Donating for soldiers

(My article on Janardanbhai Bhatt and Rakshaben Dave from Bhavnagar donating for soldier hefty amount for soldiers published in Organiser on 28th May 2017)

Really, our nation is changing. There is lot of talk and care being expressed for soldiers nowadays. But opponent views are also being expressed against nationalists. They say - nationalists are doing just lip service. Actually they are nothing doing for soldiers. Anti nationalists are not right.

Generally at war time, many charitable organizations or NGOs start collecting donations for soldiers. We had witnessed such events at time of Kargil (1999) war. But right now, no war is declared officially. Even then, people have come forward for donating for soldiers.

Bhavnagar is known for social service works. It is railway terminus. So many times mental patients travelling in train are dropped here and many persons and organization work for them including giving bath them. Bhavnagar is called ‘Ganda nun Gaam’ (city of mental persons) in lighter vein but real reason is care being taken of mental persons done here. Shishuvihar and late Maanbhai Bhatt are also known for such works. But at present three persons have come forward for cause of soldiers. They are Janardanbhai Bhatt, Rakshaben Dave and Nimeshbhai Trivedi. They all belong to Bhavnagar.

Among them, Janardanbhai Bhatt is highest donator. He has donated whooping Rs. 1.02 crore for soldiers! And that is too when he is living on pension! How could he afford for such huge amount? How can he have such big amount for donation?

Generally, when one have such whooping amount of Rs. 1.02 crore, what he/she may think to spend this money? Answers will be according to sex, age and hobby of person. One may think to buy a flat. Other may think to buy luxurious car like BMW. One may think to go on foreign tour. Person like Mukeshbhai may think how to convert this crore amount into Abaj (billion). If person is lady, she may think to buy costly sarees or dresses or she may think to have beauty treatment or surgery to look more beautiful.

But Janardanbhai Bhatt who is 85 years old has donated such big amount without hesitation.  He says on telephone, “When our country is passing through severe crisis, it is our duty to do whatever we can do at our level.” Janardanbhai Bhatt is retired SBS (State Bank Of Saurashtra, founded by Bhavnagar maharaja which was merged in SBI) clerk. He joined this bank in 1954. In year 1962, Janardanbhai established an employees’ union. According to him, his union is non political. In 1970 bank G.M. late B. K. Chatterjee suggested, “Janardanbhai! You are doing lot for union. Why don’t you start contributing for society also?”

This suggestion made Janardanbhai thinking for society. Actually Janardanbhai is also a swayamsevak of RSS. He used to go in Neelkanth Shakha which was being held at Ruvapari Darwaja, Bhavnagar. For study, he discontinued going in shakhas, “But,” he says, “My all society service work is due to “Samskar” of RSS which I learnt in shakha- honesty, sincerity, integrity, devotion and dedication.” He has worked with Chandabhai Dave in union who is among pioneer swayamsewaks.

So from 1970 Janardanbhai started doing social work like gifting sweets, fire crackers to orphanage children. (Liberal-leftists bombard messages on Diwali/hindu festivals for not celebrating festivals and donating needy children but they don’t know there are many persons like Janardanbhai who are doing social service anonymously.) Janardanbhai’s union donated Rs. 1 lac to electrification of hindu cremation center. He inspired his union members to do relief work at time of Junagadh flood or Machhchhu dam disaster.

Janardanbhai has done this work and is doing because he has great support from his better half Padmabahen who is Swadhyay Pariwar worker. Both got married in 1955 and since their marriage life has become inspiration model for many couple. Janardanbhai says, “She has never demanded to go on tour of Mahabaleshwar of Panchagini. She has always stood firmly with my decisions.”

Janardanbhai had donated Rs. 6 lac for dialysis to Bajarangdasbapa Hospital, Bhavnagar. Her wife gave Rs. 16 lac to same hospital next year in memory of her parents. Janardanbhai says, “Samsar rath (chariot) can run smooth only if both wheels are good and equal. We have no such desires for worldly pleasure. We never went to have dinner or lunch at hotels. We never went on picnic. Yes, when I retired from bank service, I visited Shree Somanath temple to pray.”

Janardanbhai has no siblings. He has no child even. So, there was no opposition from family for his huge donation for soldiers. Instead, family members also pledged to donate as per their capacity. Janardanbhai could donate such big amount because his friend’s father advised him to invest in stock market long ago. This investment is now giving good returns. Janardanbhai had decided to run household on just pension income. He had prepared a will paper in which he decided to contribute for society and nation but sudden situation after Kashmir and Sukama attacks demanded him to implement his will partially.  He has proposed to SBI for opening a bank account in which minimum Rs.5 will be cut from salary of bank employees and deposited per month. Many employees have shown their wish to contribute Rs. 100, 500 or 1,000 per month! Janardanbhai was of view to donate online but friends and colleagues suggested donating publically so that many would get inspiration.

After his initiative, significantly two persons came forward for donation. One is Rakshaben Dave. She is also retired professor. She has donated Rs. 1 lac! One Nimeshbhai Trivedi donated Rs. 25,000.

Rakshaben says on telephone, “When news of video of soldier complaining about food served to them broke out, she could not take her meal. I thought what could be done for them? Then I heard news that soldier was detained.” Rakshaben thought to do something for soldiers but didn’t know how to do. She is very spiritual person. She is unmarried. She was HOD of Gujarati at Mahila College, Bhavnagar. She has written more than 70 books on Hindu dharma. So she thought, “When there is will, she will found way also.” And then news came from Ashokbhai Pandya, a colleague of Janardanbhai Bhatt about donation. So, Rakshaben donated Rs. 1 lac with help of Ashokbhai Pandya. She is now thinking to donate Rs. 1 lac more on Raksha Bandhan.

In year 2013, I had read a golden thought behind a public bus. It can be loosely translated as: If you can give up from hand, it is called ‘Tyaga’ (Sacrifice), but if you can give up from your heart, it is called ‘vairagya’ (ascetism). These people have done both things. Vandan to such souls