L i f e : 1933 - 1940 |
1933 :
Bombay
(now Mumbai)
Flora Fountain |
Victoria Terminus |
Gateway of India |
|
Moved to
Bombay
(now
Mumbai)
April 23, 1933
While the elder children Mahendra and Indu moved along with him,
the twins --- Mastan and Nanak --- were put in
the care of
his elder brother Lalchandbhai and sister-in-law Godavariben at Calcutta (now
Kolkota).
|
some of his
relations, friends and acquaintances at Bombay |
Desai-nee Waadi, Ghatkopar
his house
|
Dr. Vrajlal
Dharamchand
Meghani
Meghani's cousin,
a selfless Doctor with a missionary spirit,
and a Writer too in his own right |
Devotional
Song
A grief-stricken and
subdued
Meghani
sadly sang during his address
at the mammoth meeting held
to mourn the death of Dr. Vrajlal
Meghani |
He was most
brutally killed
during the 1947
communal riots in Bombay as he was coming out of his office,
where
he devotedly worked as Municipal Medical Inspector for 21 long years. |
He was often advised not to venture into the rather unsafe area his office was located in during such disturbed days.
He, however, continued to report for duty, as regularly as ever, saying :
'I have done no harm to anybody. Why should someone think of harming me?' |
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Dahanukar Building,
Kalbadevi Road
his house |
Durlabhji Umedchand
Parikh
Gandhian, Social worker
and a successful Businessman |
Rasiklal Parikh
his younger brother |
. Meghani was fairly close to
the Parikhs and stayed at their home for a while. |
His wife Vijayaben introduced
Meghani to Chitradeviben
and
subsequently got them married. |
Meghani, in his last novel
Kaalchakra, on which he was still
working when he prematurely died,
created characters one might feel tempted to
trace to the Parikhs,
the dynamic and powerful Vijayaben being more easily detectable ! |
It was as a mark of his appreciation
for such qualities of Vijayaben that Meghani had earlier dedicated his novel Tulseekyaaro to her. |
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'Keshav Kunj', Ghatkopar
his house
|
Durlabhji Keshavji Khetani
Gandhian, Freedom-fighter,
Philanthropist,
Educationalist,
Jain Scholar, World Traveller,
and owner of Textile mills |
during Aarazee Hakumat
|
He was the Deputy Prime Minister
in
Aarazee Hakumat (Lok-sena
: People's Army) formed to liberate Junagadh,
which was ruled by Nawaab Muhammad
Mahabat Khan III at the time of the Partition of India
and was making moves to accede to Pakistan. |
Meghani's son Mahendra
later married Nirmala, daughter
of
his younger brother Nanalal. |
|
Nagindas Mansion, Babulnath |
Dr. Bhanurai Prabhashankar Shukla |
Dr. Bhanurai and Meghani |
He was Meghani's neighbour at Nagindas
Mansion (now Rambha Bhavan), 2nd Dady Seth Cross Lane, Babulnath.
|
He and his wife Prabhalaxmiben
took care of Meghani's children --- Mahendra and Indu --
especially when Meghani was hard-pressed after Damayantiben
passed away. |
Incidentally, his elder brother Himmatlal Shulka, was a renowned barrister
who handled -- and won for Meghani -- the well-known
Phulchhab Cartoon Case. |
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then |
now |
Meghani often visited
Asiatic Library
at Fort
to look for references for his research
work in folklore. |
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1933 :
Meeting Rabindranath Tagore
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(1861-1941) |
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Around the end of
1933 Tagore was in
Bombay
(now Mumbai).
Nandalal Bose, the great artist who was a
close colleague of Tagore and who earlier had happened to listen to Meghani
rendering Gujarati folk-songs, prevailed upon Tagore that he find time
to listen to this literature of Gujarat.
Through Nandababu's courtesy Meghani was taken to the place where Tagore stayed by two Gujarati disciples
of Tagore ---
Bachubhai Shukla and Pinakin Trivedi -- at the appointed time
7.30 in the
morning.
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Meghani
rendered songs
which were warmly appreciated by Tagore. |
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Just as the encounter between the
two was peaking -- in terms of interest as well
as intimacy -- rushed in a hurricane called
Sarojini Naidu, the fiery poet who was next
in the beeline of visitors waiting for an audience with Tagore.
Quickly realising the situation, she turned back, saying :
"Not having the heart to disturb an engagement in such
a full bloom, I withdraw in favour of Meghani."
So impressed was Tagore at the end that he extended an invitation
to Meghani to visit Santiniketan.
"Much as I wish," Tagore said, "to
visit Gujarat again, I am afraid I won't be able to make it. Why not, then,
you come over to Santiniketan ?
We shall compare notes and publish jointly English translation of selected things.
Do therefore come.
But, yes, in winter --- not summer when the heat is scorching over there."
The meeting eventually lasted almost four times as much.
|
Artist Jagdeep
Smart
|
Immediately
after the meeting,
Tagore assigned Nandababu himself
to go to Meghani and formally extend to him
an invitation to visit Santiniketan. |
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Nandalal Bose
(1883-1966) |
Sarojini Naidu
(1879-1949) |
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1934
: Kasumbi-no Rang
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1934 :
Janmabhoomi
Meadows Street
then |
|
Janmabhoomi Marg
now |
|
Janmabhoomi
daily was launched
at Mumbai by
Amrutlal Sheth.
Meghani was invited to join it from the very first day and
asked to develop a literary column.
Joined
Janmabhoomi on
June 9, 1934
|
He named the literary
column as
Kalam ane Kitaab.
The column aimed at persuading the common people to participate in discussing literature,
considered till then the domain of a few scholars.
