Shruta Upasak Ramanbhai C Shah

SR No.: 002035
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kanti Patel
Publisher: Mumbai Jain Yuvak Sangh
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 600
Language: Gujarati, Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Gujarati & Biography
File Size: 12 MB

Page 167

ચુત ઉપાસક રમણભાઈ
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MY PAPA... LET US CELEBRATE HIS LIFE... .
Dr. Amitabh Ramanlal Shah (Son)
Everyone knows Ramanbhai as a linguist, as Jain scholar, as a professor, as an NCC major, as a friend. Shailaja and I were uniquely privileged to know him as a father.
A few years ago, I read a book where the protagonist spoke of his father."My father was a very complex man who led a very complex life”, he said. I recall, my immediate reaction was that my father was exactly the opposite. He was a very simple man, who led an extremely simple life. I want to talk about this simple father.
When Pappa went to Japan the very first time in 1968, he brought a Japanese nylon sari for Mummy - it was the first time he had bought a sari for her. It was a brown sari with blue and white flowers design. Unlike her usual nature, Mummy started wearing this sari immediately. She started wearing it for the simplest of errands -- going to the market or dropping us off at the school-bus stop. Many vears later, he learnt that Mummy did not just wear that sari - she wore it out because she did not like it at all, but did not want to offend him. The simple man he was, Pappa always thought that Mummy must love this sari very much and was very proud of his first sari purchase.
One time Pappa and I went to Surat, he was the guest of honour for the platinum jubilee celebration of a library. When we reached the library in the morning, we figured out that it was up to the two of us and our chief host to actually clean the place and decorate it for the function. Without any qualms, he picked up the broom and swept the floor. We arranged the chairs and put up the banners. He then changed his clothes and went on to give his speech.