-UPCOMING JOURNALIST Kum. PARUL TOLIYA ON HER FIRST DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 28.8.1989. by Prof, PRATAPKUMAR J. TOLIYA PARUL-a flower of Bengal, Born and grown in Gujarat, Blossomed and Breathed its last prematurely in Bangalore ! She was an Unusual and Unasuming Soul, a rare sublimed Soul, who happenned to be our "Silent Guest' in our Music; Art, Literature and Philosophy loving family for 25 Years and suddenly departed on one day for her further eternal Voyage...........!! Voyage unto that Unknown Land from where no traveller has ever returnedatleast in the same Physical form and frame !! But as a father and family-host, neither was I fortunate to receive this Extra-Ordinary Guest when she was born 25 Years ago on the dawn of 31st December, 1961, at AMRELI, our Native Place in Saurashtra-Gujarat (When I happenned to be the then Vice-Princi pal of a College and had been away from the place), nor to bid her farewell when she departed due to a fatal Road-crossing accident while walking very carefully and consciously by a wrong-side dashing and 'KILLING LICENSE POSESSING GOVERNMENT (KSRTC) BUS' on Bangalore-Tumkur. Road, Near the Jindal's on 28th August 1988. I was away at that time in my Meditations at New York on my Fifth Concert-cum-Lectures tour Abroad and was about to leave for

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Germany, Holland and England. | Air-dashed and returned to Bangalore only to see her blossoming and flower-like blooming body without that light, that spirit within..........And though it seemed to be as if she was completely alive and serenely smiling as usual when I saw her lying at St. Martha's Hospital in her unexpected, prematured, eternal peace and sleep.......!! Amidst only a few formalitises and constant chantings around her flower-bedecked body, I and my deeply shocked sorrowing family members and a flock of Parul's friends and admirers, performed her last rites at our Ulsoor residence and Wilson Garden Electric Crematorium. Chantings and Prayers and Meditations were the only "efforts" that were left for us to be performed for this unusual Guest of 25 Years, who never believed in taking anything from us, but only in Giving and Giving--materially, Culturally as well as Spiritually! . With inner blessings I blessed her body with my hands on her vast forehead and.. .lastly put her on the Electric Pyre Stretcher which pushed her in side the fire....... the door was closed and it seemed as if something was greatly lost for ever! This sort of her 'SEND OFF' (!) was in our fate where I had to bless her instoad har her marriage-departure.......! Strange are the ways of Destiny and Karmas....... I was reminded by an associate of Sri J. Krishnamurthy, whose philosophy was loved so mach by Parul, that DEATH COMES AT ANY TIME, ANY PLACE TO ANYBODY AND ONE MUST REMAIN READY TO DEPART FROM ONE'S NEAR AND DEAR ONES. This was clearly evident in Parul's case. Destiny stretched her away from us, but not the Divinity. Her body passed away from us like a fres flair of Air, as the City Tab Editor has put in the Tributes to her, but her Divine Spirit-especially the Musical, Literary and philosophical Spirit very much lived with us throughout this year. We not only witnessed her showering her love upon us, but also guiding and dictating our ways of evolution, well-being and seekings. Crystally evident was her presence in our Aspirations, Prayers and Meditations.

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and her utilizing us as her Mediums of Expressions, particularly while writing and performing Music-both of which she loved so much! Thus, though she was physically departed, her pleasant, serene, smiling face, her Yogic Posture, her long long petal-like fingers, her emotionful but equlibrium-born balanced mind, her sharp, quick, distinctive and discriminative intellect, her Music-craving heart and above all her highly elevated Selfless soul---these all could not get seperated from us! THOSE RARE, SYMBOLIC FINGERS........! While giving my last bid of farewell to Parul's body, I was looking at her long, petal-like, delicate fingers........ and suddenly I was flashed back at her very first appearance on this earth at the time of her birth (of course, a few hours after when I had returned from my the then journey) Yes, the same blooming and smiling face, long indicative fingers............ they were foretelling and speaking of their high Artstic and Elevating achievements in offing. I could then foretell through intuition without consulting any Astrologer or Palmist that this girl should become a good great Artist and Writer....... And the span of h@r 25 Years, lifetime proved this......... The same fingers went on performing Bharatnatyam, Playing Sitar and Penning the Articles............all of very high order. The Weekly Pages of The City Tab's Music & Art Criticism are the living examples of this... .... Yes, this was worthy use of these delicate fingers, yet best usage of which was meant for her Practice in Yoga and Meditation which she daily performed pointing towards the higher plan-- the Divine! She indicated this Yoga-born Divine gesture through her Dancing, Sitar - Playing, and Writing fingers. More so, when they never went on pointing to the personal faults of others, but went on introspecting her own Self. This was a rare, very rare feature of her Symbolic fingers.

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Today these rare fingers are no more since they have melted into ashes with her physical frame, but the divine expressions and writings produced through them are alive for ever. They are coming out under various titles "MUSICIANS OF INDIA-I CAME ACROSS", "COMPARATIVE STUDIES IN INDIAN MUSIC", "LITERARY ARTICLES", "JAIN CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN CULTURE", "SIXTEEN MAHASATIS" "ANANDAGHAN & OTHER SAINT-POETS "etc. Her silent unasuming spirit will remain speaking through these writings of hers. AND THAT VAST, THOUGHTFUL HEAD IN HER PROPORTIONATE YOGIC BODY...........! Equally significant from the very childhood was Parul's vast and thoughtful head like her symbolic and rare fingers. At first sight it suggested of her deeper understanding, knowledge and analytic thinking. Her forehead and face had a serene, tranquil and ever-smiling look and her shining eyes steady meditative expressions. Later on along with her Bharat Natyam training, she had begun practising Yoga, Asanas, Dhyana, other Exercises and Naturopathic healing treatments to keep her body proportionately fit, elastic and Yogic. This overall alertness about her physical care helped her in maintaining her mental equilibrium and intellectual sharpness of judgement. It was from this balanced brain that her symbolic fingers produced the writings which could appeal to several readers. It was very much astonishing and interesting for us to note that her balanced intelligent gestures and artistic expressions had begun taking shape from very tiny age of hers, though her physical awareness for having a proportionate Yogic Posture might have commenced later. Maybe, as the Indian philosophies and spirituality suggests, the roots of these tendencies, indications, likings and

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THAT VAST THOUGHTFUL HEAD......! (P.P.4) Flower-like blooming Child Parul PROFILES OF PARUL

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CHILDHOOD MEMORIES (1) On a Stone elephant...... (2) With my old Mother in a monk's dress! (3) Absorbed in Painting with Chi. Vandana. (4) A Great Little Dancer......! PROFILES OF PARUL

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C expressions lie somewhere in her remote past births resulting in this birth as per her, POORVA-SANSKARAS, the previously earned knowledge, impressions and results............! Again, maybe due to this previous-birth-earned "Wealth of knowledge and Arts", she had selected to be born in our family as already indicated in the beginning. f As a result this little born artist had ample opportunities and circumstances to grow and flourish from the very childhood. Though native of Saurashtra-Gujarat, we had too much leanings towards Bengal and its Music and Art. That's why the writer of these lines had been to Bengal several times and even studied Rabindra Sangeet along with other studies at Gurudeo Rabindranath Tagore's Santiniketan for some time in past. More significant was the studies and writings of Tagore that we inherited from his direct ascendant and a great Soofi Saint GURDIAL MALLIKJI, who had been instrumental in introducing myself self and my serene Music-based life partner Sumitra and getting us married by his pious hands. This background of ours, as little Parul's parents not only provided her the above-referred artistic atmosphere, but also her unusual, Bengali Name of PARUL, which is a flower of Bengal, CHILD PARUL, THE BUD THAT BEGAN BLOOMING FROM VERY CHILDHOOD............! When Parul was only five-six months old, we had a very fine and revealing experience of her inborn artistic expressions. We had then organised and taken out a Cultural Programme troupe of our Cultural Activity "SARVODAYA PRATISTHAN" consisting of our Amreli-Ahmedabad College Students. We were staging our popular Hindi Play, "JAB MURDE BHI JAGATE HAIN !" (When the Martyrs Awake........) along with other musical presentations at several places. After staging the same very successfully at Ahmedabad and Amreli for several times, we had planned its tour shows at Bombay, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Madras, Cochin, etc. All of these could not materialize, but after our fresh staging at Ahmedabad, when we reached Hyderabad along with our entire troupe and little Parul, we had this unusual experience in which little Parul exhibited her first spontaneous and natural expositions and expressions............ 5

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It so happened that during the interval of the running play inside the closed curtain, someone of our group, out of mere fun, had placed little Parul on a very big Rhythm Drum lying in the Centre of the Stage. With "One...Two...Three...."sign, the Chorus Reheasal of "Aya Re Aya Basant"; the next Song item to be presented after the Interval, had commenced. Matching with the Rhythm of the Song, Parul spontaneously started dancing and somebody suddenly raised the curtain.... I The natural "Rehearsal" became unexpected "'reality and the little Artist on the Drum remained dancing without break to the tune of the Chorus till its end......!!! ... Her dancing little feet on the top of the big drum were very very much appreciated by the audience at Gandhi Bhavan in between this staging of the above play. All were astonished seeing this born little Artist Dancing on the surface of the drum l This first and natural performance of hers enabled us to visualize high Artistic & Aesthetic potentialities in the flower - bud like Parul. We well remember, we had then put her to dance & music lessons at very tiny age. Her little long fingers and smiling gestures full of innocent, natural expressions went on captivating all hearts. Her vocal (and later instrumental-Sitar) lessons were provided by both of us-my musician wife Smt. Sumitra and myself, right from our stay at Ahmedabad, Calcutta, Sharadagram, Visnagar and Bangalore. At the age of three, I had taken her for a short visit to Santiniketan, the place of my previous Rabindra Sangeet and Post graduate studies. It seemed to us that little Parul was not only observing deeply all these opportunities of Artistic surroundings and activities, but : was also getting absorbed into their remote roots....................something was unconsciously taking shape into her subconscious and super-conscious mind for her future artistic career. - 6

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Her rare, Symbolic Fingers And her Self-fulfilling Dance Performances "The entirely Egoless, innocent, Divine Expressions!" (P.P. 3 & 7) PROFILES OF PARUL

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SONAI, MAIN CONFERENCE PRAYERNESTYONL, JAJN CONFERENCE KOKAI PARUL IN CONCERTS With Parents Prof. Pratapkumar Toliya & Smt. Sumitra P. Toliya "......Besides academic honours, She was an accomplished Hindustani Vocalist and Instrumentalist," (-P.P. 43) PROFILES OF PARUL

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: At Bangalore, we were able to provide and put her with better dance teachers and Bharatnatyam exponents like Smt. Leela Ramanathan and others and she went on picking up all the steps and all the lessons very fast. Since then a number of cultural dance performances she presented. Stage fear was naturally not known to her but what was more important was total absence of craving for STAGE PUBLICITY and SELF-EGOISTIC ATTITUDE. Unassuming and Egoless Parul had never from tiny childhood to grown up age,' shown any sign of her Artistic expositions which might be having a brand of Ego. She had never known this. On the contrary, her dance or vocal expositions were entirely egoless expressions born of Divine visions in which the total Ego of one vanishes. In 'Rajul' and 'Flowers" and a number of her Dance performances, we realized that her entirely egoless, innocent and Divine expressions had made the audiences at several times to forget and get themselves free from their EGOISTIC EXISTENCE ! This self-fulfillment-born and self-realization providing achievement of this little, gentle, unasuming artist was not a common one, it was greatly rare like her rare fingers !! : CHILDHOOD REVELATIONS OF PREVIOUS BIRTH The spontaneous expressions of the egoless self which came out through her rare fingers and thoughtful head, had their roots in her previous births. This was evident from her extra ordinary expositions at the very tiny age. After the Hyderabad episode of her spontaneous dance, there were several incidents of her quick progress in her dance and music which we noticed during our further stay in Gujarat at Ahmedabad while serving as the Principal of National College over there and also at Sharadagram as the Editor of its publishing section.

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Sharadagram is well-known for its educational, and quiet natural environment. It was one fine morning. The Sun had not yet risen. The sweet tunes of the music of flute were filling the atmosphere of the whole complex of Sharadagram. We had got up usually and were busy in our morning duties. Little Parul used to get up late naturally. But that day she got up murmuring and singing with nice background of flute music that was going on. What she was singing was an entirely new Gujarati verse, which we had never heard or read. Perhaps the words were her own composition. She was reciting: - "This land is not mine My land is far away.. This land is not mine My land is beyond the trees and the river in the East, My land is in the shelter of Mount Girnar This land is not mine, this home is not mine My home is in the shelter of Mount Girnar.............." Both of us, myself and my wife, were entirely astonished on listening these lines from the murmuring lips of Parul. We naturally thought that she has come out of a dream and was trying to repeat the same. But now this was something more than a dream, a vision, a concrete expression. There were reasons to believe this, since to all our queries she not only went on replying very clearly but also forcefully, exactly and as if she was visualising something before her eyes. She was confidentally telling us, "MaBapu, I am seeing my previous original land, my home, my parents. see I there in the East at the foothold of Mount Girnar, there are some caves and amidst the same just below the road, is a small beautiful home where my parents are staying........................ they are

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longing for me since I departed.................. "Ma. I you are not my real mother, my mother is there, I intend-to go there, will you take me over there ?" "Certainly, Beta \' we replied and solaced her and wanted to know much more about her "previous home". The basic description of the vicinity and the surroundings and the people and all with such a spontaneous over-flow of expressions and at this age of about 5 years, convinced us that there is truth in what she describes, which amounts to her revelation of her previous birth! Thereafter, she became silent and was lost in that vision, but did not sleep. Not to disturb her and yet be in communion with her, we also sat down silently in prayer, chanting some mantras thereafter for quite a long time. This unusual experience of the revelation of her previous" birth left its impressions on all the coming days. We became more serious, conscious and curious and wanting to go with her to Mount Girnar at Junagadh, but to the ill-luck of ours, we were involved in a lot of other activities and could not find time to go into this important search at a very near place which was very badly required to be visited. For a while it stopped from here, but in between little. Parul again and again went on reflecting about the same and also went on exhibiting her extra-ordinary mentalintellectual memory powers. in course of her school studies which had just begun then. Some more time passed off, Little Parul reminded me very softly and smilingly one day : "Bapu I when are you going to take me to Mount Girnar ?": --- Finding that her previous birth link still exists and the call of the Mount is hounding upon her, I sincerely and sympathetically replied, "Very soon Beta I I am trying to get long leave, but I am

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not getting ........"Alright Bapu ! Do take long leave. From Mount Girnar-Junagadh - we will go to Rajkot also.'' Straightforward but unforgetting Parul told me. Sensing some thing more in her addition of Rajkot's mention in her previous birth-link significantly, I immediately called Sumitra from the kitchen and disclosed this to her. Parul repeated more elaborately to her. Yes Ma 1 after seeing my Mount Girnar Shelter Home, we shall go to Rajkot". Wonder struck at 'her decisive re-affirmation of her inner vision we sympathised with her but asked "we shall go if you want, but why ?". ''Because my parents have now shifted from there to Rajkot She very firmly replied as if she was accurately seeing and following her vision, Our 'wonder and inquisitiveness also increased. With all our sincerety and love we re-affirmed the little visionary, "we shall try our best to get the leave soon and go all the places, my darling' Sumitra immediately consoled her, kissed her and lifted in her lap. Straight forward. Serene and silent Parul took our words for granted and got absorbed in her current activities of studies and play but would never forget that link. :. We also honestly, eagerly and restlessly tried to seize an opportunity to get leave, since Sumitra was also now working there as the Librarian in the institution, but to our continuing illluck, that opportunity never came, we were involved in more serious and principles-based events of life in which though we were eleva 10

