Voyage Within With Vimalajee

Author(s): Pratap J Tolia
Publisher: Vardhaman Bharati International Foundation

Page 15

VOYAGE WITHIN WITH VIMALAJEE..
CHAPTER 1: VINOBA'S VIMALANANDA
After Bapu's (Gandhiji's) short shelter as a Bharat Pathak Scout Volunteer at Poona's Nature Cure Abode of Dr. Dinshaw Mehta in 1946 or so, I was privileged to come across the shelters of Bapu's worthy heirs Acharya Vinobaji Bhave and Poojya Balkobaji Bhave, the first one during his several Bhoodan Tours since 1954 and the second one at famous Nisargopachar Ashram-Uruli Kanchan, near Poona, founded by Bapu himself.
It was during my Walking Tours all the way carrying with my Sitar, with Baba Vinobaji in Orissa after Jagannath Puri Sarvodaya Conference probably in 1955, when I heard more than once from Baba about his faith in the awakening of Woman-Power: STREE-SHAKTI, expressing: "Awake...! Awake...! O Great Ladies and now you are the ACHARYAS!". This was his common theme being frequently repeated. So far as my knowledge and memory goes, this call was responded perhaps more than any other upcoming and awakened young ladies coming in his contact then, by Deedi Vimalajee-Vimakla Thakar.
My first acquaintance with her as a young Padayatri in 1954-55 was very much impressive. Dynamic and Daring Vimalajee was seen with Baba during that Orissa Bhoodan Tour, discussing with Coworkers and thundering huge Public Meetings with her fiery Speeches. Her White Khaddar Saree, Curly hair and black goggles in scorching Sun were perhaps reminding of Subhash Babu's Lieutenant Laxmi as if becoming her Baba's Lieutenant! Then I also saw her with Great Gandhian Thinker Dada Dharmadhikari and Loknayak Jai Prakash Narain. But during all these primary acquaintances, I had no personal introduction with her, even though I was learning Sanskrit Chantings of Kathopanishada from Baba along with other young boys and girls like Kum. Kusum Deshpande and Nirmala Deshpande etc.., where probably she was hardly accompanying-atleast during my own walking tour periods, since she was frequently visiting Baba and going back on her mission of awakening through her independent Public Meetings on one hand and getting scriptually and thoughtfully prepared and ready from Baba and Dada at her own timings on the other hand. Hence, though not in personal touch, I was seeing in her blossoming bud that "WOMAN ACHARYA" in waiting to blossom soon.
.......And Vinobaji, out of his love, had jokingly commenced calling her as 'Vimalananda'.