Ajay Kumar at 18:00, 12 August 2023

2023-08-12T18:00:04Z

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{{short description|Hindu saint and guru (1799–1881)}}
{{EngvarB|date=September 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jalaram Bapa
| image = Jalaram Bapa's Original Photo.jpg
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1799|11|4}}
| birth_place = [[Virpur (Rajkot)|Virpur]], [[Virpur-Kherdi State]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1881|2|23|1799|11|4}}
| death_place = Virpur, [[Virpur State]], British India
| occupation =
| spouse = Virbai Thakkar
| parents = 
| children = 1 
| website = {{URL|santjalaram.in}}
}}

'''Jalaram Bapa''' ({{lang-gu|જલારામ બાપા}}) popularly known as '''Bapa''' ({{lang-gu|બાપા}}) (4 November 1799 (Samvat 1856) – 23 February 1881 (Samvat 1937) was a [[Hindu]] saint from [[Gujarat]], India. He was born on 4 November 1799,<ref name=k/> one week after the [[Hindu]] festival of [[Diwali]], which is associated with his [[Iṣṭa-devatā]] Lord [[Rama]]. He is mainly worshipped in Gujarat, but his words and miracles have spread throughout India and many other countries. Thursday is the day that is associated with him in Hinduism. Images of Jalaram Bapa usually portray him as wearing white, with a stick in his left hand and a [[Ocimum tenuiflorum|tulsi]] [[Japamala|mala]] in his right hand. He is always dressed in simple clothes, to represent that he was a pure person.

==Life==
Jalaram Bapa was born in [[Virpur (Rajkot)|Virpur]], [[Rajkot district]], Gujarat, [[India]] in 1799, on the seventh day of the [[Kartika (month)|Kartika]] month. His father was Pradhan Thakkar and his mother was Rajbai Thakkar who belonged to [[Lohana]] clan. He was a devotee of the Hindu god [[Rama]].<ref name=b/><ref name=z/>

Jalaram Bapa was however not willing to live a householder's life and continued to take care of his father's business.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://santjalaram.in/home/history/|title=jalaram bapa history | Sant Jalaram|date=26 February 2015}}</ref> He was mostly engaged in serving [[pilgrims]], [[sadhus]] and saints. He separated himself from his father's business and his uncle Valjibhai asked Jalaram Bapa and his wife Virbai to stay in his house.<ref name=z/><ref name=a/>

At the age of sixteen, in 1816, Jalaram married Virbai, the daughter of Pragjibhai Thakkar (Somaiya) of [[Atkot]].<ref name=k/><ref name=w/> However, he was inclined to completely withdraw from materialistic life and become an ascetic, Virbai proved to be an asset to him in his works of feeding poor and needy.<ref name=w/>

At the age of 18, soon after returning from pilgrimage to [[Hindu]] holy places, Jalaram Bapa became the disciple of [[Bhoja Bhagat]] of [[Fatehpur, Gujarat|Fatehpur]], who accepted him as his disciple. Jalaram was given the [[mantra|Guru Mantra]] and [[Hindu prayer beads|japa mala]] in the name of [[Rama]] by his [[Guru]] Bhojalram. With blessings of his guru, he started "Sadavrat", a feeding centre, a place where all sadhus and saints as well as the needy could have food any time.

One day, a [[sadhu]] who came to his house gave him a deity of Lord Rama, forecasting that [[Hanuman]], the monkey-god and devotee of Rama, would follow soon. Jalaram Bapa installed Rama as his family deity and after a few days, a deity of Hanuman appeared out of earth, on its own. The deity of Rama's consort [[Sita]] and his brother [[Lakshmana]] also appeared.<ref name=x>{{cite book|title=Census of India, 1961: Volume 5|year=1965|page=199|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zQEdAQAAMAAJ&q=own++earth}}</ref><ref name=m>Fairs and Festivals of India: Chhattisgarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra by Madan Prasad Bezbaruah, Dr. Krishna Gopal, Phal S. Girota – 2003, page:104</ref> Due to a miracle the container in the house of Jalaram, where grains were stored, became inexhaustible.<ref name=b/> Later other devotees and village folk joined him in his works of human welfare.