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ted to the better positions again, but remained unable to fulfill little Parul's promise of the vital search of the link of her previous birth. We were helplessly finding ourselves guilty of not complying with her genuine and very important . revelations. We also recollect, we had commenced celebrating her 31st Dec.. year-end day birthday from Sharadagram with Musical concert at our residence. Within less than a year from then, in this principle-based elevation, I had to accept the Principalship of Mahila Arts college, Visnagar in North Gujarat and had to leave Sharadagram. in course of this change and increasing burden of responsibilities, it was out great fault that we could never go with Chi, Parul to Mount Girnar and Rajkot and her link remained un-established............. With Chachaji and Vimala Tai But the agony of this fault and guilt remained in our hearts and we went on writing about the same to our revered Masters and Guides - prime of all was previouly-seferred GURDIAL MALLIKJI. **CHACHAJI". . . . It was full of solace for us that Poojya 'Chachaji continuously went on taking our, little Parul's and then born little Vandana's care through his letters and frequent visits to us. This apostle of LOVE had enormously bestowed his love and grace to our children also. Worth-remembering is one of his letters - a simple post card - in which he had drawn his self - portrait in cartoon-form painting his own beard and writing there below - "Blessings to Chi. Parul from Chachaji, having beard", And after receiving this post card little Parul had been longing to receive Chachaji at home. When he came, she got all liberty of snatching his silky beard and got such a friendship with him that Chachaji had to visit us again and again whether we were at Ahmedabad, Sharadagram or Visnagar. 11

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In fact, the previous-birth-link-craving Parul got her Great Grand Guru of ages in Chacha-Gurdial Mallik ji. Same intimacy of. Chi.Parul took shape with Sushri Vimala Thakar - Vimala Tai - An Associate of Acharya Vinobaji, Dada Dharmadhikari and renowned Philosopher Sri J. Krishnamurti. Being acquainted with us from our Sarvodaya Bhoodan Padayatra days and Acharya Rajneesh Meditation & Music meetings, she was also kind enough to be with us from time to time and to shower her loving ? guidance and grace on our children - particularly on Chi. Parul and Chi. Vandana. Worth-remembering were her, stays with us at Visnagar during our Mahila Arts College Principalship and at Sanskar Teerth, Ajol, in a year-end camp. I remember quite well. The then camp was to end on 31st Dec., 1968 which was co-incidentally Chi. Parul's birthday also. Vimalatai, after becoming intimate with Paruf all these days, blessed her on the Birthday morning saying--- ... Be a Revolutionary, Be like me!" Though this blessings of Vimala Tai were contrary to little Parul's silent and serene nature at that time, they began to materialise later when Parul developed her abilities as a writer and her truth-seeking pen went on becoming fearless and revolutionary. Perhaps the seeds of this individuality were sown in this episode of Vimala Tai's blessings. At home she was very much loved by my old mother, who always believed and used to say "In Parul's form, re-incarnate'd is Kirti"-my revolutionary younger brother, who had died young at the age of 26 in November 1959. 12

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PARUL (1) Holy Mother of Hampi placing a 'Tilak' on her forehead. (2) With cousin Jayashree (3) With sister Falguni (4) With Mother Sumitra (5) with Sitar-Teacher K Atmaram. PROFILES OF PARUL

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RARE INFLUENCES (1) CHACHAJI: GURDIAL MALLIKJI & Dr. PANDIT SUKHLALJI (2. CHACHAJI WITH LITTLE PARUL, VANDANA, BHAVITA, SUMITRA (3,4) PARUL: SINGING & OBSERVING (-P P. 13) PROFILES OF PARUL

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In fact, from that day her liking and association with Vimala Tai increased and we were also pleased to take her into her company wherever it was possible. The same was with Chachaji and also with two more great illustrious souls in offing in future. RARE INFLUENCE OF GREAT SCHOLAR DR. PANDIT SUKHLALJI AND SADHVI NIRMALASHRIJI Before coming to settle down at Bangalore, we had to go back to Ahmedabad from Visnagar for assuming a prestigeous position in Mahatma Gandhiji's Gujarat Vidyapeeth as a Senior Post Graduate Lecturer. in course of this service, we were privileged to have again the shelter and association of our graceful Master and internationallyacclaimed scholar Dr. Pandit, Sukhtalji. I was fortunate to study under Panditji since my studentlife and also during my previous assignments at Ahmedabad. The re-union of Panditji was not only beneficial for myself and Sumitra, but also for our little Parul and Vandana. Perhaps it was Parul's fortune that she was naturally coming across great luminaries in different fields. Chacha Gurudial Mallikji was also often coming to meet Panditji and to stay with us at Ahmedabad. Parul was acquiring love from Chachaji and knowledge from Panditji. I very well remember that whenever I and Sumitra happen to be with Panditji and read for him or take dictation of his articles or discuss some points of philosophy, Parul remained silently observing and watching these all. Physically Panditji was blind like the great poet Milton, but intellectually and scholastically, he was a giant. All were astonished at his memory of the History and Philosophy of India of last 2500 years on his lips. In course of Panditji's above mentioned acquintances with us, previous-Sanskaras-born-inquisitive Parul was very greatly impressed by Panditji's unique knowledge. She went on acquiring indirectly and silently from the great Panditji at her the 13 .

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then tiny age of about 8 years. The Sanskaras of previous birth and these associations of the present went on shaping Parul's scholastic life tremendously. As Chacha Gurdial Mallikji was frequently visiting Pandit Sukhlalji and ourselves, so was another scholarly soul of a Jain Nun Sadhvi Nirmalashriji. Our first meeting with her at Pandit Sukhlalji's Saritkunj in Ahmedabad, resulted in useful development for little Parul. She naturally came in her touch and Sadhviji lifted her up. She could forsee great potentialities in her and took herself and little Vandana in her Girls' Philosophical Training Camp at Ahmedabad with a special care for both of them. Really that camp became instrumental in moulding Parul's life to scholarly pursuits at the very tiny age as if linking with her glorious past birth which should have passed in good company in acquiring knowledge and tracking the fields of meditation. We were going to move for a greener and vaster life experience in Karnataka at Hampi and Bangalore from the summer of 1970 where Parul and her other sisters Chi. Vandana and Chi. Bhavita had much more scopes for expanding their scholastic and artistic activities. But before shifting to Bangalore, one great shelter of our family-life-and of many like us-Chachaji-Gurdial Mallikji silently breathed his last in April 1970 at B'bay after showering his love upon us for 15 days at Ahmedabad. IN THE SHELTER OF HOLY MOTHER OF HAMPI AND EDUCATIONAL CENTRES OF BANGALORE With dear departed Chachaji's unforgettable, everlasting love and blessings of his spirit, we came to Bangalore in May 1970. His echoing words and mystical songs were sounding and resounding in our hearts : 14

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"IS ROOP NAH IN, OOS ROOP SAHI, HAM JATE HAIN, FIR AYENGE ............" (We shall come back, if not in this form, in another ones) Parul also together with all of us, was murmuring and singing Chachaji's songs and missing him too mich. But on one hand, my old mother used to shower continuous love upon her and on the other, our Great Holy Mother of Hampi, who was to enter in our lives for a long span of life, was to enlighten Parul's life along with ours, as if she was entering in that another form of loving Chachaji. Till this time while in Gujarat, the enlightened company of Revered and Rare luminaries like Chachaji Gurudial Mallikji, Dr. Pandit Sukhialji, Sushri Vimala Tai, Sadhvishree Nirmalashreeji and others had showered their abundant love, as a result, knowledge. craving little Parul wis directly or indirectly quenching her thirst of learning. Although her remembrance of the link of previous birth had not disappeared, but the company and grace and influence of these Great personalities had awakened her inquisitiveness in right direction and had uncovered her hidden treasure of "inborn" or "previous-birth-earned knowledge with apt understanding. Hence, she had now begun to forget the attraction and attachment of her previous birth as narrated before. . We had already talked to most of the above-mentioned great persons about this unusual background of Parul and her craving for the most-needed varification. Probably, as a result of this also most of these great souls were taking intimate care of growing bud of Parui. With this background, when we shifted to Karnataka at Bangalore and frequently remained visiting Hampi, we and Parul had further rare fortunes to come in touch with two unusually great and unique 15

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Spiritual luminaries. The first one was Jain Monk Yogindra Yugapradhan Gurudev SRI SAHAJANAND GHANJI, who had founded SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA ASHRAM, in the name of M. Gandhiji's Spiritual Guide, at Hampi, in caves and picturesque surroundings on the top of Ratnakoot hill over there. But for us he had only about six months of his remaining span of life which he completed in awarenessful state in SAMADHI and left his mortal frame on 2nd November 1970. The second one was Mataji Dhandeviji, the Holy Mother of Hampi. Though growing Parul had his darshan only twice at Bangalore and Hampi, this great Gurudeo had graced, blessed and begun transforming Parul, as the rare-knowledge-possessing Great soul within Gurudeo was able to read and visualise the glorious past lives of Parul and her future potentialities. One very rare incidence of his compassionate grace for Parul and all of us has become unforgettable in our lives and is worthmentioning here. Gurudeo Sohajanandaghanji, previously known as BHADRA MUNI, as mentioned here above, was an extra-ordinary and selfrealized soul and seer. Not only he was going to leave his own body in total awareness in a pre-planned way at Hampj caves on the above-mentioned date of 2nd November (KARTIK SHUKLA DWITIYA), but was also to grace Parul who was coincidentally ailing seriously at Bangalore on the same night and at the same time! I was at Hampi Ashram caves since about a week before the Deepavali in the service of the great Master. I suddenly came to know of Parul's serious illness and the incoming Trunk calls made me worried. I was informed that Parul was craving for me constantly uttering "Bapu......Bapu......... I' 16

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This put me into thought-duality. On one hand I was not willing to leave serious-state-entering Gurudeo and on the other this attachment and duty towards Parul was also puzzling. Gurudev internally knew this in his knowledge in silence and his "remote blessings' not only went on taking care of parul, but also curing her. But I could not hold myself. Saluting the silence-entering ailing Gurudeo, with unpleasant permission (order) of the Holy Mother and with a heavy heart of mine, I had to reluctently leave Gurudeo at Hampi and to return to Bangalore home. What a surprize ! No sooner I reached Bangalore and entered my home, Parul joyously got up from her bed on seeing mel Grace of Gurudev had saved her completey !! But............ but...... the unexpected happened at Hampi...... Fully recovered Parul went on resting and relaxing in my presence with the Great Master's compassionate Grace, but he himself? A lightening trunk call from Hempi gave me tremendously grave shock : "PARAMGURU NIRGRANTH SARVAGYA DEV......Gurudeo breathed his last with full awareness entering rare SAMADHI of the Self Realization. He is no more. Come back soon." Greatly lost, rather robbed by my destiny, I replied the calling colleague from Hampi, "Very greatly I have lost Gurudeo I Ho saved dear little Parul's life, but not his own-atleast for ourselves............Alas 1 Om Shanti Il Wait, I am returning at once," 17

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And without further loss of even a minute's time I returned in brother's car to Hampi to have the last glimpse of that yet lightshowering body of Gurudeo without the spirit.........! Undescribable was my shock and unsolvable, at the same time. was the mystery ............ ................ The mystery of saving Parul's life and sacrificing his own at the altar of the Divine and the Destiny! Howsoev r pre - planned may be the Great Master's departure from life, it has remained gracefully puzzling myself and also to Parul herself, when later she came to know about this in total. Really, whatsoever "Co-incidental", some mysteries are unsolvable and the compassionate grace of the Greats are beyond our comprehension and understanding-especially in this case of Parul's recovery and the Great Master's passing away !! Thus Gurudev passed away and tranformed himself into another higher world of Mahavideha and left and handed over all of us to the loving care of the Holy Mother - who, though very very humble loving and unassuming (som what like Chachaji-Gurdial Mallikji), was equally rare soul, having same spiritual heights in the realm of self-realization. Moreover, the crystal clear knowledge, the Great-Grand Mother-like love and com assion of hers, put Parul and all of us very close to hers. At the very first sight and first meeting, the Holy Mother had seen and indicated the potentialities of Parul. But we were not able to bring her to the Mother more closely due to the great tragic event of loss of not only the Gurudev, but also of my elder brother a worth disciple of Gurudeo and President of this Hampi Ashram Shri. Chandubhai Toliya, who had mysteriously died in a Motor Accident, exactly one month before Gurudeo, on Gandhi Jayanti day the 2nd October 1970, but with Gurudeo's uplifting grace. . 18

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A series of conflicting events which took place in our family and Hampi Ashram life due to these two sudden tragedies, were the reasons of bringing Parul late in the close company of the Holy Mother, Poojya Mataji Dhandeviji, the then and present head of the Ashram, But when I told the whole story of Parul's previous-birthrememberance and her inclination towards learning, the Holy Mother, whose inborn knowledge had already seen previously . Parul's potentialities and had X-rayed her past, at once told me: "Beta Pratap ! soon bring Parul in my company, I know her hidden greatness. There is no possibility now of taking her back to Gujarat to establish her links of the previous birth. Let me look after her. I shall keep her, with all facilities, in caves for fifteen days, isolated from all companies and contacts. As a result of this, she will herself revive her previous births entirely... otherwise, when she grows, she will forget all." Seeing this graceful offer of the Holy Mother, we all were enthusiastically ready and eager to put her at once in her shelter, but alas ! this opportuninty was also to be missed!! At this time mostly due to Parul's own cravings and pursuits of learning, restless learning! Firstly, she was involved in combining two school classes together into one snd secondly, she went on scaling new heights of learning music and dance-Bharata Natyam. This craze for various learnings made her to postpone going in seclusion in caves with the Holy Mother at Hampi, inspite of her own willingness also. Moreover, she had become more intimate with my old mother and Sumitra and her younger sisters in which Falguni was added. But her attachment and association with the Holy Mother and Hampi went on increasing otherwise. Parul liked her company so much, whenever we took her there in between on various occasions, that she didn't like to return to Bangalore, to the world I Later, in 9

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one of her own articles on the Holy Mother, titled "ATMA-DRISHTA MATAJI" penned with inner pain and intimacy, she wrote-"The unbound love, the limitless grace and the intimacy which I got in the Divine company of the Holy Mother, where else in the whole world will it be available ?" "My heart never likes to go back to the world from her shelter here at Hampi, but the responsibilities drag me and I reluctantly walk out without willingless and with deep pathoes in my heart..." "But I firmly resolve, I shall come here again and again". And when I read this touching article of hers written in Hindi (published elsewhere), I wondered, If not in the shelter of Mount Girnar in Gujarat. was this not her spiritual Abode in the shelter of the Holy Mother at the Hill top of Ratnakoot-Hampi in Karnataka ? - In fact, in a way, it was. Since, though Parul could not find time to remain in seclusion in caves with the holy mother for a fortnight at a stretch, she constantly remained in her shelter at Hampi mentally and also physically at frequent intervals from Bangalore. A big span of 18 years of her life from 1970 to 1988 till she departed for her life eternal voyage ( and probably even after that, now in her subtle spiritual form) Parul went on visiting and enjoying enormously at Hampi in the Holy Mother's divine shelter. Her moulding of life in this long unique shelter requires a separate book to be written on it, since the limitations of these pages do not allow to do so. PARUL - At Schools, colleges, Universities and Educational Institutions As indicated above, Parul had started combining and completing two school Standards in one year in 1970-71 and inspite of this, she went on securing top ranks in all the school exams, Side 20

