Pratap Bhogilal Journey Through Life

Author(s): Rauf Ahmed
Publisher: Bhupendra Singh Anand

Page 30

24
PRATAP BHOGILAL - JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE
and we were Shrimalis. Even though these things did matter a lot in those days, Hemchandbhai was very happy to give his daughter in marriage into the Bhogilal family.
From Vile Parle in the suburbs Hemchandbhai's family later relocated to Malabar Hill in south Mumbai.
The decision to send me to a boarding school in Panchgani had been inspired by my father's and grandfather's desire to ensure that I got the best possible education in a congenial atmosphere. Bapaji also felt that it might improve my vulnerable health. But I was very unhappy about the decision initially. I didn't want to go away from home. My mother, who constantly worried about my poor health, was very unhappy too. I had been a very frail and sickly child from the very beginning. But Bapaji's decision, taken in consultation with Bha, had to be adhered to.
| vividly remember our trip to Panchgani. We had started out with Maneklalmama in our car, a Ford, with Bapaji at the wheel. On the way, at Chowk near Karjat, we met with an accident. Bapaji had dashed the car against a tree. Luckily, nobody was injured. Bapaji looked at his watch and said we could still catch the Poona Mail from Karjat if we found some transport. He put Maneklalmama in charge of the car along with the driver and told them to get it repaired and drive back to Mumbai. We then boarded a truck and got dropped off at Karjat. We were in time to catch the Poona Mail. We spent the night in Pune and took a bus to Panchgani the next morning. There were no luxury buses in those days. The fare from Pune to Panchgani was 1 rupee and 4 annas. It took us three and a half hours to cover the distance. I was still crying when Bapaji left me with the superintendent of the Hindu High School (which was later rechristened as Sanjeewan Vidyalaya) the same evening and left for Mumbai.
Panchgani, a hill station known for its picturesque ambience and salubrious climate, used to be sparsely populated those days and very clean. Its sylvan surroundings were breathtaking, especially the enchanting view of the mountain ranges – the beautiful Western Ghats, the Sahyadri Hills and the Table Land. The Hindu High School was being
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