Jalaram bapa’s fame spread as a divine incarnation. Whoever came to Virpur, whether [[Hindu]] or [[Muslim]] irrespective of caste, creed and religion were fed by Jalaram. This tradition of feeding people continues to this day in Virpur.<ref name=b>{{cite book|title=Sages Through Ages – Volume IV: India's Heritage By K. K. Nair|year=2007|isbn=9781434334473|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-AMWIzs7uzsC&q=jalaram+bapa&pg=PA23|last1=Nair|first1=K. K.|publisher=AuthorHouse }}</ref>

It is believed that once a tailor named Haraji, who was suffering from severe stomach-ache came to him to get himself cured. Jalaram Bapa prayed to God and Haraji was cured. He fell at Jalaram Bapa's feet and addressed him as ''Bapa''. Since then he was known as ''Jalaram Bapa.''<ref name=z>{{cite book|title=Saints and sages of India|year=1992|isbn=9788121700498|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fa3XAAAAMAAJ&q=jalaram+|last1=Sholapurkar|first1=G. R.|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan }}</ref> Soon his fame spread and people came to him to get rid of diseases and problems. Jalaram Bapa would pray for them in the name of Rama and miracles happened. Both Hindus and Muslims became his disciples. In 1822, Jamal, son of a rich Muslim merchant fell ill and doctors gave up all hope. At that point of time, Haraji, told Jamal of his experience (''parcha''). Jamal, prayed from his house, that if his son is cured of the disease, he would give 40 [[maunds]] of grain to Jalaram Bapa for ''sadavrat''. His son recovered and Jamal visited house of Jalaram Bapa with cart load of grains and called him ''Jalla so [[Allah]]!''.<ref name=k>{{cite web|url=http://www.jalaramjyot.in/jalaramBapaLifeAndMessage.htm |title=Jalaram Jyot Magazine |Shri Jalram Bapa: Life and Message |publisher=Jalaramjyot.in |date= |access-date=2 November 2012}}</ref><ref name=w>{{cite web|url=http://www.jalarammandir.co.uk/upload/life_sketch.pdf|title=Life-sketch of Jalaram bapa by Councillor Dhiraj Kataria|publisher=Jalarammandir.co.uk|access-date=2 November 2012|archive-date=29 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029185923/http://www.jalarammandir.co.uk/upload/life_sketch.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It is said that at one time, God in the guise of an old saint told Jalaram to send Virbai to serve him. Jalaram consulted her and with her consent, sent her with the saint. But after walking some miles and reaching a nearby forest, the saint asked Virbai to wait for him. She waited but saint did not return. Instead, she heard an [[Akashvani (term)|Akashwani]] stating that it was only to test the hospitality of the couple. Before the saint disappeared, he left a ''Danda'' [staff] and ''Jholi'' [cloth bag], with Virbai. Virbai returned home to Jalaram, as instructed by the celestial voice with ''Danda'' & ''Jholi''. This ''Danda'' and ''Jholi'' are still at Virpur and kept on display in a glass enclosure.<ref name=a>{{cite book|title=Holy people of the world: a cross-cultural encyclopedia, Volume 1 By Phyllis G. Jestice|year=2004|isbn=9781576073551|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H5cQH17-HnMC&q=jalaram+bapa&pg=PA421|last1=Jestice|first1=Phyllis G.|publisher=Abc-Clio }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=This is Hinduism By Dave Symmons|year=1998|isbn=9780748730933|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A9xl-aKH7EgC&q=jalaram+bapa&pg=PA64|last1=Symmons|first1=Dave|publisher=Nelson Thornes }}</ref>

Jalaram Bapa died on February 23, 1881, at the age of 81. Some of his devout followers believe that even after his death, Jalaram Bapa would make unusual miracles happen. One of these being that he fed one of his sisters water, a few hours after he breathed his last.

==Family==
Jalaram Bapa and Virbai had a daughter named Jamnaben from their marriage. Jamnaben's grandson Harirambhai was adopted by Shri Jalaram Bapa and his direct descendant, Giridhar Bapa and his son Jaisukhram Bapa and Raghuram Bapa now head the [[Gadi (seat)|gadi]] of revered Virpur shrine of Jalaram Bapa.<ref>http://www.indiankanoon.org/doc/1515842/ {{Bare URL inline|date=April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jalaram Bapa's 210th birth anniversary celebrated|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-25/rajkot/28089687_1_devotees-guest-temples|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029192953/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-10-25/rajkot/28089687_1_devotees-guest-temples|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2013|access-date=23 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=25 October 2009}}</ref>

==Virpur==
Virpur was the workplace of Shri Jalaram Bapa. The main shrine of Jalaram Bapa is located at Virpur. The shrine is actually the house complex where Jalaram lived during his lifetime. The shrine houses the belongings of Jalaram and the deities of Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman worshipped by him. It also has on display the ''Jholi'' and ''Danda'' said to have been given to him by God.<ref name=a/> But the main attraction here is the portrait of Jalaram Bapa. There is also an actual black and white photo of Jalaram Bapa, taken a year before his death.<ref name=x/>