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by side her Vocal Music training from both of us and Bharata Natyam lessons from very competent Bangalore teachers and Dance-exponents we re going on She went on writing beautiful poems and prize-winning essays. One of her Poems, "The Flower at Night" was presented and recited by her at a Public Meeting and the presiding learned person Justice T.K Tukol, the then V.C. of Bangalore University, appreciated the same very much. He also took her once to Mysore for such other meeting. After acquiring First class with distinction marks in S.S.L.C., she went on getting Ranks and Awards throughout every year in her college and University Examinations. After her Gujarat Vidyapeeth schooling at Ahmedabad, she had acquired Indian Culture-based atmosphere, better than the convents, at Bangalore's St. Meera's School and Kamalabai Girls' High School. Her college studies were carried on at Bangalore's Maharani's College and Jyotinivas College - everywhere she remained very studious and rank-winning, but at the same time very silent and unassuming. She neither liked publicity, nor liked to come in light on the stage. Rather she went on helping her mother and sisters when she found time after her additional, cultural studies of Dance and Music. A Bangalore weekly interviewer writes on her when she got one of her top ranking college exam. awards :Fourth rank winner keen on Music and Dancing, "Parul P Toliya, of Maharani's College, who was fourth in the first PUC Arts, is a serious student of Bharatanatyam and Hindustani Music. She hails from Gujarat. Her name is Bengali, meaning flower. Flowers," she says "interest all." She received the inter-school award from the Governor for her essay on Nature, in a competition arranged by the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. . 21

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Dancing lessons "At school she has taken part in all essay contests in Hindi and English. She has kept up a bright record since school, She got a double promotion to the seventh class when studying in St. Meera's School. At the Kamala Bai High School she won a prize for getting the highest marks in English. "She started learning dance from Mr. Uma Kanth. She participated in school programmes and gave a recital at the Town Hall, When she changed to Kamala Bai High School, she could not continue her dance lessons. Recently she joined Mrs. Leela Ramnathan's classes. "She learns music and has learnt 15 ragas. Her parents, Mr. Pratap Kumar and Mrs. Sumitra are themselves music teachers. Her father trains people in the techniques of play back singing and is founder-director of Music for Meditation. Parul attends their classes. She is the eldest of five children, all daughters. Her voice is recorded in some records. "Parul suffers from stage fright and has not taken part in college activities. She spends her spare time helping her mother." (-K.R.R. ''The City Tab" dt. 25.6.1978) Also a similar interview of hers on All India Radio, Bangalore evoked very much interest amongst the listeners and even the interviewer herself. Moreover, due to her constant liking for knowledge, she read out about half the books of my personal library.! Apart from taking instructions from us in Music (Vocal and instrumental-Sitar-both), she also studied Philosophy from us and had deep self-study of Astrology. Her study note books are ample proofs of this. In course of her philosophical and oriental studies, she nicely mastered the Prime Jain Sanskrit Stotras of "SRI BHAKTAMAR" and "RISHIMANDAL" with apt accents of this 22

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classical language. She also joined with us in Practising SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJIS "ATMA SIDHI SHASTRA" and ancient Vedic hymns of "'ISHAVASYA UPANISHAD". Our Long Play Discs and Audio cassettes of these all and many others have already become popular Whether it may be our home recitation for self-fulfillment and devotion or a Public Stage or Recording performance, Parul's presence and participation were hardly missed. After getting distinction in her B.A. Exam. with English literature, Sociology and Psychology at Bangalore, she wanted to go for her post-graduate studies along with further advance studies in music (vocal from Govt. Music college and Instrumental- Sitar from my Great Musician Master Bapooraoji's grand Son Sri K Atmaram) at Hyderabad. With the same hard studies and strivings, she went on mastering music very nicely and also topped the Rank in her Osmania University's M.A. (Hindi Literature) Exam. and acquired a Gold Medal from amongst the non-Hindi speaking students. A Hyderabad News Paper writes on this achievement of hers :"Kum. Parul Pratapkumar Toliya was awarded Hyderabad Hindi Prachar Sabha's Gold Medal for acquiring First position amongst Non-Hindi Speaking Students in M.A. Hindi Exam. at the Osmania University's Convocation held recently at its Tagore Auditorium. Acquirer of nearly 75 percent marks in M.A. Hindi Literature and presently doing her Ph. D., Kum. Parul has remained foremost position-winner in B.A. and Pre-Uni. Exams. also. It will be befitting here to remind that her father, Prof. "Pratapkumar Toliya, who apart from remaining Professor and Principal in Gujarat and Bangalore Universities, is also an International Artist-Musician having several World Tours to his credit. He also is an M.A. in Hindi Literature from this Osmania University itself of 1960, who had, in addition to the editing of "ARCHANA" Magazine, respresented 23

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Osmania University as the Team Leader in All India Radio InterUniversity Radio-Discussion & Vrindagaan Competitions.". (-"RASHTRA NAYAK" : Hindi : Hyderabad, Otober, 1985) Apart from her above Post Graduate Attainments in Hindi Literature, she also fared well in her Hindustani Vocal Music Exams. at the Govt. Thyagaraja College of Music & Dance and in her Instrumntal-SITAR- lessons from Shri K. Atmaram, Sitar Lecturer and Nadanand Bapuraoji's worthy grandson, simultaneously. After completing the above strenuous studies at Hyderabad, she returned back to Bangalore. resumed Music Studies from us as well as at the local Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan under Pandit Ravishankar ji's disciple Shri Rama Rao, on one hand and registered at Karnataka University, Dharwar, for her Ph. D. on, "MAHAYOGI ANANDGHANJI, SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI & OTHER JAIN SAINT-POETS' CONTRIBUTION TO HINDI LITERATURE" and began writing her thesis, on the other. Studious Parul had no time to waste and she continued her hard studies in the faculties of her interests and likings. In addition to her mastery in Hindi Language & Literature, she had good bent of pen in English writings. English Literature was one of her Main Subjects also at her rank-winning B.A. Exam. As a result, she went on writing articles in English also. She received invitations from several English Magazines too in addition to the Hindi ones to contribute her articles. Side by side with her Ph. D. Research Work, a flow of her English & Hindi writings commenced and her interest in Journalism took concrete shape. Apart from contributing remarkably in some News Magazines, she joined a Diploma Course in Journalism and Mass Communications at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore. There too she studied so hard that she bagged ALL THE SEVEN AWARDS-but alas ! they were all POSTHUMOUS...!!! (Pl. refer to Tributes Section for further details) 24

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RESEARCHER, JOURNALIST, ART-CRITIC As mentioned hereabove, Parul went on writing as a freelance Journalist for several News Papers and magazines in English and Hindi. She worked as a Sub-Editor of 'KARAN', Bangalore's Hindi Daily and as a weekly Art Critic page-writer for "The City Tab". Her balanced writings and sharp, free, fearless criticism-all are worth-reading. What ihe editors of these papers and Great Artistes like Pandit Ravishankar has said about her writings (all referred to in the 'TRIBUTES' part of this book) is worth-noting. Her various own writings are sufficient for one to directly get a first hand knowledge of her effective style of writing and language. The following Articles, study papers and books of hers (mostly being published) are worth considering :- (1) "Contribution of Jaina Art, Music & Literature to Indian Culture "(one Article Published in Gommatavani, S'belgola) (2) Research-Incomplete-on'MAHAYOGI ANANDAGHANJI, SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI & OTHER JAIN SAINTPOETS' CONTRI. TO HINDI LITERATURE" (3)" MUSICIANS OF INDIA-I CAME ACROSS"; Interviews of Pandit Ravi Shankar and others (4) "Indian Music & Media" Awarded study Paper of B.V.B. (5) " Mahavir Darshan". English Version of Bhagavan Mahavira's Life & Message (L.P. Disc, Audio & Video cassette with commentary in her own voice) (6) "Jainism Abroad" : Editing of Souvenier 17) Why Abattoirs-Abolition ? Rare Posthumous writings on Non-Violent Movement against Mechanical Slaughter Houses inspired and dictated through the pen of this writer as a 'Medium' (being published). (8) "Meditation & Jainism" : Editing. (9) "Dakshinapath ki Sadhana-Yatra' : Hindi Translation, Apart from these main writings & editings, etc., a number of scattered articles written and printed in various Magazines and papers like "Karan" "The city Tab", "Dheer", "Inn". etc are to her 25

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credit. These all themselves speak volumes of her literary, Artistic and Journalastic achievements, Family Life-Self Sacrifice, Great Affection for all, but No Attachments! With all of us - parents, her four younger sisters and other relatives and friends and neighbours, ever - smiling, ever joyous Parul had very congenial, affectionful, modest, service-rendering and self-sacrificing relationship. For her mother Sumitra, apart from childhood past birth revelation episode, she had no less regard, respect and devotion just as For me, her father. Her letters and longings full of unusual lofty love, devotion and pathoes of separation, tell too much about this. In one of such letters to her affectionate mother (not only 'mother' but also her 'teacher' and later a 'companion !) She wrote : "Mummy! Bapu (father)'s place has been taken here by kind, caretaking Professors. But that of yours is vacant............No one can fill it up.........! I always remain longing for you, in awakened state and dreams, just as Krishna reciting : Radha...... Radha ......... Radha......... !! XXX.........!!! : In turn, she was also missed very much by Sumitra and all of us. Consequently, as a result, she would positively come back to Bangalore from Hyderebad every month to meet us and especially her mother and also to take further vocal music lessons from her and Hindi Literature Matter from me. Her ever-accompanying onepiece Brown Travel Bag, especially brought from Abroad for her by me, is now lying idle and awaiting her to come some time and pick it up.........but alas ! this poor little bag doesn't know that she is never to come back in that usual ever-smiling form and frame of 'PARUL - the all-captivating fragranceful flower ......!! One could notice here a change in Parul's childhood-previous birth link-born longing & affection for her the then mother." 26

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which, after a little separation, had transformed into her present birth's mother, Sumitra ! Equaliy affectionate and caring were her relations with all of our family members, relatives and her own friends like Shobhana, Shailaja, Sarita, Chanchal and Veana, etc at Bangalore and Raksha, Sharmila etc. at Hyderabad where our second daughter and her sister Vandana also had followed her for studying Naturopathy (N.D.) at Osmania University's Gandhi Nature cure College, where she stayed, while parul was with my sister. Although having three years' age gap, Parul and Vandana had twin-like, "two bodies & one mina" temparamental affection. For other sisters Bhavita, Falguni (her. Munna Raja'') and youngest Kinnari all, Parul had influencing spell of being an abundantly loving and caring Eldest Sister- "Parul Deedi." And Parul consciously and joyously carried on this responsibility also, apart from terribly sharing all my works, tasks and activities by acting as "more than a Son" in all respects : Training her younger Sisters, especially little Kinnari in Bharat Natyam, Yoga, etc. looking after their requirements', health and studies and secretly sparing & depositing in Bank for them her own hard-earned money! In thus caring for the whole family, during her studies and . service thereafter, Parul had risen to such a self-sacrificing and spiritual height that she was primarily considering our interests in her Matrimonial Prospects also ! In addition to her "Sublime Standard" of choice and expectations, of life-partner, she had deep devotionful consideration for us as parents and was rejecting even promising grooms !! We were highly worried for her and she was worrying for us!!! Seeing her rejection for several boys, when I was naturally worried too much, she once told my wife Sumitra, "Ma! why Bapu is so much worrying for me ?.... I can remain without marrying also, if no worthy groom of my choice meets......" 27

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And we had neither any reply to this, nor forceful pursuation, but our "search for a proper & worthy Match for her, naturally went on. Out of several examples and incidents of our Family Life, a few are worth-mentioning which speak of Parul's Consideration and devotion for us as well as quickly-grasping, judging, situation -understanding, obeying and ALL-INFLUENCING abilities. On one hand, She was so much flower-like-delicate, parentsdevoted and silently influential that when a harsh-words-uttering relative lady-our Sister-in-law here at Bangalore-came to us and we all replied to her with our SILENCE and PEACEFUL PATIENCE, Parul replied this lifelong-services-forgetting Madam with her FORCEFUL TEARS I" These influencing Tears worked like Magic, more than words and the lady had to go back without achieving anything 11 On the other hand, when other relatives, our Ahmedabad inlaws, tried to sidetrack and separate Parul from us, for reasons unknown to us, and when as rightly guided by the Graceful Holy Mother of Hampi and as led by her own wisdom, quick-judging & Understanding ability, She demonstrated unusually amazing qualities of sympathy, respectfulness, modesty and obedience to us. Not only she ever thought to go against our wishes, feelings, principles, but also remained capable to discriminately judge the intention of others and to understand what was in her and everybody's right interest. She at once refused and humbly rejected, to above relatives and gave up their plea. Here, her quick, analytic, fearless decision and loyal, intelligent Parental devotion silenced these sweet wellwishers. Having no born brothers, Parul and her other sisters had treated our loving cousin brother's affectionate sons Mukesh and Kamlesh, no less but more than our real elder brothers' sons Prafull, . 28

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Harshad, Niranjan, Sharad, etc. all of whom loved this silent, serene, Smiling Sister too much, hardly knowing that her smiles were not going to last long......... THE FLOWER BLOOMED BUT............ Parul's younger sister Chi. Vandana, after her N.D. studies at Hyd'bad, had joined I. N. Y. S. B'lore as a Research Medical Officer. I was visiting abroad every one or two years for my three fold programmes of Music, Meditation and Discourses. Before and after completion of her Post-Graduate Dip. in Journalism Exam. in April 1988, Parul had concentrated on her acclamationful journalistic & philosophical research-work pertaining writings and our literary writings & editings of 'JAINISM ABROAD" etc, on one hand and Central Govt. Officers' Hindi Teaching on the other. Moreover, she labouriously penned and recorded in her own soul-stirring, everlasting sweet voice the following prestigeous new recordings of ours : - MAHAVIR DARSHAN (Eng.), RATNAKAR PACHISI (Hin), MERI BHAVANA, JAIN RAS GARBA, RAS GARBA-NOOTAN PURATAN, GRAMYA JEEVAN, etc, Her participation in two of our B'lore T.V. telecasts, one Radio Feature broadcast and several live stage performances all over India, had created magical spell over the audiences every where through her commenting and singing ! Her presentation of the whole of our Spe 1987 MAHAVIR JAYANTI Concert at B'lore Town Hall brought unexpected success and audience appreciation, video recording of which is her living testimony and memory. Her English Version Script with her commentary of cur abovereferred MAHAVIR DARSHAN LP. became a hit Audio (and in process Video) production. I was wonderstruck at her boundless zeal of continuously writing-right from early morning till ten at night restlessly, of course, without sacrificing her usual daily practice of Yogasanas, 29

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Meditations and Music. More so, all these she was pursuing with joy and great self-satisfaction. Thus she was in her full bloom and was so much satisfied that she used to write and tell her friends and sisters that SHE WAS HAPPY, FORTUNATE AND SELF-CONTENTED IN ALL RESPECTS. SHE WAS ACHIEVING HER LIFE'S GOAL of REALIZING HER SUBLIME SELF THROUGH DEEP ABSORPTIONS IN WRITINGS, RECITINGS, REHEARSINGS, RECORDINGS AND TEACHINGS... !! But...........But this blooming and blossoming of hers was not dear to destiny and our Karmic fate............ That last RAKSHA-BANDHAN : SHRAVAN POORNIMA DAY of 27th August, 1988...........Well before this she had mailed her last loveful "RAKHEES" to ALL her brothers. Mukesh and Kamlesh at B'bay had just received and had tied them on their hands on Poornima Day.......... myself was away at New York. Sumitra had sent Parul at I.N.Y.S. Jindal's to be with her loving sister Dr. Vandana that day. On way she had tried to book a scooter for her with Chi. Phalguni and had enjoyed her last peaceful 24 hours with Vandana in that calm, spiritual atmosphere of the I.N.Y.S. To return to our Ulsoor home on Sunday the 28th afternoon both were coming out. After crossing the first half road-divider and while even carefully crossing the second half with Vandana, first stepping Parul's flower-like body was all of a sudden plucked and picked up by Destiny through that WRONG-SIDE DASHING, ALL LAWS BREAKING & "KILLING LICENCE"-POSSESSING KSRTC COVERNMENT BUS...... A little knocking down and she was in Dr. Vandana's lap where she breathed her last......it all happenned like a stroke of lightening ...... !!! I was in my actual morning meditation at the Jain Centre of New York at 6-0 A.M. of New York time and received a thun 30

