Jalaram
| Jalaram Bapa | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
14 November 1799 VS 1856 Virpur, Virpur-Kherdi State |
| Died | 23 February 1881 (aged 81) VS 1937. Virpur, Virpur State, British India |
| Spouse(s) | Virbai Thakkar |
| Children | Jamnaben |
| Parent(s) | Pradhan Thakkar, Rajbai Thakkar |
| Website | www.santjalaram.in |
Jalaram Bapa (Gujarati: જલારામ બાપા) popularly known as Bapa (Gujarati: બાપા) (14 November 1799 – 23 February 1881) was a Hindu saint from Gujarat, India. He was born on 14 November 1799, one week after the Hindu festival of Diwali, which is associated with his Iṣṭa-devatā Lord Rama.
Jalaram Bapa was born in Virpur, Rajkot district, Gujarat, India in 1799, on the seventh day of the 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.
Jalaram Bapa was however not willing to live an householder's life and continued to take care of his fathers business. 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.
At the age of sixteen, in 1816, Jalaram married Virbai, the daughter of Pragjibhai Thakkar (Somaiya) of Atkot. 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.
At the age of 18, soon after returning from pilgrimage to Hindu holy places, Jalaram Bapa became the disciple of Bhoja Bhagat of Fatehpur, who accepted him as his disciple. Jalaram was given the "Guru Mantra" (mantra) and japa mala in the name of Rama by his Guru Bhojalram. With blessings of his guru, he started "Sadavrat", a feeding center, a place where all sadhus and saints as well as the needy could have food any time.
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