The temple is one of a kind in the world in a way that it has not been accepting any offerings since February 9, 2000.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/No-donations-prays-Jalaram-Bapa-temple/articleshow/10573324.cms |title=No donations, prays Jalaram Bapa temple |website=Times of India |date=2 November 2011 |access-date=21 June 2018}}</ref>

==Parchas==
Today, devotees of [http://santjalaram.in Jalaram]<ref>{{cite book|title=Sant Jalaram miracles (parachas : www.santjalaram.in )|date=20 February 2015|url=http://santjalaram.in/the-first-miracle/}}</ref> have experienced that if they pray to the saint sincerely, he blesses them and fulfils their wishes. These experiences are known as ''Parcha''s. They pray to Jalaram Bapa and if their wish is fulfilled they<ref>{{cite news|title=The miracles of Kochi's Jalaram Bapa By Shevlin Sebastian|url=http://newindianexpress.com/lifestyle/spirituality/article1340763.ece|access-date=9 October 2013|newspaper=The Indian Express|date=18 November 2012}}</ref> fast, and visit a temple on Thursday.<ref>{{cite book|title=Through open doors: a view of Asian cultures in Kenya by Cynthia Salvadori|year=1989|publisher=Kenway Publications|isbn=9789966848055|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4xIRAQAAIAAJ&q=+jalaram+thursday}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/GUJ-AHD-be-aware-of-fake-cops-police-2667470.html |title=Be aware of fake cops: Police |publisher=daily.bhaskar.com |date=23 December 2011 |access-date=2 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism in Great Britain: the perpetuation of religion in an alien cultural ... By Richard Burghart|year=1987|page=56|isbn=9780422609104|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nUsOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA56|last1=Burghart|first1=Richard|publisher=Tavistock }}</ref> There are many devotees of Jalaram Bapa who worship him like a God, similar to [[Sai Baba of Shirdi]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Jainism: the world of conquerors, Volume 2 By Natubhai Shah|year=1998|isbn=9781898723318|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g120RG8GkHAC&pg=PA227|last1=Shah|first1=Natubhai|publisher=Sussex Academic Press }}</ref>

So far, there is only one book written on Shri Jalaram Bapa's Tales of Miracles by Author Chirag Sheth & Yuvraj Sheth, which is available on most online websites.

==Jalaram Jayanti==
Jalaram Bapa's birthday is celebrated on 7th day [[Shukla paksha]] of the Hindu month of [[Kartika (month)|Kartika]] as ''Jalaram Jayanti''. It falls on seventh day from [[Diwali]]. On this day, devotees are served meal as [[prasad]]. There is a huge fair and festival at Virpur on the occasion and millions of devotees visit Virpur, on this day to pay their respect to the saint and have [[prasad]] of chiefly [[khichdi]] with [[Bundi]] and popular [[farsan]] item [[Ganthiya]].<ref name=x/><ref name=m/><ref>{{cite web|title=Jalaram Jayanti's big celebration at Virpur|url=http://weddfest.com/english/news/jalaram-jayantis-big-celebration-at-virpur.html|access-date=12 January 2012}}</ref> The ''Jalaram Jayanti'' celebrations are also held at all Jalaram temples across India & abroad with festivities, where devotees participate to pay their respects and have ''prasad''.<ref>{{cite web |author=Kolkata Police |url=http://www.kolkatapolice.gov.in/showNewsDetails.asp?ID=5739 |title=Press Release |publisher=Kolkata Police |date=14 November 2010 |access-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120805055041/http://www.kolkatapolice.gov.in/showNewsDetails.asp?ID=5739 |archive-date=5 August 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Temples==