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derously shocking and my equilibrium-testing lightening Trunk Call from Bangalore, something which a dream had indicated just two hours back : "YOUR DAUGHTER PARUL EXPIRED IN ROAD ACCIDENT.....SHE WAS KNOCKED DOWN BY A WRONG-SIDE-DASHING MOTOR BUS WHILE CROSSING THE ROAD NEAR JINDAL'S........." And this neighbour's call was cut down abruptly...... Inspite of being taken aback, I first completed my continuing meditation and then dialled back twice to Bangalore to know the fact and details. It was, though gravely shocking, truel...Our Serene & Silent Guest of 25 years had tragically and suddenly started on the voyage of the UNKNOWN LAND OF NO RETURN AND ONLY THE DEPARTURE !! Perhaps, she was sent forcibly (when she was happiest in bloom on this earth) to that other world's abode, for which she was longing since childhood through her previous birth link.....! Tatonce cancelled my journey to Germany & Holland and bcoked the first available flights to Bombay and Bangalore. With generous consoling help from my New York Jain Centre friends like Dr. Poptani, Mr. Jasvant & Mrs. Smitaben Shah, Hasmukh Shah, Vora family, Mr. Hans and Mrs. June and others and with Great Masters' invisibly inspiring chantings, I was constantly praying & meditating internally instead of sinking into grief till I left the J.F.K. Air Port Again, it was the surprisingly invisible help of the Paramgurus that I could remain in the same spirit of Meditation, Prayer and chantings throughout my lonely 20 hours' journey to home, where I reached earlier than expected...On reaching B'lore, I rushed to console Sumitra & sobbing daughters and to see Parul's body "without the Spirit only ! Unattached Parul had not waited to bid farewell even to me or anyone of ours except Chi Dr. Vandana, who had boldly faced this sudden ghastly happenning with great courage and strong presence of mind......... 31

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Parul' body at St. Martha's Hospital was lying with her usual smiles and as if completely alive, telling that, "I am not dead, I am alive, very much alive eternally......!" We brought her home after nominal Postmortem formalites amidst - chantings of NAVKAR MANTRA and SACHCHIDANDI Dhoon pointing to the Self and not the mortal Frame of dear departed Parul. ...Burning incense sticks & Deepak...heap of followers placed on this : prematurely withered blooming flower' by her officer -- students... unusually wrapped red marriage saree" (CHUNDARI)... divine at: mosphere-creating constant Group Chantings.....Pandit Omkarnath Thakur's Mira Bhajan "JOGI MAT JA6S reciting by sisters ......and Rabindranath Tagore's "SHAMUKHE SHANT!" Prayer-recollection by this humble Self---all this was the last "Send Off" of our Unusual Guest Parul--No, her body--to that Unknown land... With the same continuing NAVKAR MANTRA and SACHCHIDANANDI chantings suggesting, "I AM THE SELF AND NOT THIS MORTAL FRAME... I AM ETERNAL", we took her to the Wilson Carden Electric Crematorium and after praying lastly, blessed her still smiling face, gazed her long petal-like divine fingers........and atlast entrusted her to Electric Closet's pyre of fire.....!! My heart was still praying for the elevation of Parul's departed soul, externally and internally. Parul's sobbing brothers having her fresh Rakhees, Mukesh, Prafull & Niranjan who had Air-dashed from B'bay, Hyderabad and New Delhi as well as the relatives from A'bad and B'lore and a number of local friends & students--all had a number of questions and queries following this sudden rude shock. Sumitra and Parul's sisters-Vandana, Bhavita, Phalguni, Kinnari all were broken. Prayers and Chantings had handled them, but their hearts too had the HOW and WHY quest of this grave shocking and shaking happenning, which the Hon'ble probing judge has branded as "THE WILDEST WAY OF COMMITING MURDERS." Even though they were given the reason of the invisible KARMA laws, all were asking: 32 (a)

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Why a serene, silent, sober and wise compassionate soul like Parul is not spared by the Karmic Destiny ?... Why she left us so suddenly, what were our faults ? where did she choose to go--In that land of SILENCE which was very dear to her? In GANDHARVALOKA playing Veena, just as her Sitar here? In the shelter of Mount Girnar, about which she was singing in her "previous birth-revealing" childhood poem : THIS LAND IS NOT MINE...? In MAHAVIDEHA KSHETRA in the shelter of the Paramgurus? or in the lap of the Holy Mother in new form at Hampi, the real world of which was too much dear to her than this 'artificial world' and had resolved, as menti. oned in her article, "I SHALL COME BACK HERE AGAIN, SOON.....? Doesn't she sing and say in Chachaji Gurdial Mallikji's words:" IS ROOP NAHI, OOS ROOP SAHI, HAM JATE HAIN FIR AYENGE....''? Leaving aside for a while to go deep into the above queries as most of the Saints-Seers-Mystics-Spiritualists have visualized and forecasted, Parul's now sublimely soaring soul wili come back once to be with us in new elevated physical form, in addition to her now dweling divine form of her writings and voice, etc., before she sublimes high and high in SUPER LANDS, ultimately reaching the SIDDHALOKA, from where one has never to return to this cycle of Births and Deaths....! . Whatever be her new form, presently we are greatly missing her every moment that is passing and are realizing that - --Now that sweet loving voice, "Bapu...! Bapu ...!" with which she was awakening me as and when instructed, will never be heard live..! -Now those spontaneous outbirsts of laughters will never be heard and enjoyed, which she was distributing while cutting her innocent witty jokes...! -Now that ever-smiling shining face and sparkling meditative eyes will never be seen which were booming on all ! - and now those long petal-like Fingers will never catch her 'magic, pen' and move on Sitar, Soormandal or Tanpura and in Dance gestures, which pointed towards the DIVINE.........! Om Shanti.......!! 32 (b)

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TRIBUTES "I know not what to write to you for still I am in a state of shock. I met her on Wednesday the 24th August and I had a very satisfactory hour of discussion on Music, Life & Philosophy and now Parul is no more! If this is called fate, it is non sense. I have to tell you this because I have to share this feeling with a person who has been very close to Parul. For me it shall never be the same when I come to perform at Bangalore. ..d Toliyaji! your daughter Parul was a very nice human being, very kind to everyone and sensitive to appreciate the finer points of this world. TO KUM. PARUL TOLIYA, M.A.. Dip. JOURNALISM, WRITER, CRITIC : " I am going through such a mental turmoil, I can imagine what must be the condition of you and your family. I pray God he gives you and all of us the strength to withstand this loss..." A. HARIHARAN, Celebrated Singer, Bombay, -- * "I am truly shocked and greatly sorrowed by the untimely demise of Parul. May God give you and your family strength to bear this great tragic loss...... May God bless her soul." -ROOPKUMAR RATHOD, Celebrated Singer-Musician, Bombay. * "I am extremely sorry to hear about the sad demise of your beloved daughter and my dear friend Parul. May God give strength to you and your family to bear this shock." SONALI SHETH, Singer, Bombay * - I was stunned to read about untimely sad demise of your dear daughter 'Parul' and I have no words to express my grief and feeling. She was M.A., Journalist, Good Critic, Music student a very 32 (c)

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good writer and what not, in short, she was everything. It is undoubtedly a very big shock and loss, but she is still alive, by her noble deeds.......... Since I came in your contact, I noted in you as promising youth having surprising genious and I was quite sure, one day either sooner or later, you will be a reknown personality. You had a chance to live with holy saint and well known DHARMA DHURANDHAR Dr. PANDIT SUKHLALJI, you had a fortune to be a student of SHANTI NIKETAN founded by the great universal poet and Vishwa Guru Rabindranth and you could soothe grief promptly. You not only answered, but did the needful for me, which only a STHITA PRAJYA or real JNANI have the courage to face this situation.......... Some celestial souls come on earth, scatter the aroma sweetly around every corner and reach again at the feet of the Lord. Sant JNANESHWAR, SHANKARACHARYA, SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA are several examples as dear' PARUL'. She is still alive and will remain for ever........ Though a Musician, I have studied VEDANTA, UPANISHADA, GEETA, Comparative study of BUDDHA and MAHAVIRA........ Luckily my Jain friend and student came to see me and had a talk about you and I found you highly praised in the "GUJARAT SAMACHAR" which he brought I feel proud that at last I found a reknowned figure like you...... May God go always with you and your family members, Children (as you have stated 'eldest daughter!) and give courage to face the situation you are in and continue the work you have undertaken............. R.K. KARVE, Musician and our Vocal Music Master, Baroda. "I am really grieved to know from your letter that your beloved eldest daughter Kumari Parul Toliya expired in an unfortunate road accident. Since I had met her several times and heard her music, I had much affection for her. Even at your house at Bangalore, she always received me with a smile. I pray Shri Mahavir Jee to give peace to the departed soul and courage to you to bear this loss." - Satish Kumar Jain, Secretary General, Ahimsa International, New Delhi. 33

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"Chi. Parul was a Gem in your family and she bore luster because of her esteemed high qualities. She is unforgettable. I am sure she would have attained meritorious new birth. May her soul rise higher and higher is my prayer....." -). Anop Chand Jhabakh, Friend, Seeker, Businessman, Coonoor (Nilgiris) "I was shocked to learn from Pratap's letter that dear Parul has dieu in an unfortunate road accident. A bright career of a loveable young woman has been cut short by destiny. No words can console you - the mother who has brought up her children with great tenderness. Our dear Gurudayal Mallick would have been able to console and confort you had he been alive. The mystery of Life is brought to our notice by Death Death is unpredictable & unforeseeable, hence one has to be alert and ready to depart from this world as well as the loved ones at any moment at any place and in any manner that pleases Death. . Pratap must have gone back to England for his pre-arranged schedule. I hope that both of you will have the strength and courage to reconcile to the loss of your child." -Vimala Thakar, Himachal Pradesh. An Associate of J. Krishnamurti & Acharya Vinoba Bhave "Guruji and all the ashram members wish to express their profound regrets and sympathy to you and your family on the untimely loss of your daughter...." -Shanti, Siddhachalam, New Jersey, U.S.A. (for Acharya Sushil Kumar Maharaj) * "I felt so sad to hear & read about the sudden unnatural untimely death of Miss. Parul Toliya. She had a bright future, a brilliant academic carreer and a long way to go. It is unfortunate that death snatched her away. It is often said that God 34

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prefers those who are wise and good, and may be it is true in the case of Kum. Parul Toliya. | (and the members of my family) do share your sorrow. Remember that in this hour of distress you have so many friends who will stand by you. Above all please console Mrs. Sumitra Toliya who needs more care. I do pray for Kum. Parul Toliya's peace and elevation, May her soul rest in eternal peace...." - Dr. Hampa Nagarajaiah, Literateur & Ex-President, Kannada Sahitya Parishad, Bangalore. * "I am shocked to hear about the sad and untimely demise of Parul Toliya. Though I met her only once when she interviewed me at the Bangalore-Airport, she struck me as being a nice, sincere girl with a quick mind... . Her death at such a young age is like the nipping of a bud just as it was blossoming into a wonderful flower !" I pray to God that her soul rest in peace......." -Pandit Ravi Shankar, Well known Sitarist, New Delhi "We all are extremely pained to know from Shri Abhay Mehta about the sudden accidental death of your daughter Kum. Parulben and about your Air-dashing from New York to Bangalore. Please accept sympathies from all of our Trustees, Working Committee Members and brothren. We are very very thankful to you for your promise to return to London to fulfill your promise to deliver religious discourses even amidst such a tragic most calamity! Looking forward to meeting you soon and concluding with prayers for eternal peace for departed Parul's soul ........" - Vinod Udani, President, Navnat Vanik Assn. of U.K., London, "Our deepest sympathies in these hours of great sorrows of dear Kum. Parul's accidental death, about which we came to know from Acharya Sushil Kumarji from Siddhachalam, New Jersey.... 35

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Anup. Amar and Bharati join with us in the Prayers for her peace and we all stand with you..." - Dr. T. J. Salgia, President, Jaina : Federation of Jain Associations in North America, Parma, Qhio, Cleveland. "We have heard from Dr. Salgia. the sudden demise of your daughter due to accident. "Our deepest sympathy to you, Mrs. Toliya and other family members for the loss of your beloved one. "Let us all pray for the eternal peace for the pious soul." Pravin Shah, for all the members of the Jain Study Center of North Carolina, U.S.A. "I Came to know of the Saddest news from Shri Manubhai Patel from New Jersey about untimely, Unexpected and tragic death of Parul........ We came in her contact when we had been 10 Bangalore. We very much remember her silent nature...... May god bless her with peace and all of you with courage to bear this Painful blow." -Dr. Dinesh Shah, Neuro Surgeon, Pasadena, California, U.S.A. * "Jai Jinendra....we all are deeply pained to know about the tragic death of your beloved daughter........ May the Lord bless you with the peace of understanding, the strength of faith and the comfort of his love. May the lord be with you." -Mr. Arvind Shah, Mrs. Sohini Shah, Priyesha Shah, Sayreville, N.J., USA. * "I will pray for dear departed Parul, although I don't believe she needs our 'prayers, as much as you think. Also, Toliyaji, you must not blame yourself or feel that you are not worthy any more to be her Gardeners .......' Pl. Don't have guilt, don't punish yourself. The divine plan is beyond our comprehension and I know that all this, that seems so wrong and so Horrible - is for a divine 36

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purpose which we do not yet see. Try to remember this and Meditate upon it.... ... ! Please convey my deepest love and affection to Sumitra and your daughters ... Until we next meet, you are in my Prayers....... - Peter Victor, a great seeker & friend from New york. - Rishikesh U.P. * "Just last week I heard from Dr. Salgia the terrible news of the death of your daughter. I was shocked. I join you in your grief. I have no words to describe. Please do not loose courage. I send my condolences. With regards........" - Dr. Sulekh Jain, Cincinnati, OHIO, U.S.A. "We are shoked to note the sudden demise of your daughter Kum. Parul Toliya, M.A., on 28th August 88. . May her soul rest in peace. Get strentgh to bear the grievances by devotion to God." --Charukeerthy Bhattarak Swamiji, Shravanabelgola-573135. "Received your letter and I regret to note the tragic death of your daughter Kum. Parul. May her soul rest in peace. I pray Shree Manjunatha Swamy, Sri Chandranatha Swamy and Bhagwan Bahubali Swamy to bless you all with enough strength and patience to bear the sorrow of her departure." -D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmasthala-574 135. "It is indeed a very rude shock to learn about the sad and untimely demise of your beloved daughter Kum. Parul. - Our heartfelt condolences to all of you on this tragic event. We pray to the Almighty to grant you all enough strength to bear this great loss. --Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Director, Rajshri Productions(P) Ltd., Rajshri Pictures (P) Ltd., Bombay - 400 018. 37

