Thakkar Bappa, Godfather of Tribals
Thakkar Bappa:
Shri Amritlal Viththaldas Thakkar alias 'Thakkar Bappa' was born on 29th November 1869 at Bhavnagar in Saurashtra, Gujrat. He had completed his primary and secondary education at Bhavnagar. He passed his matriculation with first rank. He was awarded the scholarship of Rs.10. Though the economical condition of the family was not so good, he was sent to Pune in Maharashtra for further studies of engineering.
At Pune he got an opportunity to see Shri Nyayamurti Ranade, the Judge. He knew Shri Gopalkrishna Gokhale and he also knew that Shri Gokhale was the disciple of Shri Ranade. He bowed and greeted Shri Ranade and felt sense of gratitude for he saw and got the opportunity to greet a great person like Shri Ranade. In those days Shri Ranade had his great impact on the scholar students. They were impressed by the simple living and high thinking attitude of Shri Ranade.
In 1890 he passed his L.C.E. degree of Engineering. Due to the extreme financial condition of the family he joined a job in the railways of Bhavnagar sansthan as Assistant Engineer. He also worked as chief engineer in East Africa and at Sangali in Maharashtra.
He took the oath of the Bharat Sevak Samaj founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale on 6th February 1914. Later the oath was taken by Janardan Maharaj at Dhadgaon. Thus he is in the chain of such great people of the age.
As a member of Bharat Sevak Samaj he worked a lot for the poor, needy adivasi and socially outcast people. In 1914 he worked against the Grass Shortage. After that wherever in India there is calamity of drought or any Thakkar Bappa was ready to serve.
In 1918-19 Thakkar Bappa was at work of rehabilitation of people affected by drought in Panch Mahal District in Gujrat. He was moved by the miserable condition of the Adivasis there. While working at Dahod and Jhalod he surveyed the Adivasi locality. He observed the miserable condition of the Adivasis and he felt love and affection for them. Their social behaviour, economical condition and their lifestyle were unique. He was quite impressed by the rituals of Adivasis.
Firstly he had the bios about the adivasis. He was told that the adivasis are cruel, they do not mix with the other people, and they do not have any moral or immoral values of their own. They fear the other people. Sometimes they attack on new person. But when he worked there his bios was cleared. He found the adivasi people very straight forward. He is very loyal. He never cheats anybody. But he is liquor addictive. There was a saying about theft, 'Only hungry adivasi steals'.
Thakkar Bappa tried to take the adivasi out from the clutches of all the vices and the money lenders. He preached them to be loyal, clean and neat. He established an institution named Panch Mahal Bhill Seva Mandal. He started many Ashram Schools and hostels for adivasi students. Many students of his Ashrams would start their new hostel or Ashram at their village. Thus he spread the education in the lives of these sons of the soil.
Thakkar Bappa had strong faith in Gandhiji and they both had strong faith in God, Ram. Thakkar Bappa asked someone to write Sanshipt Ramayana in Bhilori language from the original of Sanskrit. This made many adivasis the devotees of Ram. The Chief Minister Shri Balasaheb Kher of Sanyukta Maharashtra started the concept of Forest Labour Society. Thakkar Bappa and his disciples responded the scheme in Panch Mahal District.
Mahatma Gandhi himself was always ready to help Thakkar Bappa in his works. On the occaision of his 81st Birthday Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Moulana Azad and many other big personalities sang the odes of his works in their speeches. There he replied, "I am really moved due to your love for me. There was no need to make this occasion so grand because my real place is the small hut of the adivasi. I have lots of work there. Vaishnav jan, yogiraj these terms used for me are not meant for me. Actually I am not Vaishnav or Yogiraj I'm Pamar i.e. servant of God. Due to the old age I can't serve the society that much as I expect. Nevertheless I thank Panditji and Moulanaji for saying such words for me."
Shri Janardan Maharaj always addresses to the Adivasi students and people, "Every Adivasi should worship Shri Thakkar Bappa and S. V. Thakar. Every family must have the photographs of these leaders who helped adivasi community getting noticed by the government. Thakkar Bappa suggested Dr. Ambedkar about the provisions for Scheduled Tribes in Constituency of India.
The first Prime Minister of India Javaharlal Nehru and his Government wanted to set up separate Department of Tribal. He consulted with Thakkar Bappa and asked for a reliable person for the post of Commissioner. Thakkar Bappa suggested the name of Laxmidas Shrikant as the first Commissioner of Tribal Department of India.
Thakkar Bappa died on 12th January 1951. He is no more but his thoughts are still live in the lives of his followers like Janardan Maharaj.