One of the famous temple of Jalaram Bapa is Located at a small town named Vansda in District Navasari. People follow good work done by Jalaram bapa here and whole heartedly pray daily in the temple. Trustees made a rule since inception in 1992 to feed poor people on every thursday and that has been tradition and it is belived to continue the tradition[[File:Jalaram Bapa Idol.JPG|right|thumb|Jalaram Bapa idol at a temple in [[Vadodara]], dressed in colorful attire on occasion of [[Jalaram Jayanti]] holding a [[danda]] and wearing a turban.]]
The idol of Jalaram Bapa is shown as a smiling man holding [[danda]] and wearing often a white [[paghadi]] and white [[dhoti]]-[[kurta]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Intercultural education: ethnographic and religious approaches By Eleanor M. Nesbitt|year=2004|isbn=9781845190330|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VJLYHmecoMIC&q=jalaram+bapa&pg=PA131|last1=Nesbitt|first1=Eleanor M.|publisher=Sussex Academic Press }}</ref> The deities of his patron deities Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman are also mostly found along with his idol. Temples of Jalaram Bapa today can be found in several big & small towns across India.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lohanaonline.com/directory/directory41.asp |title=LOhanaLohana Online |publisher=Lohanaonline.com |date= |access-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120621213611/http://www.lohanaonline.com/directory/directory41.asp |archive-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jalaramonline.org/ |title=Welcome to Jalaram Online.org |publisher=Jalaramonline.org |date= |access-date=2 November 2012 |archive-date=1 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001040305/http://www.jalaramonline.org/flashindex.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Outside India, his temples are located in East Africa,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kenyaplex.com/business-directory/30199-shree-jalaram-aradhana-temple-nakuru.aspx |title=Shree Jalaram Aradhana Temple, Nakuru – phone number, website, email address |publisher=Kenyaplex.com |date= |access-date=2 November 2012 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312034655/https://www.kenyaplex.com/business-directory/30199-shree-jalaram-aradhana-temple-nakuru.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> the United Kingdom,<ref>{{cite book|title=The spiritual traveler: England, Scotland, Wales : the guide to sacred sites ... By Martin Palmer, Nigel Palmer|year=2000|isbn=9781587680021|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ApJdpga6_LsC&pg=PA286|last1=Palmer|first1=Martin|last2=Palmer|first2=Nigel|publisher=Hidden Spring }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Hinduism in Great Britain: the perpetuation of religion in an alien cultural ... By Richard Burghart|year=1987|isbn=9780422609104|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nUsOAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA19|last1=Burghart|first1=Richard|publisher=Tavistock }}</ref> the United States of America,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usatemples.com/blog/list-of-all-hindu-temples-in-usa/ |title=List of all Hindu Temples in USA | USATemples Blog |publisher=Usatemples.com |date= |access-date=2 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905160219/http://www.usatemples.com/blog/list-of-all-hindu-temples-in-usa/ |archive-date=5 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=t/> Canada, Australia and New Zealand.<ref name=t>{{cite web|url=http://hinduonline.co/HinduCulture/ListOfTemplesWorldwide.html |title=Hindu Temple across the World |publisher=Hinduonline.co |date= |access-date=2 November 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://santjalaram.in/ Jaliyan, Sant Jalaram, Jala so Allah, Jalaram Bapa, Miracles, Paracha – Jalaram Mandir Virpur, Video, Photo, Life story.]
*[http://santjalaram.in/home/history/ Virpur Jalaram, Jalaram Bapa, Jalaram Mandir Virpur],
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140712075408/http://www.jalarammandir.co.in/index.html Jalaram Bapa – Jalaram Mandir, Video, Photo, Life story, Paracha.]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101222174515/http://jalaram-sadavrat-trust.org/str.html Life-sketch of Shri Jalaram Bapa – mentioning incidents of his divine power.]
*[http://www.jalabapa.org/life.htm Jalaram Bapa – Life story, Paracha] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930235131/http://www.jalabapa.org/life.htm |date=30 September 2011 }}
*[http://www.jalaramjyot.in/jalaramJyotParchaArchive.htm Jalaram Jyot : Paracha Archive]
*[http://www.jalarambapa.com/main/story1.htm Jalaram Bapa : Complete Life Story] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929020432/http://www.jalarambapa.com/main/story1.htm |date=29 September 2011 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101224020710/http://jalaram-sadavrat-trust.org/history.html Main Preachings of Sant Shri Jalaram Bapa]
*[http://www.jalarambapa.com/main/history.htm www.jalarambapa.com/main/history.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929020256/http://www.jalarambapa.com/main/history.htm |date=29 September 2011 }}
*[http://www.jalaramjyot.in/ Books on Jalaram Bapa]
*[http://www.jalabapa.org/life.htm Jalabapa.org/life.htm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930235131/http://www.jalabapa.org/life.htm |date=30 September 2011 }}
*[https://archive.today/20120723170403/http://www.techfp.com/news/jalaram-bapa-no-donations-prays-jalaram-bapa-temple Techfp.com]
*[https://www.worldrecordsindia.com/2018/11/14/largest-rotalo-made-by-bajara-wheat-pearl-millet/ Largest Rotlo by Pearl Millets (Bajro) honored by Jalaram Bapa in Morbi honored by World Records India]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bapa, Jalaram}}
[[Category:Rajkot]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu saints]]
[[Category:Gujarati people]]
[[Category:1799 births]]
[[Category:1881 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Rajkot district]]
[[Category:19th-century Hindu religious leaders]]

Jalaram Bapa - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 18:00, 12 August 2023