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"I was shocked at the saddest news, I have had since quite a long time. I wonder why fate chose you as the victim of the ordeal. I can assess your grief and the grief of Smt. Tolia and sisters of Kumari Parul. We (l and Mrs. Ramachar) can only sympathise with you for the sad loss, which is equally hard with us, the Foundation people as the Foundation's Champion Hindi scholar. Our condolences and sympathies to you and your family. May God grant you the fortitude and strength of mind to bear the loss". -K. Ramachar. Hon. Secretary, Dvaita Vedanta Studies and Research Foundation, Bangalore-560 004. B.V.B.'S. Seven Awards : Convocation : 1987-88. "Your young daughter, late Miss. Parul, who was snatched away from you by cruel fate, when she was making phenomenal. progress in life, was a student of this College in 1987-88, studying Journalism. I share your grief with you and only pray to the Almighty to give you enough strength to bear this irreparable loss. .: Miss. Parul was a bright student and we are all proud of her performance in the Annual Diploma Examination held in May 1988. She has won the following awards : 1) Kulapati's Gold Medal to the best student in this College; 2) Kulapati's Silver Medal to the best student in the Journalism Group; 3) 'Kannada Prabha' Cash Prize to the best student in 'Writing' in Group C1-Journalism ; 4) 'The Hindu Cash Prize' to the best student in Mass Communication and Media" 5) Rolling Shield instituted by the Students' Council 1983-84 to the best Student in 'Cultural Heritage of India's in Group C1Journalism and 6) Rolling Shield instituted by the Students' Council to the best Paper in "Cultural Heritage of India'' in the College. 7) A.N. Jayaram's cash prize : Highest Marks : Constitution of India and Press Laws (including Introduction to Journalism, History & Principles) in Group C-1 Journalism, 38

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The Convocation has been fixed to be held at 6-00 P. M. on Thursday, February 23, 1989. I request you kindly to be present on the occasion and receive the awards and prices on behalf of your late daughter. I know it is quite painful for a mother to receive these awards posthumously on behalf of her daughter; but strange are the ways of God. While my sympathies are with you. I look forward to your presence at the Convocation on Thursday, February 23, 1989. * If Mr. Toliya is available, we shall be delighted to have both of you with us.' --R. Seshadri, Principal, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bhavan's Harilal Bhagwati College of Communication and Management, Race Course Road, Bangalore-560 001. TRIBUTES FROM THE PRESS DIE OF INJURIES : "Parul Toliya (26) who was hit by a KSRTC bus on the Bangalore Tumkur Road died on the way to the hospital on Monday. No arrests have been made so far." - The Indian Express, 30-8-1988. JOURNALIST DEAD : "Ms. Parul Toliya (26), Journalist and scholar died earlier this week when she was knocked down by a KSRTC bus on Tumkur road. Ms. Toliya was an art and music critic and had authored books on Jainism and Oriental Philosophies." - The Times of India, 31-8-1988. TRAGIC DEATH OF KUM, PARUL : "Bangalore : 30th August : Kum. Parul Toliya, 26 years old daughter of Prof. Pratapkumar Toliya, a leading Musician and Founder of local Vardhaman Bharati, died in an accident. Her funeral ceremony was performed today. Kum. Parul had gone to 39

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meet her sister Dr. Kum. Vandana at the Jindal's Institute of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences, three days back. While returning from there during the road-crossing, knocking down by a Motor Bus, finished the life-span of Kum. Parul. In addition to her assignment in the Editorial section of the Daily KARAN, promising Parul went on contributing to several News Papers and Magazines. She went on writing from time to time in 'DHEER' too. Very soon She was to be posted to the post of HINDI OFFICER since she had passed the Hindi Officers' Examination of the Hindi Directorate of the Government of India. In the meanwhile, her father Prof.Toliya, who returned today only from U.S.A. leaving his trip incomplete, had tried to settle her betrothal with an elevated youth, but who can disturb the plans of Destiny and go against it? Dheer family expresses its hearty sympathies in the moments of severe blows on the family of Prof. Toliya,,.... -DHEER, Hindi Weekly, 1-9-1988, Bangalore OFF THE RECORD : . "Ms. Parul Toliya ( 6), journalist, writer, musician, and Hindi scholar was fatally Knocked down by a KSRTC bus on Sunday. Ms. Toliya was a columnist for a local weekly and an art critic. She has authored books on Jainism and Oriental Philosophies" - Indian Express Sept. 1 She had walked into our office one bright morning last year. Asked to see the Ed. and discussed about reviewing Hindustani classical music. She belonged to a musical family. She was a musician herself. So began her association with us. And she became a habit. Any classical concert/cassette/performance to be reviewed and PT was automatically assigned it. We had no causes to complain - her copy was always prompt, neat, to the point, concise. Come any Monday and the Desk searching for copy to process would invariably find Parul's dropped in their incoming tray. She had no time to chit chat, a few pleasantries exchanged and she would be off. like a whiff of fresh air. 40

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Music was her passion, writing her hobby. She had always been confused to which she was to give priority. Hindi was another interest with her - and she kept that going teaching it to the Central Government Employees. There are many who come in here and bring music into our lives. Some introduce the tempo with their sprightly adeptness at doing a job, others make it a long enjoyable concert with their long standing interest and integrity to us. Parul was a sweet tune that will keep playing in our hearts for a long time to come". -Gita Abraham, Feature Editor, The City Tab, Bangalore, 4-9-1988. TO PROF. TOLIYA : "Extremely sorry to hear about the passing away of your daughter and cancellation of the trip................ Let the departed soul rest with peace". - The Jain Digest, 15-9-1988, Mississuaga, Ontario, Canada. PARUL TOLIYA : "We regret to announce that our India Music Critic, Parul Toliya was killed in a bus accident on the 28th of August. She was 26." -IN monthly magazine, September 1988 issue, Bangalore GRIEF-TRIBUTES : "Kum. Parul Toliya, Eldest Daughter of Shri Pratapkumar Toliya, prominent Jain Scholar and Musician, met with tragic death in road crossing Accident on 28th August. Kum, Parul had exhibited her special talents in the field of Devotional Music, home & Abroad, Our hearty tributes to the departed soul and sympathies to the griefstricken family members on behalf of SAMYAK GYAN PRACHARAK MANDAL" :-JINVANI, October 1988, Jaipur. KUM. PARUL TOLIYA'S TRAGIC DEATH : "Kum. Parul Toliya, M.A., worthy daughter of Prof. Shri Pratapkumar Toliya of Bangalore, died in a road accident on 28th

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August 1988 in Bangalore. Kum. Parul was a promising young girl, who had made significant progress in the field of Literature. It is an extremely severe blow for father Shri Pratapkumar and mother Smt. Sumitradevi that a 'would-be' young girl has been so tragically snatched away ! Expressing our condolences to the grief-striken family, we pay our hearty tributes to the departed soul." - The JAIN JAGAT, October, 1988, Bombay. RAY DIMMED At the 1987-88 convocation of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's College of Communication last week, Ms. Parul Toliya's name was read out seven times -- for a gold medal, silver medal, cash award, rolling shield .... Those in the audience who didn't know her, . wondered for a moment why her parents and sisters received the prizes on her behalf. And then it struck them - she was no more! Paru!, an up-and-coming journalist, was fatally knocked down by a KSRTC bus on Aug. 28 last year while crossing Tumkur Road. A former student of Jyothi Nivas College, she got an MA and gold medal in Hindi from Osmania University, Hyderabad. She registered for Ph.D., at Karnatak University, Dharwad ; her topic being "Contribution of Jain saints to Hindi litterature". Having musician-parents motivated her interest in music. She was devoted to the art-both as sitarist and Hindustani vocalist and as a critic. She has reviewed and interviewed artistes such as Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi and Palghat Raghu for The City, Tab, the local weekly whose music critic she was. Parul's father, Mr. Pratapkumar Toliya is an award-winning poet, playwright and musician who often gives concerts abroad. His Jain devotional songs have appeared on many a record and cassette, and he is a scholar in Jain philosophy, literature and culture. Mr. Toliya was on one of his foreign concert tours when he got the news of the demise of his eldest born. Today, he plays 42

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A Seven Posthumous Awards of B.V.B. Received by Parents "Ms Parul Toliya's name was read out seven times............but she was no more !" (P.P. 42: The Deccan Herald, 27.2.1989) PROFILES OF PARUL

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HOLY MOTHER OF HAMPI COMPASSIONATE TO ALL, EVEN ANIMALS ! (--P.P. 68) PROFILES OF PARUL

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cassettes of Parul's voice in song and recitation, talks of her hobbies reading writing and music and describes incidents from her life. How she taught her youngest sister Bharatanatyam, how she secretly put away her earnings in the bank, confiding only to one of her sisters that it was for her own marriage expenses so her father may not need to stretch his purse Snatches of narration, that draw a picture of a quiet, thoughtful, young woman with a promising future. Someone whom Pandit Ravi Shankar described in his condolence letter as "a nice, sincere girl with a quick mind." The City Beat; The Deccan Herald, 27-2-1989. www. ADIEU TO PARUL: This is a reminescence to the memory of a dear departed friend in Journalism Course. Last year, Miss. Parul P. Tolliya's young (25 years) life was snuffed out in a road accident. Beneath Parul's gentle disposition lay a brilliant intellect. An arts graduate with an additional M.A. degree in Hindi First Class, she had been a topnotcher and bagged many prizes. Besides academic honours, she was an accomplished Hindustani vocalist and instrumentalist. She had a flair for writing and was a music critic for a City tabloid. It is an irony of fate that she is no longer with us to receive the Kulapathi's Gold Medal for having secured the highest marks in this college and Kulapathi's Silver Medal for having stood first in the Journalism course, besides three more awards this year. I am sure all my batchmates and friends as well as our faculty members share these feelings with me and pray that her soul rest in peace. I cannot think of a better epitaph for this true Jain lady than Thomas Gray's celebrated lines: (Parenthesis mine) -B.G. Prasad, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan's Journal, "Alpha", Feb. 1989. 43

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POSTHUMOUS HONOUR OF YOUNG JOURNALIST : "Bangalore: A young Journalist Kumari Parul Toliya was honoured with SEVEN Posthumous Awards on behalf of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan here in its Mass Communication College Convocation. Kumari Parul was fatally knocked down by a State Government Bus while crossing the road on 28th August last year in which she had died on the spot. Parul, an M A. in Hindi, had acquired Gold Medal. She was doing her Ph.D. on the subject of "CONTRIBUTION OF JAIN SAINTS TO HINDI LITERATURE." Parul was a genious journalist. She was writing regular Columns in the city's main English Weekly, The CITY TAB. She had also worked as Asst. Editor of Hindi Daily 'KARAN for one year. She was very well versed in Music. Parul's posthumous Awards were received by Parul's father Prof. Pratapkumar Toliya and his wife. Prof. Toliya himself is a Poet, writer and Musician, who is very much sought after abroad for his Musical Performances........" -The Blitz Hindi Weekly, 18th March 1989; Bombay. PARUL-ROSE AND SET. "Musician Shri Pratap Toliya is our Sarvodaya-loving friend. He has transcribed and flown the Songs of Bhoodan-age and the Ashram Prayers into Cassettes. Currently, he is offerring his Music services in the Abattoir-opposing movement going on in Bangalore. It is a matter of great sorrows that his promising young daughter Kum. Parul has suddenly died in a road accident at the age of twenty five years only. Recently she got Seven Posthumous Awards of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Journalism. Moreover, Parul had won love of all by her talents in peculiar display of Devotional Music in India and elsewhere. 44

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Tributes and deeply heartfelt condolences at the closing up of such a hopeful, promising and very bright life, on behalf of the vast family of BHOOMIPUTRA..." --BHOOMIPUTRA : Fortnightly magazine of Bhoodan-Sarvo daya-based Non-violent Revolution, Vol. 1086, 1st May 1989, Baroda Gujarat. * "...... Deeply shocked to know of Chi. Parul's untimely demise, a severest blow on all the family members....! What consolation could be conveyed through WORDS ?..... PRAYER reaches. Prayer is great consolation. The virtues and fragrance of the noble deeds of the departed soul will keep the subtle form of hers always before you. May God supremely bless her soul......" -UMASHANKAR JOSHI, Celebrated Gujarati Poet & Ex-Vice Chancellor, Gujarat University, A'bad. "I am deeply shocked and hurt to note that Parul is no more. I have no words to express, for I am still in a terrible state of shock, after I got a call from Bangalore early this morning. It is hard to believe that she no longer exists and I suppose this feeling will remain for years and years...... "Parul was a true friend who was always very kind, helpful and a very, understanding person. Above all she was a perfect human being who had the best of qualities and was good natured...... It's a great loss to the society.........I am sending a few letters from people who have shared their feelings with me. All of them had taken an instant liking to Parul........." - RAM NAGARA), an upcoming Singer, Bombay: Bangalore.

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* "I am extremely sorry to hear about the sad demise of Parul. I had met her hardly two months ago in Bombay at my place when she had come to interview me. It is hard to believe she is no more with us...... May God bless her soul." - GHANSHAM L. VASWANI, Singer-Musician, Bombay. . "......Kum. Parul had come across to me as a quiet, SERIOUS MINDED young lady with considerable enthusiasm for writing. Her reviews were discerning, and though brief, very succint, displaying a good understanding of Ghazals and Hindustani Music in general." -D.R. Kothawalla, Publisher, 'N' Magazine, Bangalore. * "We are sad to learn the sudden and premature demise of Miss Parul, Hindi Teacher. Some of our staff-members were being taught Hindi by her. She had indeed onthused them so much that our staff have started encouraging other staff merabens also to join Hindi classes. The untimely death of Miss. Parul has come as a rude shock to all of us and specially those who were attending her classes regularly....." -K.P. Agrawal, Deputy General Manager, National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development, Bangalore. FAREWELL...... Farewell dear voyager It will not be long. Thy work is doneNow may peace rest with thee Thy Kindly thoughts and deedsThey will live on. This is not deathIt is immortality. Why weep at death? It is immortality. There is no death There is immortality. - An Unknown Poet (Quoted by : Dinkar Parekh) N.B.:: A heap of Tributes in Hindi and Gujarati not included here. 46

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PARUL AS SEEN BY HER INMATES: SISTERS(I) 8 Chi. KINNARI P. TOLIYA. Parul's face will forever, be in our hearts. Her jokes, her acting and love towards everybody including animals will forever be remembered. We had got a small kitten, "Kalindi" by name (because she was black). Parul was crazy for that kitten. Before going out or anywhere, she would see to that the kitten is comfortable, or whether it has eaten the food, etc., even that kitten had some extra affection towards Parul. More than us it used to like Parul. One night we let it out to play and were waching it. It went somewhere and then suddenly we heard a scream. Scared, we went on searching for it. Later the neighbours also joined us. After sometime, Bhavita found it dead under a gutter! All of us were in tears and too much shocked...... Then as per Parul's wish we buried it in our house compound, but we could not forget it. Now neither kitten Kalindi is with us, nor its mentor Parul......!! Both have gone to some unknown land......!! In memory of Parul, I have written this poem: WE WON'T FORGET YOU That calm face, that happy face That joking face, that angry face (sometimes) Even with those different faces, Oh sister! We won't forget you. Your critisism, your language; Your fights, your lyrics Even with all that, Oh sister! We won't forget you. 47

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PARUL-AS SEEN BYHER INMATES : SISTERS (2) Kum. FALGUNI P. TOLIYA. PARUL and I got along very well, as a matter of fact she had her way with everybody. Despite the age difference we were at the same wavelength. It was a Saturday, the 27th of August'88. She wanted to book a vehicle for herself as the commuting day after day by buses was getting to be very strenuous, She wanted me to go along with her to the booking point. I remember I was reluctant to go though I can't remember why. Finally I did go. She already had half the amount necessary for the vehicle and her small bag with things for the weekend as she was to go to INYS (Tumkur. Road) for the weekend to be with Vandana who had to be on duty that Sunday. Little did I know that everything would come back to us never to be touched by her. When we got to the point to our dismay we found the place close, fortunately or unfortunately I still can't decide which. I could see the disappointment writ all over her face. She wanted to go to any other place open, but not knowing any. that was nearby, I asked her to postpone it till Monday. She had nothing to loose but one day. She still was adamant to book on that very day and I actually got cross with her. I didn't understand why she was in such a hurry, she could wait for one more day when she had waited so long. She would not find time later was the justification she gavel Indeed she never did !! The following day was the 28th of August, her last day !!!