Shri Amritlal Viththaldas Thakkar alias 'Thakkar Bappa' was born on 29th November 1869 at Bhavnagar in Saurashtra, Gujrat. He had completed his primary and secondary education at Bhavnagar. He passed his matriculation with first rank. He was awarded the scholarship of Rs.10. Though the economical condition of the family was not so good, he was sent to Pune in Maharashtra for further studies of engineering.
At Pune he got an opportunity to see Shri Nyayamurti Ranade, the Judge. He knew Shri Gopalkrishna Gokhale and he also knew that Shri Gokhale was the disciple of Shri Ranade. He bowed and greeted Shri Ranade and felt sense of gratitude for he saw and got the opportunity to greet a great person like Shri Ranade. In those days Shri Ranade had his great impact on the scholar students. They were impressed by the simple living and high thinking attitude of Shri Ranade.
In 1890 he passed his L.C.E. degree of Engineering. Due to the extreme financial condition of the family he joined a job in the railways of Bhavnagar sansthan as Assistant Engineer. He also worked as chief engineer in East Africa and at Sangali in Maharashtra.
He took the oath of the Bharat Sevak Samaj founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale on 6th February 1914. Later the oath was taken by Janardan Maharaj at Dhadgaon. Thus he is in the chain of such great people of the age.
As a member of Bharat Sevak Samaj he worked a lot for the poor, needy adivasi and socially outcast people. In 1914 he worked against the Grass Shortage. After that wherever in India there is calamity of drought or any Thakkar Bappa was ready to serve.
In 1918-19 Thakkar Bappa was at work of rehabilitation of people affected by drought in Panch Mahal District in Gujrat. He was moved by the miserable condition of the Adivasis there. While working at Dahod and Jhalod he surveyed the Adivasi locality. He observed the miserable condition of the Adivasis and he felt love and affection for them. Their social behaviour, economical condition and their lifestyle were unique. He was quite impressed by the rituals of Adivasis.
Firstly he had the bios about the adivasis. He was told that the adivasis are cruel, they do not mix with the other people, and they do not have any moral or immoral values of their own. They fear the other people. Sometimes they attack on new person. But when he worked there his bios was cleared. He found the adivasi people very straight forward. He is very loyal. He never cheats anybody. But he is liquor addictive. There was a saying about theft, 'Only hungry adivasi steals'.
Thakkar Bappa tried to take the adivasi out from the clutches of all the vices and the money lenders. He preached them to be loyal, clean and neat. He established an institution named Panch Mahal Bhill Seva Mandal. He started many Ashram Schools and hostels for adivasi students. Many students of his Ashrams would start their new hostel or Ashram at their village. Thus he spread the education in the lives of these sons of the soil.
Thakkar Bappa had strong faith in Gandhiji and they both had strong faith in God, Ram. Thakkar Bappa asked someone to write Sanshipt Ramayana in Bhilori language from the original of Sanskrit. This made many adivasis the devotees of Ram. The Chief Minister Shri Balasaheb Kher of Sanyukta Maharashtra started the concept of Forest Labour Society. Thakkar Bappa and his disciples responded the scheme in Panch Mahal District.
Mahatma Gandhi himself was always ready to help Thakkar Bappa in his works. On the occaision of his 81st Birthday Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Moulana Azad and many other big personalities sang the odes of his works in their speeches. There he replied, "I am really moved due to your love for me. There was no need to make this occasion so grand because my real place is the small hut of the adivasi. I have lots of work there. Vaishnav jan, yogiraj these terms used for me are not meant for me. Actually I am not Vaishnav or Yogiraj I'm Pamar i.e. servant of God. Due to the old age I can't serve the society that much as I expect. Nevertheless I thank Panditji and Moulanaji for saying such words for me."
Shri Janardan Maharaj always addresses to the Adivasi students and people, "Every Adivasi should worship Shri Thakkar Bappa and S. V. Thakar. Every family must have the photographs of these leaders who helped adivasi community getting noticed by the government. Thakkar Bappa suggested Dr. Ambedkar about the provisions for Scheduled Tribes in Constituency of India.
The first Prime Minister of India Javaharlal Nehru and his Government wanted to set up separate Department of Tribal. He consulted with Thakkar Bappa and asked for a reliable person for the post of Commissioner. Thakkar Bappa suggested the name of Laxmidas Shrikant as the first Commissioner of Tribal Department of India.
Thakkar Bappa died on 12th January 1951. He is no more but his thoughts are still live in the lives of his followers like Janardan Maharaj.
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