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PARUL-AS SEEN BY HER INMATES : MOTHER. 1. Smt. SUMITRA P. TOLIYA, M.A. Sangit Visharad After Parul's graduation we had commenced searching a proper life partner to match a talented and extra - ordinary girl like her. Really, it is very much difficult for the parents to search a right person for their daughters, particulary when the daughter has particular aspirations and approach towards life. We too were much alert, careful and worried in this respect while looking for Parul's matrimonial relations, Keeping and intimating this view, we used to request our intimate friends and well-wishers to suggest if some befitting groom was known to them. One day we received a phone call from one of our friends conveying, "ihere is a highly educated, cultured, sober, M.Com passed young man who is now pursuing his L,L,B. studies and simultaneously working as a "Lecturer" in a college in one of the big cities of South India, These days he is in Bangalore, I have talked to him and his family members about Parul and all of them are very much eager to meet her and you all, If you find interest and say yes, I shall be pleased to invite them to my home and arrange a meeting when you all can please come and talk to him" We gladly accepted the invitation and decided to visit that friend. Next day was Sunday. Parul who never went against our wishes, happily agreed to go there changing her other prearranged programmes and as decided, we all reached there. In most of the cases, face is the index of mind, At the very first sight of the boy, we were slightly disappointed, Our imagination and expectation about him was very much higher than what we really found. Even then we went on courteously talking to all of them, But politeness, modesty, openmindedness, frankness and other aspects that were expected from that highly educated boy were totally absent in him. Moreover, while 49

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inquisitively and inquiringly conversing with him we found that he was not a "College Lecturer" as reported, but was merely a "teacher" in some High School, Posing as big, he was in search of such a girl who would be able to serve his aged parents and only look after his family, High education and other philosophicalcultural merits and virtues of the girl were of no value or importance to him and his family members. He could never accept that the highly talented and educated girls had their own personality and aspirations or a higher appropriate place in family. "Girl was a Girl, whether she was highly educated or ordinary one". This was his attitude and understanding about the girls. He had no wide vision about life, or appreciation of higher values and virtues or any particular interest in Parul's likings in Literature and Music. Parul was sitting in the inner portion of the house with our friend's daughter. The young groom was requested to go over there to talk. Though highly disappointed by the attitude and looks of the boy, Parul continued talking to him with due courtsey and consideration, replied to all of his expected and unexpected questions in controlled manner and went on noting about him too. But then he asked her to stand up and bring something. She could understand that it was only an 'excuse' and he wanted to make sure that there was nothing wrong in her legs and looks. She felt insulted and just with these words, "Examine carefully that there is no fault either in my looks or anywhere else. But remember, if anything was wrong, then my loyal parents would not have tried to hide such things, since marriage is a matter of whole life,' she came out of the room with tears in her eyes and face turned red. We were astonished to see her in this condition and tried to console her. Myself and our kind hostess asked her, "What happened ?'' Parul, with two tears on her cheeks repiied, "Ma ! Life cannot be commenced when the foundation itself is based on 50 $

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lie and mis-trust and exercises, and I do not understand, for how long these boys will go on testing the girls, without self-introspecting as if they were purchasing things in the market ?" Later the boy and his considerate sister apologised for several times, but Parul was not at all ready to talk anything in this matter and feeling proud of our Self-respect-loving, intelligent and modest daughter, we quietly returned home, Out of several other noteworthy features, one example of other side of Parul's virtue of forgiveness is worth-mentioning here. We were, as per invitation and contract engagement, producing with our group, a music feature on All India Radio, Bangalore. Parul was with us. It was well-agreed by the Radio Staff that they will provide the accompanying instrumentalists. But to our utter surprise, we found at the 'eleventh hour of scheduled recording that no Musician was being provided and the Incharge Officer himself was in a fix and troubles due to non-cooperation and betrayal of his own staff-colleagues, who had backed out. Finding it difficult, we were about to put off and cancell the programme. I was much more strict and reluctant. I took the Radio Officer to task. He was helpless and heartily apologising. Seeing this all, out of consideration, compassion, forgiveness and spirit of co-oping with the unexpected situation, Parul atonce prevented me and told, "Mummy, you should not be so strict and harsh. He himself is in such a difficulty when nothing is left in his hands, he has requested us with folded hands to forgive him and hence we must some how alternatively manage the music ourselves, not to cancell the programme and to go ahead with the Recording." Following this timely intervention by Parul, my husband immediatly phone-called our own available musicians and completed the recording programme nicely.

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This incharge A.I.R. Officer was so much gratified, for otherwise, he would have been in deep troubles, that I e could not forget such a generously adjusting, promptly acting and forgiving greatness of Parul.....! PARUL AS SEEN BY HER INMATES : CO-STUDENT Smt SHARMILA DUTTA, M. A. After passing her B.A. exam. with flying colours, Parul had got admission in M,A, The first day in college happens to be of gossips and fuss. As soon as I entered the class room, I saw a silent and gentle but smiling girl seated in a corner, With smiling gestures she was replying to all of others, questions, It was against my nature to mix up so easily on the very first day, I got a little angry upon her in mind," But, to my surprise, making friends with all she came to me, as if she had known my mind and was trying to reply, pacify and influence me! She gave me her introduction-Parul : Parul Toliya. I felt at that time that what learning such a mixing girl will accomplish... she will waste whole of her time in friends and gossipings only! But, as the days passed, she became more and more intimate. It so happened then that there was not a single day which passed without meeting her. If not, it seemed that the day has gone in vain. This was the state of affairs-not only of mine, but of all. Her personality itself was like this-sweet, pleasing ! Parul, inspired by the ideal of 'work is worship' just like her father Pratapkumar Toliya, was giving her entire co-operation in the earnings of her family also. She was eldest of all the five sisters. She never lagged behind in sharing the responsibilities of her father and fulfilling the duties as the eldest one of children. : 52

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We remained meeting each other everyday till the end of our examinations. They were over. The results declared Parul amnet only getting First Class with Distinction, but also as winnir.g a Gold Medal! At that time I realized that how much blunder had I made in beginning in under-estimating and mis-judging Parul ! ! Her interest in Literature was from the very beginning. Hence translation-work well-versed and Music-expert Parul made this her career source of earnings. She never bothered for her own require. ments while fulfilling those of her sisters. She had enormous faith in God. There was more of Bhajaninfluence in her singings. The philosophical Sifftings of her community remained incomplete without her Bhajans (Devotional Music). It was a part of her daily routine to be in Meditations and Spiritual practices every morning, and evening. And perhaps, this was the reason that God lifted her up from amidst us when the days of her glittering had come ! It was the day of 28th August 1988. She had been to meet her Doctor sister. She came in the clutches of a wrong-sidedashing lawless Motor Bus. Who can evade the Destiny? Parul went on struggling throughout her life and her end also came while struggling! Scattering the hopes of old parents, leaving the sisters sobbing with tears, Parul left us all in bloom of her youth on 28th Aug 1988. They say, "Man proposes and God disposes" My memory is full of Poet Maithili Sharan Gupta's these lines of a Poem befitting this occasion : "Where has gone, our beloved, whose ever new showering flows of joy were pleasing us.................. My aspirations were expecting tributes from the departed one, But the 'unexpected only is dear to us" 53

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Parul had yet to achieve and accomplish a lot Sky-high were her noble aspirations... ,,Why God called her in his lap without fulfilling her dreams ? Why her aspirations were not allowed to be completed ? Perhaps this was the will of God! It has always remained his way and style of hastily calling back good persons unto him !! On hearing the tremendously shocking and unbelievable news of Parul's accidental death, I could not reply at all. I wrote to her sister Dr. Vandana later, "I just don't want to believe it that Parul is no more......... I don't have even a pinch of the good qualities she had. I've missed a real and a true friend and no body can fill that gap............I was eagerly awaiting Parui's letter, just to know when she is coming. I didn't know that it will only be a dream and I will never meet her again............ I wish Parul could see sittihg in the heavenly abode that how much we loved her and how much we are missing her! Her sweet memories will always cherish. What else can I write. My feelings, my pains, I can't explain it in this small letter. I don't think I will ever forget her." These only are my prayers unto the Lord that he showers peace upon her soul and that he entrusts strength to her near and dear ones, so that they can bear the sorrowful blow of her separation. My TRIBUTE towards her is my TEARS which today also flow spontaneously in her memory......... (34-45, VIVEKANANDA PURAM, P.O. SAINIKPURI, SECUNDERABAD-500 594) . 54

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PARUL AS SEEN BY HER INMATES : SISTER (3) Kum. Bhavita P. Toliya M.A. It was an auspicious day of Jain Samvatsari. Parul, with our younger sister Falguni and a sales girl, was looking after our Vardhaman Bharati Chickpet Office. All of a sudden a group of some seven-eight rowdie-looking youths entered the office with sticks in their hands. They scared them by saying, they should leave the office, since it belonged to them, they claimed. Parul without getting shocked or confused or frightened, could quickly judge the situation and fearlessly, forcefully and resolutely asked the ill-motived entrants to go out and return only when our father was present. The youths did leave the office, but stayed out in the verandah confidentially planning their next course of action. It was Parul's presence of mind that should be admired. Parul took timely decision, immediately locked the office with three usual locks and left for home to trunk call our father who was out of station on his Lecture Tour, and as well as to inform the Police. The waiting youths, taken aback by this quick, unexpected and fearless act of the girls, started joking at the passing girls, but failed in their calculated and planned motive for the time being. Later in the growing darkness and loneliness of the building premises, when all others were absorbed in the yearly contemplation of Samvatsarik Pratikramana in the nearby Jain Temple Upashraya, these so called "Jain" (?) youths engaged themselves in a great and unique 'contemplation" of breaking open our Office Locks and criminally trespassing. They ransacked the whole Office, looted the goods by taking them away in carts and tempoes till late night and even distorted and teared off the Lord's photoes, paintings and meditative cut-outs ! Parul and all of us came to know about this next morning and lodged a Police Complaint. Our father soon returned, approa 55

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ched all the higher authorities including the then Hon'ble Governor and a Criminal Case was registered against the Culprits. Parul proved a befitting witness in the Court, the looted goods was recovered from the youths and now they are soon to go behind the bars. Parul is no more now, but all concerned including the nowregretting culprits, admire her quick sense of judgement and boldness. (5) Parul was very industrious and laboured hard from the very beginning of her student life which led her to be active and joyous in her career. Her day dawned earlier than for normal people. Her daily routine was to do Yoga exercises, practice Music lessons and then get down to finish her writing assignments. She never let laziness get the better of her, either to take a nap or watch T.V., or carry luggage ! Once she had to go to Bombay. She was instructed by our father to take a Taxi for Matunga from Dadar Station, as she had a heavy load of books. But she took a train, didn't engage even a coolie, carried the whole bulk herself and saved about Rupees Twenty Five ! Such a hardworking, industrious and economical girl she was !! On the contrary, she, being our eldest sister, looked after our comforts, from which she was deriving great self-satisfaction and fulfillment of her life !!! Parul used to accompany our father in tours in India to Matheran, Calcutta, Santiniketan; Hyderabad, Hampi, Bombay, Gujarat, Delhi and Hastinapur, etc. for concerts, seminars, pilgrimage or otherwise. Once they had gone to Hastinapur for a week-long Seminar and religious programme where her tremendous power of tolerance and endurance came to fore. They were acommodated in an old, 56 56

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historic but. testing' place. Big mosquitoes were in plenty. She could have made a big hue and cry about the whole matter, but endured it smilingly without saying a single word and sleeping without a mosquito-net or odomus etc for not one but seven - continuous nights, bearing the severe bites of big-big mosquitoes ! What an extra-ordinary power of tolerence and endurance like an unpurturbed Yogini !... How much to pen, a number of such inspiring incidents are scatterred over her short but illustrious life which remain enlightening our path. PARUL AS SEEN BY HER INMATES : SISTER (4) Dr. Kum. Vandana P. Toliya, N.D., R.M.O., I.N.Y.S. B'lore. YOGIC PATH : From our family and father's interest, from her own readings and perhaps from my contact and studies of Naturopathy & Yoga, Parul had cultivated tremendous live interest in Yoga, Natural way of living and Naturopathy. She had as if resolved never to fall ill. If at all a little indigestion, she would undergo fasting and will take anema, steambath or mud-pack and other Naturopathic treatments, but will never touch Alopathic medicines, only the Ayurvedic ones at times. As a matter of fact she had carefully chosen the path of balanced, right and selected Diet and daily Yoga practices. She cultivated high, pleasing, calm, joyous mental equlibrium and a Yogic Physical Posture, Parul began learning Meditation and Yogasanas from our father and thereafter from a Competent Yoga Teacher. I remember, she used to go to bed early, get up very early and used to go to learn further Yogasanas from a nereby Yoga Class of the said teacher. Additionally, her choice of qualitative readings, company of elevated people, silent meditations, conscious writings and Music practices-all had led her to maintain physical and mental equilibrium 57

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and all round integrated development of her being ! This integrated Yogic Path of hers was befitting a Yogini, a joyous, modern Yogini...!! And true to this achievement, she conducted a Yoga Camp (Shivir) for girls at Bangalore in the presence of a Jain Nun Sadhvishree VINAYA RATNA SHREE. PROCESS OF CONSTANT LEARNING : Even after her M.A., Parul went on with enthusiastic, zealous God-speed in all her Scholarly, Literary and Cultural pursuits. Her craze for learning never ceased. It became a constant process. As per Bhagawan Mahaveera's advice to his disciple Gautama, not a moment she wasted. She never slept in Day Times, following the teachings of the ancient Rishis saying "DIVA MA SWAPASI". Her way of life was, 'Speaking less, working silently and writing more and more...!". These silence-born deeply intellectual and meaningful writings and studies of hers became sublime, knowledgeable and resourceful for all. A POSER TO SRI SATYA SAI BABA ! In course of our father's services as the Hindi Lecturer and Head of the Deptt. at Sri Satya Sai Arts & Science College, Brindavan, Bangalore in 1974-75, Sri Sathya Sai Baba once invited whole of our family to have a meeting with him. Our Grand Mother and Parul also accompanied us. She had written a question on a piece of paper and had kept it confidential with the permission of our father. The same was to be presented closed manner" to the Baba who was supposed to reply to it without reading the same. This confidential, orginal and self-invented question, befitting her quest of the Self and her previous-birth-link was: "WHO WAS I IN MY PREVIOUS BIRTH ?" The Baba took the closed paper in the fist of his hand, but could not reply as was expected of him, without opening and 58

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reading it! He just asked parul in Kannada, "Do you want a brother ?" "No. Baba ! we have not come to 'beg' brother from you. My question is quite different, which you have not replied. Kindly open and see." Parul equipped with modesty. Baba smilingly opened the closed paper, got a setback on reading it and soon went inside his room. When Parul disclosed the same in details, all of us were, on one hand, impressed by her unusual question and on the other astonished to find that the Baba was not able to read the 'closed' question as reported and claimed and what even the Magician K. Lal was able to ! Perhaps Parul's poser had left the Baba thinking, and introspecting. It unfolded her past birth experience, memory of which was unconsciously and indirectly alive with her till then, even amidst her enormous progress in different pursuits and fields of learnings at a young age. PARUL AS SEEN BY HER INMATES: FATHER Prof, Pratapkumar J. Toliya. M.A. (Hin); M.A. (Eng.) Sahitya Ratna. A FREE & FEARLESS WRITER AND CRITIC The childhood inspiration of Sushri Vimala Tai to be a Revolutionary, resulted in the free, frank and fearless writings of Parul, who was otherwise so serene and silent. Her power of pen went on becoming mightier than sword in the words of Karl Marx. No boubt, she used to write balancingly weighingly and neutrally based on the principles and values of Literary Art Criticism with sweet sarcastic remarks without harming the artist and absolutely without any personal grudge against any artist as expected of a "Critic" of high standard. With a spirit of encouragement as per the duty of such a critic, she elevated the virtues, strivings and achievements of 59

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real deserving artists and praised them and their art befittingly, While even for the Great, most Popular and Celebrated Artistes, she did not miss the opportunity to interview them inquisitively or write on them intelligently, sharply and indiscriminately. For the egoistic and boasting artistes she used to cross-examine and question them wittingly and wisely extracting truth from them just like a lawyer ! Parul's sharp, analytic and integrated interview of world famous Sitarist Pandit Ravi Shankarji is ample proof of her depth and grip of the subject of Music in the wider context of the Impact of Music in the World - fusion. This article published in The City Tab (reproduced here also) is worth reading in whole, which Panditji himself has commended tributing Parul "As a sharp, intelligent girl.........". Similarly, her testing and sharply inquiring interview of monopolist Ghazal Artistes like Pankaj Udhas, which also appeared in the same Weekly, made him introspecting and reflecting to such an extent that he used to caution other artistes coming to Bangalore, "to beware of this tiny, intelligent, Gujarati girl." Parul's befitting writing on him also is worth going through. Once, when she rightly and impartially criticised an incompletely trained Bharat Natyam Artist and especially her "care evading Teacher", in an article, the Artist's father and brother, both co-incidentally lawyers, threatened the Editor and Writer Kum. Parul. They even came in person, when I was also present, to forcefully suppress her and to make her apologise publicly or to face dire consequences. But Parul not only remained firm and fearless in her statements, but also replied the false arguments of the visiting advocate so befittingly and intelligently, and that too without losing her temper, that he had to go back himself apologising! As in Christ's case, THOSE WHO CAME TO SCOFF, REMAINED TO PRAY...! 60

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PARUL'S RISING SPIRIT: VISIONS & FORECASTS In course of her integrated developing personality, Parul's innocent, highly talented and sublime spirit went on rising high and high in an unusually awakened state. She used to have frequent unusual VISIONS indicating her inner spiritual progress through her unique literary & cultural outward activities. Out of this spiritual background and learnings, she expanded her hidden power of intuition and foreseeing the coming events through her concrete VISIONS, far more than her usual bookish studies of Astrology, in which she had evinced deep interest later. Several incidents and examples stand witness of this fact of her developing inner talent, clairvoyance and foreseeing ability. Only a few could be narrated here for want of space. Once, without any external media communication or even indicative Dreams, Parul got a "VISION' about her Maternal Grand Mother with a subtle message and she wrote to her mother Sumitra from Hyderabad, "Ma ! if you believe me, go soon to Ahmedabad to see your ailing old mother. She is longing for you, If you do not go, you will never be able to see her in future !!" On receipt of this intuitive and intimative letter from Parul, I sent Sumitra to Ahmedabad and it was actually so! Calls and letters also came later. Her old mother had suddenly fallen, was bedridden and longing for Sumitra. Both were happy to meet each other and stay together for quite sometime. Thereafter, the old soul breathed her last in peace with great satisfaction in Sumitra's presence, who used to sing Bhajans and Dhoon before her bed till the last day ! But for Parul's intuitive suggestion, this would not have happenned. As mentioned in my previous reminiscences of Parul, my old mother, who used to take parul for granted as the soul of my 61

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deceased revolutionary younger brother Kirti, had special affection for her. Parul 100 had the same feelings of devotionful attachment for her. Before breathing her last without any illness in awakened state very peacefully, my mother was being attended upon by Sumitra and Parul reciting sacred Mantras. Somehow or other, Parul had intuition about this grandmother too and she was not leaving her inspite of her annual exams knocking at the doors. On the last day morning the Mother sent me for my Pooja and Meditation in the adjacent Dhyanalaya room, blessed Parul finally for her glorious success in examination and further studies, consciouly listened Shanti Mantras from Sumitra after Srimad Rajchandraji's ATMA SIDDHI SHASHTRA and peacefully passed away ! Here too, Parul's intuition, though unspoken, had worked! * One day Sumitra was writing several letters to the parents of some bridegrooms for Parul's matrimonial alliance after coming across a few advertisements. Seeing this Parul told her smilingly, "Ma I none of them will materialise." And it happened so...! I was also searching very carefully a suitable match for Parul from abroad and she had told me, "Bapu I It won't happen, I am not going to settle abroad". And even my last effort of finding a very promising, spiritually-inclined Doctor youth from London and trunkcalling Parul from New York just the previous day, was contradicted by her sudden accidental death the next day...!! Parul's Hyderabad friend Raksha reported us after her death that Parul had indicated her once that she had a very short life on this earth !!! All of these incidents indicate that Parul's Visions and intuitive Forecasts had come true. This was due to her rising spirit and sheer innocence. Prominently pure and innocent she was. And as it is said, "ONLY THOSE WHO ARE PURE IN HEART, SHALL SEE GOD,' implies appropriately to Parul. 62

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'RAHNA NAHIN DESH BIRANA HAI ..." : THE LAND AFAR Parul accompanied me at several places in India, but she hardly inclined even to 'visit' foreign countries for concerts or sightseeing purposes apart from her above-mentioned unwillingness to settle there. During the course of my six threefold concert tours abroad, Sumitra accompanied once, youngest little singing-speakingdancing daughter Chi. Kinnari twice, but Parul never! Only once and that too out of her inquisitiveness and quest for knowledge, she had intended to acquire informations from a country which is famous for oriental Jainological studies and had asked me, "Bapu ! will you take me to Germany ? " And with all genuine eagerness I had promised her to definetely take her once, but it didn't materialise at all ! It was a coincidence that the day I was scheduled to depart for Germany and Holland from New York, she died in accident and I had to divert my air-dash back to Bangalore. It was also indicative that her last talk with me on Trunk Call in U.S.A. from India before her death, was in connection with my programmes in Germany. She had reported of having received my incoming Trunk Calls from Germany at Bangalore and had conveyed me the messages. Before I could visit Germany, a Land of Learning equally of interest to Parul and myself both, she had left for some unknown Land of still higher Learnings in the other world on 28th August 1988. leaving all associations of this transitory world in which she had lived unattached fulfilling her gigantic tasks in short span of her life. It seemed, she lived in letter and spirit the Bhajans of Great Mystics Kabir and Anandaghan, which she liked and used to sing : "HARI BIN TERO, MERE MANVA, APNA KOI NAHI...." "AB HAM AMAR BHAYE, NA MARENGE ...." ,,RAHNA NAHIN, DESH BIRANA HAI " 63

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IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF FIVE DEPARTED FAMILY SOULS.... -WHEN PARUL ALSO PASSED AWAY......! Noble Souls, Great Souls, Divine Souls, have all come to this family, this house. They came smiling with their births, They stayed glittering, blooming, blossoming while they lived. They left shining, smiling and subliming when they departed ! -Departed for their further voyages, in their respective Spiritual Abodes, Leaving behind their luminous noble deeds, Live reminiscences, sparkling-speaking letters and awakening-enlightening voices ! Saying, as if that they have not gone, They are not at all dead, They are very much alive with us. They are alive in every inch of this home They are alive in every action of their inmates, They are alive in every gesture of their beloveds, Proclaiming for ever that -- "We are with you, we are with you Through our Lighty Astral Bodies.........! Through our lofty deeds & Ideals, Through our sublime spirits, We are alive for ever, We are souls, not the earthly bodies We are not deadpool?" So said the last smiles on Parul's body also"I AM NOT DEAD, I AM ALIVE, ETERNILLY ALIVE I" " DIVYADARSHI" 64

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...A few drops FROM PARUL'S PEN. * The Flower at Night (Poem) * Atma-Drishta Mataji (life-sketch) Master of Strings : Pandit Ravi Shankar (Interview) * Thinking of Parul. "The Flower at Night" (A Childhood Peom) See that beautiful flower Which has the colour - shower. But it is pink and light And Blooms only in night. See ! How sweet it is It attracts the birds and bees; And also attracts the butterfly, I too shall have it, I must buy. No. not for me, for God, for Gracious PARSHVANATH my Lord to him shall I offer it and pray and bloom like flower in gay! Kum Parul Toliya (il Years) The little writer of this poem herself named after a flower of Bengal, had actually sown pink and white flowers in our compound to Bloom at nights. (''RAJNIGANDHA," and "RAT KI RANI"The Night Queen and others). Now the flowers are blooming at night with their all-pervading fragrance, but, Parul, the real fiower and the one who had sown them, is no more now...... Perhaps she has left her fragrance here for ever through these flowers blooming at Nights - fragrance of sereness and smiles and service and what not.........!! - P. 65

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'ATMA-DRISHTA MATAJI' The Self-Realized Holy Mother of Hampi, heading SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA ASHRAM. By Kum. Parul P. Toliya The dense darkness of night has encompassed all over... spreaded every where is peace-tranquil, soundless, pleasing peace! The stars and faint moon providing light in this derkness go on twinkling and smiling in the sky. Casting a glimpse on all sides, visible are only the shapes of far-standing mountains and also, at times, small-big rocks! This is a different world closed in its own: Such a world wherein one sort of unforesen tranquility invades the mind as soon as we step in, such a world where we forget this world of ours on reaching over there, where can't reach the luxuries and vices of this world like ego, anger, greed, tricks, delusion, confusion, etc. If you have to come here, you will have to leave behind these all encaged in your home, because you come here to solace your craving and wandering soul, to impress upon it the value of rare human life, to search your identity by peeping in your own forgotten self- and not to increase your lust, luxuries and aforesaid vices ! This land of YOGA is Hampi - branded with the sands of foot-prints of several Greatmen. It is KISHKINDHA City of RAMAYANA TIMES and ancient Jain place of Pilgrimage called RATNAKOOTA, HEMKOOTA & BHOT in KARNATAKA as mentioned in "THE SADBHAKTYA STOTRA" and of lately known as the lost and prosperous empire of VIJAYANAGARA. Right here spreaded in natural caves is this modern Jain Pilgrimage place-like complex-SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA ASHRAM (Showing the Self-searching ideals of SRIMAD RAJCHANDRA 66

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HOLY MOTHER OF HAMPI REV. ATMA-DRISHTA MATAJI DHANDEVIJI (--P.P. 66) PROFILES OF PARUL

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THESE SMILES "All of her brothers loved this silent, serene 'Smiling Sister' too much hardly knowing that her smiles are not going to last long !" (P.P. 29) PROFILES OF PARUL

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Spiritual Guide of MAHATMA GANDHIJI)- miles away from the obstacles, polution and vices of City life......! Not even the snoring sounds, of Machines, Trains and Motor-Buses can reach here !! (Ofcourse, buses ply down the hill to take you to nearest town and Railway Station Hospet on Hubli-Guntakal line.) Down below this hill top-situated pilgrimage place are green blooming fields, mountain ranges, huge rocks and silently flowing river TUNGABHADRA. Up in the Ashram premises are built beautiful Cave Temples, Meditation shelters and a few residential buildings. Your vices escape away as if they were not at all existing previously when you observe these tranquilizing sorroundings. Everyone is welcome here. There is no room for the differences of Big or Small which divide our society. This is the land which had been fortunate to have on it the pious foot prints of Twentieth Jain Tirthankara Bhagawan MUNISUVRAT SWAMI and Maryada Purushottama Bhagawan SRI RAMA. This "KISHKINDHA NAGARI" of their ancient times and : VIJAYANAGARA". of Medieval times is equally fortunate even now in the present times, since in the form of three-fold SADHANA of YOGA, GYANA & BHAKTI flown by YOGINDRA YUGAPRADHAN SRI SAHAJANANDA GHANJI, the blessed follower of Gandhi-Guide SRIMAD RAJCHANDRAJI, as if God himself resides here ! And in God's eyes devoid of Differences-Hatred and Attachments, all souls are equal at par-whether they be of the Rich or the poor, of the human-body-bearers or that of the Animals, Birds or insects ! Not the outward external "Covers", but the right inner aspirations (BHAVA 5) are respected here. Currently, after the passing away of Sri SAHAJANANDA GHANJI, the head and Soul of this Ashram is MATAJI. the Holy

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Mother, seemingly, outwardly quite simple, unasuming and a showless person, but internally a highly elevated self-realized soul, who has acquired immeasurable heights through the three-fold valuable Gems of YOGA, GYANA & BHAKTI. Everyone recognises her by this name. She is literally, in fact, 'MATAJI, and not only for name's sake. She is "Mother of ALLOcean like Mother, full of compassion and unusual love !! The "Physical frame of mataji, originally known as DHANDEVIJI belongs to the Kutch region of Gujarat, but her "Selfo' to the Divine Land of "MAHAVIDEHA KSHETRA'' - inspite of residing in human body I SRI SAHAJANANDA GHANJI has enshrined her on the place of "JAGAT-MATA" - The Universal Mother, before he left his mortal body through YOGA in 1970. The whole Ashram today is ever shining due to the enlightened face of the Holy Mother. She is live incarnation of motiveless compassion and love for all, while individually she is above the worldly bondages of attachments and delusions. She is the "Mother" of several suffering dumb animals and creatures and not only of ours. It is only worth-watching how this compassionate Mother serves and looks after each and every Guest, every pilgrim, every seeker, every child, every monk and nun, even every animal and bird Everyone remains greatly astonished to find Mataji serving all with such humbleness and modesty inspite of her own heights of 'YOGA, GYANA & BHAKTI. For girls and women, the Holy Mother is huge Banyan Tree like shelter of Love. On the other hand, she is an unparallel 'BASE" for people, animals and particulariy deathawaiting old persons for acquiring "SAMADHI-MARANA" - the peace, poise and self awakeningful 'Death'. Not only some human beings, but also the cows, ca fs and dogs, etc., have been fortunate 68

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to lead a meaningful life by leaving their bodies (Dying) through such a "SAMADHI-MARANA" in her presence What and how much to write on such a whole world-enlifting compassionate Mother? Her unique, unparallel life story is above words to describe. Several sublime thoughts enter and disappear in the shelter of such a supreme Mother, by sitting at the Lotus feet of hers and below the open sky. It is an experience'' to be in her presence. Then, all of a sudden sparks a thought full of pathetic pain that I will have to soon leave this heaven-like world and to get back into the artificial world of our dealings .........! My heart becomes upset...... I do not want to go. Alas! Had there not such a world of our desires be made (by us) at all I Where does it have the love, the intimacy, which we get in the shelter of the compassionate Mother at Hampi ? It seems as if the people of that artificial world do not know this at all...... ! But, however, the responsibilities drag me, they compell me to go helplessly and reluctantly. I start to leave Hampi, but a firm resolve rises in the depth of my being that "I shall come back here again soon 1 " These thoughts get engulfed in the dense night... and tranquel peace again invades the mind... N.B. - A few years later, Kum Parul, the author of this writing left this "artificial world" on 28.8.88, perhaps to dwell in the shelter of this self-realized Holy Mother in her subtle divine form! - P. PANDIT RAVI SHANKAR MASTER OF STRINGS The rich musical tradition of India has produced geniuses time and again. One of the greatest musicians of our time, undoubtedly is Pandit Ravi Shankar, the Sitar virtuoso. Pandit Ravi Shankar's name pervades the classical music worlds of both the East and West. Besides popularising the Sitar 69

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among those unacquainted with Indian music, he has been musically the most active artiste. His efforts at fusing Eastern and Western music widened the horizons of music and their success proved that music has no barrier. Born in Varanasi in U.P. in a learned family of Bengali Brahmins, Ravi Shankar grew up in an atmosphere of art. His elder brother Uday Shankar, the well known Kathak exponent was head of the Company of Hindu Dancers and Musicians involved in popularising Indian dance abroad. At the age of ten, Ravi Shankar went to Paris as a member of the troupe and performed both as a dancer and musician. When he was 15, USTAD ALLAUDDIN KHAN joined them as soloist. Allauddin Khen was the leading disciple of Ustad Wazir Khan of Rampur, who was a direct descendant of the legendary 16th century saint musician Miya Tansen, founder of the most respected Beenkar Gharana, a school of music steeped in the purist tradition. Says Ravi Shankar, "Allauddin Khan Sahib was a master of awesome virtuosity and innovative genius who bridged the many styles and techniques of Hindustani music." During Allauddin Khan's year-long stay with the troupe, Ravi Shankar remained his guide, interpreter, helper and special companion and in turn was greatly inspired by this 'grand old man of Indian music' as he reverently called. The master saw the talent in young Ravi and expressed the willingness to train him, but also emphasised the need for Ravi Shankar to abandon the easy fame of his artiste's life in Europe and go to the small village in India where he led a rigorous, student life. ::! ! Keen on honing his abilities, Ravi Shankar dedicated himself to the learning of music. The master was a strict disciplinarian and student life was hard. There was a time when the young disciple, unable to bear the rigours imposed on him, left his guru's home to return his own. He got as far as the station before realising his mis 70

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take and promptly went back, emerging many years later with a mastery over the instrument. Despite this, recognition was slow to come. But when it did come years later, it was in abundance. Ravi Shankar created a keen interest in the minds of the westerners for Hindustani music. He sustained it further through its experiments as fusing western and Indian classical. He was commissioned by the LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA to compose the "CONCERT FOR SITAR AND ORCHESTRA." A work for flute and harp written for and performed by Fiench virtuoso JEAN-PIERRE RAMPAL is featured on Ravi Shankar's album "IMPROVISATIONS : WEST MEETS EAST." The recording also includes musical pieces played by YEHUDI MENUHIN the violin maestro, he also composed for Japanese instruments playing separately and together with sitar and tabla. Aptly titled "EAST CREETS EAST", the album featured HOZAN YAMA. MOTO an 'Shakuhacio, SUSUMU MIYACHITE on 'Koto', ALLA RAKHA on Tabla and Ravi Shankar himself on his Sitar. He has written music for the ballet and the cinema-in England, Canada, Hollywood and India. He is the first musician to be invited to act as the CHALLIGAR PROFESSOR at the CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK. He has lectured extensively at major colleges and universities throughout North America. He is an honorary member in the AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS and a member of the UNITED NATION'S ROSTRUM OF COMPOSERS OF UNESCO`S INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COUNCIL. The West has also honoured him with many doctorates, awards and citations. Back home, he is a fellow of the SANGEET NATAK ACADEMY. The desire to uphold the purity, and ideas of his gharana led Pandit Ravi Shankar to establish the 'SHANKAR FOUNDATION' in Calcutta. In Varanasi he set up the RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS, 71

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Yehudi Menuhin expresses his reverence for the musician thus: "Ravi Shankar has brought me a precious gift. Through him I have added a new dimension to my experience of music one which belongs to all great music. He has made sense and brought order out of chaos, for he has restored the fundamental and supreme ideal of dedicated work of self-control of faith and the value of living. " What does the maestro himself have to say on his work? Here Is he : On East-West Fusion : Fusion requires a knowledge of both kinds of music. I have had no regular training in Western music, but do have a fairly good idea of the basics due to my long association with the West. This helped me improve the tonal range. On the Classical Music Scene in India : Extremely rewarding and better than ever before. I am happy with the way things are. On Fusing Carnatic Hindustani Styles: The concept is not new. It has always been done by musicians but can be successful only if done spontaneously and gradually. It can then be a happy fusion. On the Necessity to Educate the Listeners In the Intricacies of Music to Ensure Greater Participation: Educating the listeners does help but it is essential that they have a natural bent for music. Being a 'rasika' is important. On the Government's Attitude Towards Musicians: The attitude is favourable; but should be even more so. They should provide the necessary aid-financial or other wise, but should refrain from interfeering. Politics has no place in music. 72

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He has trained a number of youngsters in his style so that the legend continues. As you watch his fingers. nimbly traverse the stringed length of this instrument, effortlessly covering the octaves, sending out waves of rapture and melody for hours on end, you are certain that this is music that will never age and that the tradition will never be thing of the past. [The city Tab. Jan 17-22, 1988] PARUL TOLIYA THINKING OF LATE KUM, PARUL TOLIYA Life is endless. What is death ? A gate to another life. To understand this is to be fearless. When we enter more and more into silence, our desires are gradually eliminated, purity is attained, and the body and the mind are satisfied. When perplexed by the problems of life, go into silence, you will find the solution in the sobriety of silence. Learn the secret of losing thyself. The secret of self-discipline is purity. Make others happy if you seek happiness. Wisdom is not wisdom when it is not humble. If the heart be dark, books can teach nothing. To desire is to suffer : desire does not give peace, it does not endure. The man of true humility remains away from competition. Humility is the key of truth. He lives well who thinks well. True simplicity is the secret of true beauty. Strive for harmony: Be compassionate to all creatures. Shun luxuries, shows, idle talk, vain arguements. Spend sometime in silence and meditation. Abandon incontinance. 73

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Live in perfect charity. Sing the Holy Name. Breathe out peace to all beings. Never speak untruth : Always avoid slander; Heak divisions. As the body is purified by water, so is the mind purified by truthfulness. When dark thoughts invade you, look out of your window at the stars. They are lights coming from the devas to heal and bless. Keep me unknown on life's dark way. Yet faithful, true, just for today. The ego is the enemy of the self. IN EVERY ACT, KINDLE THE LIGHT OF LOVE Conflict makes character. Seek not virtue for her gifts. Find the reward of doing right in right, not the "fruit" that comes from deeds. Be not dominated by passion. Be radiant with Light. Conquer impurity and anger. "THE UNIVERSE IS AN OLD MANUSCRIPT OF WHICH THE FIRST AND THE LAST PAGES HAVE BEEN LOST". (From Late Parul's Diary). 74

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AWAKEN THYSELF IN AWARENESS...! * "This transitory and short-lived human life is going to fall down at anytime, just like a fall-awaiting dew-drop hanging on the blade of grass! Hence, waste not even a single moment in unawareness, O Gautama !" * "Just as the dry leaves of the trees fall on their own as the night advances, human lives too will fade away anytime. So, waste not even a single moment in unawareness, o Gautama !" "Thus longevity is momentary like that, life is full of obstacles, hence try to ward off the dirty dust of previously acquired bad Sanskaras : Karmas, Waste not even a single moment in unawareness. O Gautama !" * "Your body is getting old and worn out, your hair has all turned grey, all your might is also fading out, therefore, waste not even a single moment in unawareness, O Gautama"! "Different kinds of diseases have commenced to encompass you, your body has started deteriorating and has come on the edge of destroyal. Hence, waste not even a single moment in unawareness, O Gautama !". - SO SAID SARVAJNA BHAGAWAN MAHAVIRA TO HIS CHIEF DISCIPLE GAUTAMA AND TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US. AS SUCH, AWAKEN THYSELF IN CONSTANT AWARENESS...! (The UTTRADHYAYANA SOOTRA : The Last Sermons of Lord Mahavira : 10, 1, 2, 20, 26) - With best Compliments fromSURAJ TEXTILE AGENCY Manufacturer's Representative No. 16, 17, 3rd floor, Sharma Complex, chikpet, Bangalore-560 053 Ph: Off : 71337. Res : 71738. Cable : SHUBLABH. Telex : 0845-8212.

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'DHARMA' AND SELF-AWARENESS * "One should accomplish 'DHARMA-- the righteous path-untill old age does not harass, untill diseases do not increase and untill 'Gyanendriyas' (senses of knowledge) like eyes and 'Karmendriyas (senses of action) like hands etc. have not been weakened." (The Dasha Vaikalika Sootra: 8/36) "Only the 'Dharma' is like an isle, like a place to withold, like a shelter and like a best refuge for the creatures being dragged by the tremendous flow of old age and death." (The Uttaradhayayana Sootra: 23/68) -So said Sarvajna Bhagawan Mahavira to each and and every one of us. * * Now What is 'Dharma'? It is the righteous path to remain in the spirit of Spiritual Super Light by leaving the dark, material Worldly life. * What does this 'Dharma' mean? It means 'the capturing of the Mind' and it can not be done without the knowledge and 'awareness of the Self'. So, Self-awareness shows and brings righteous path of Dharma. As such, one should awaken one's Self in Awareness. -And so said even after 2500 Years one of Bhagawan Mahavira's Followers Yogindra Yugpradhan Sri Sahajanandaghanji Maharaj, who, walking in his footsteps on this Righteous path, Realised it, Practiced it and then preached it to all of us to awaken ourselves in that Constant Awareness of the Self...! With best Compliments from: HIRA TEXTILES Whole Sale Cloth Merchants 70, D.K. Lane, Ambika Cloth Market, Phone: 261824. Bangalore 560 053 -

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SOME OF V.B.I.F.'S IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS By Priyavadini : Late Kum. Parul P. Toliya M.A., Gold Medalist, Dip. Journalism. 1. Why Abattoirs-Abolition ? (English/Hindi) : On Non-Violent Movement against Slaughter Houses. 2. Jainism Abroad (English) : Various aspects : Ancient & Current. 3 Contribution of Jaina Art, Music, & Literature to Indian Culture (English) : Papers & Essays. .4. Musicians of India-I came Across : Interviews of Pt. Ravi Shankar and others. 5. Indian Music & Media (English) : Awarded Study paper. *6. Mahavir Darshan (English) : Bhagavan Mahavir's Life & Message By Dr. Kum. Vandana P. Toliya *7. Why Vegetarianism ? (English) : A Scientific & Spiritual Study, By Prof. Pratapkumar Toliya, M.A. (Hindi, Eng.) Sahitya Ratna 8. My Mystic Master Y.Y. Sri Sahajanandaghanji : Biography. *9. Dakshinapath Ki Sadhanayatra (Hindi/Gujrati) : Travelogue. *10. Anant Ki Anugoonj (Hindi) : Poems & Songs : G 0.1. Awarded. 11. Mahasainik (Hindi) : On Mahatma Gandhi and Srimad Rajchandraji : A Play (Awarded). 12. Could there be such a warrior ? (English) : As per above, 13. Meditation & Jainism (English) : Cuttack' Int. Seminar Paper. 14. Jab Murde Bhi Jagate Hain (Hindi) : Patriotic Play (Awarded). 15. Videshon me Jain Dharma Prabhavana (Hindi/Gujrati). 16. Sant-Shishyani Jeevan Sarita (Gujarati) : Biography. 17. Pragyachakshu-nu Drashti-Pradan (Gujarati) : Reminiscences. 18. Sihita Prajna ke sang (Hindi/Gujarati) : Remi. with A. Vinobaji. 19. Days with Vinoba (English) : Reminiscences. 20. Gurudeo ke Sath (Hindi) : Late Gurdial Mallikji on Tagore 21. Jain Contribution to Kannada Literature & Culture (Eng/ Hindi) *22. Speeches & Talks in U.S A. & UK. (English/Gujarati) * Audio and/or Video Cassettes of these titles are available. (P.T.O. for Address)

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Some of V. B. I. F.'s Most Popular & Internationally-Acclaimed Gramophone Discs & Audio-Video Cassettees by Prof. Toliya, Smt. Sumitra Toliya, Kum. Parul Toliya, Smt. Pauravi Desai, - Anuradha Paudwal, Kavita Krishnamurti & V.B. Choir (1) Atmasiddhi Shashtra (2) Apoorva Avsar (3) Raj Bhakti Pad (4) Rajpad (5) Sri Bhaktamar Stotra (6) Sri Kalyan Mandir Stotra (7) Mahayogi Anandghan Ke Pad (8) Ratnatraya Vrat Katha (9) Sonagir ki Yatra & Dashlakshan Vrat Katha (10) Mahavir Darshan Ishavasya Upanishad (3) Om Tatsat (11) Vir Vandana (12) (14) Anant ki Anugoonj (15) Anandghan Pad-EP, (16) Jai Jinraj & Dadaguru Arati (17) Jineshwar Arati (18) Navkar & Gurudev Arati (19) Mahamantra Navkar (20) Shubh Manglik (21) Asra & Monghi Zindagi (22) Vividh Hindu Bhajan (All Discs and Cassettes) Other Impt, Cassettes (23) Atmakhoj (24) Dhoon Aur Dhyan (25) Dhyan Sangit: Music for Meditation (26) Ahimsa Gan (27) Brahmagulal Muni Katha (28) Barah Bhavana-Parmanand Stotra (29) Brihat Shanti-Grah Shanti (30) Chhah Dhala (31) Dadaguru Darshan (32) Divakar Darshan (38) Jin Vandana (39) Jain Bhajans H/G (40) Jainism Abroad (41) Jain Suprabhatam (42) Karnatak Darshan (43) Kannada Folk Songs (44) Kannada Jain Bhajans H/G (40) Jainism Abroad (41) Jain Suprabhatam (42) Karnatak Darshan (43) Kannada Folk Songs (44) Kannada Jain Devotional Songs (45) Kahat Kabira (46) Kalpasutra Set - 10 CSTS (47) Meera ke Bhakti Pad (48) Maha Prabhavik Navsmaran (49) Musical Performances in U.S.A. (50) Meri Bhavna; Anubhav Vani (51) Prabhat Mangal (52) Rujul. Also Kalpasutra, Dash'akshan & Paramguru Pravachan Cassette Sets in Y.Y. Sri Sahajanand Ghanji's Voice: 51 Cassettes Set. and Many other Audio & Video Cassettes. Available from : VARDHAMAN BHARATI INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION 12, Cambridge Road, Bangalore-560 008 (INDIA) Phone: 570443 578557

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OD oor RAVI SHANKAR 95, LODHI ESTATE NEW DELHI-110003. TEL.: 615336, 619555 November 4, 1988 Dear Shri Toliya, I am shocked to hear about the sad and untimely - demise of Darul Toliya. Though I met her only once when she interviewed me at the Bangalore - Airport, she struck me as being-a-nice, sincere girl with a quick mind. Her death at"such a young age is like the nipping of a bud-just as it was blossoming into a wonderful flower! pray to God that her soul rest in peace. - With heartfelt condolences, yopijacental 98 (PANDIT_RAVI SHANKAR). Sh. Pratap Kumar Toliya 12, Cambridge Road, BANGALORE-560008. SOME OF V.B.I.F.'S IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS:BOOKS By Priyavadini: Late Kum. Parul P. Toliya M.A. Gold Medalist, Dip. Journalism 1. Why Abattoirs-Abolition ?- (English/Hindi): On Non-Violent Movement against Slaughter Houses. 2. Jainism Abroad (English): Various aspects: Ancient & Current 3. Contribution of Jaina Art, Music, & Literature to Indian culture (English): Papers E Essays. 4. Musicians of India-I came Across: Interviews of Pt. Ravi Shankar and others. 5. Indian Music & Media (English): Awarded Study paper. * 6. Mahavir Darshan (English): Bhagavan Mahavir's Life & Message.