It was altogether a new concept in literary-column writing which soon became so
popular.
|
at his desk
|
Sorath, Taaraa Vahetaa Paanee
His path-breaking novel was
first serialised in Pravasi, the
weekly edition of Janmabhoomi.
|
his
Colleagues |
Bapalal Doshi |
Shantilal
Shah |
Shamaldas
Gandhi |
|
Letter-head
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Meghani observes |
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Nostalgic Memories |
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1934
Married
Chitradevi
of Nepal
origin
July 13, 1934
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Church Road, Ville Parle (west) |
with Family
clock-wise from top left
wife
Chitradevi,
son
Mahendra,
daughter
Indu,
twin
sons
Nanak and
Mastan |
|
He started living at Church Road, Ville Parle (west), and ensured the twins, Mastan-Nanak, joined him rightaway.
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1934 :
K C Dey
Manna Dey
who took up the torch from his illustrious uncle |
|
KC as an actor
with K L Saigal, Uma Shashi in
Dharti Mata (1938) |
Krishna Chandra (K C) Dey
(1893-1962)
Famous blind Singer,
Composer and Actor
from Bengal |
Jitubhai Mehta, a writer and friend of
Meghani, once took him toSagar Film Company
at Bombay (now Mumbai)
to put him face to face with
the famed
blind Bengali Singer Krishna Chandra Dey
who was then a guest there.
(
KC, as he was fondly known, had, as a child, a passion for kites
and
so tragically had lost his eyesight, flying kites in dazzling
sunlight )
After exchanging pleasantries with him Meghani got going, reciting some of his
songs --- especially folk songs.
Springing to his feet in sheer excitement KC shouted out --- in
Hindi :
"Meghaniji, I feel as if I am able to sight you unmistakably
: you have large blood-red eyes .... curly locks of long, lovely hair ..."
What a vivid description of Meghani as visualised by KC
with his extinguished eyes ! Meghani stood stunned.
Approaching him in slow paces, KC held his hand and sighed :
"I had yearned to have you in my eyes. But, alas, it will now
be your voice, instead, which my ears will treasure for ever."
Meghani identified himself more as a singer than as a
poet.
No wonder, therefore, that he could understand KC better.
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Memorable
Movies
he savoured
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1936
|
On learning that the crisis cropped up at
Phulchhab was likely to result in its closure,
thereby jeopardizing lives of over a 100 families
of those working there,
Meghani rushed back to Ranpur and took charge.
Rejoined Phulchhab
on
November 21, 1936
|
his editorial
|
A man of his sensitivity, Meghani got interested in, and responded to, almost everything
he came across.
As an editor he got moved even by an apparently insignificant thing that would normally
escape the attention of others.
With a remarkable regularity he would then tell his colleagues :
Aa To, Bhai,
Lakhava Jevu ! (Oh, this is just the thing we would do well to
take up !) |
Editing, he
would always say, was more of a teamwork. |
He treated
never as subordinates, nor even as colleagues, but like brothers, all his co-workers.
|
His
editorial colleagues, out of their love and respect for him, called him
'Bapu'. |
|
his
Colleagues |
Niranjan Varma |
Jaymal Parmar |
Maganlal Satikumar |
the Ni-Ja-Ma trio
|
Mohanlal Dave |
Babubhai Vaidya |
Vajubhai Vyas |
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Keshavlal Dwivedi
`Shani' |
Maneklal Dave |
Jhalubha Jhala |
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Letter-head
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Botad Railway Station
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Train at Botad Railway Station |
Ranpur Railway Station |
Commuted by
train between Botad,
his home town,
and work-place
Ranpur
where he edited
Phulchhab
|
He took the
early morning Fast Passenger train leaving Botad at around 6 o'clock and reaching
Ranpur in an hour or so.
To return home he travelled by the same train which, on its return journey, would
touch Ranpur at about 8 in the evening. |
As he called
it a day and left his office to walk down to Ranpur station to catch this train,
some of his colleagues and friends would join him to have an opportunity to listen
to him chat informally with them on the way. |
The train,
notorious for running late, would, more often than not, give them further time to
have a 'sitting session'
on the empty benches on the platform of the station !
When the train at last arrived, the guard Natubhai would often extend its halt there
to join the fun ! |
In case the
train was running too late, the Station Master would even inform Meghani about its
expected arrival
to enable him to leave his office late accordingly if he chose to do so. |
He occasionally
travelled sitting in the Guard's cabin. |
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He also restarted his household at Botad.
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then |
now |
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Well at Taadhaa-nee
Vaadee
where the family went
to take bath and wash clothes |
|
Lakhubhai Shah (Bhalani)
a leading resident of Botad and Meghani's close friend |
Lakhubhai ... |
... and his vivacious wife
Jituben |
|
Room (in the left corner)
the two friends chatted for hours together |
Lakhubhai's House
Meghani visited
frequently |
Easy Chair
Meghani's favourite seat in the house |
|
Water Pool
Meghani's favourite cooling spot |
Lakhubhai's Farm
Meghani visited with his family |
Jaamun
Tree
underneath which Meghani rested |
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Hathibhai Khachar
Meghani's loyal, humble helper
and a milkman by profession |
Bhikhabhai Bathwar
Shoeshine
at Botad Railway Station |
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1938 :
Samaraangan (The Battlefield)
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1938 |
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A book based
on the fierce battle that was fought in 1591
A.D. --
Vikram Samvat 1648 at
Bhuchar Mori, on the outskirts of Dhrol, near Rajkot,
between the forces
of
Jam Sataji, the ruler of Nawanagar state, and
Mirza
Aziz Kokah,
the Suba (Governor) of
Emperor Akbar at Gujarat. |
Nahnoo Muzafar Shah
III, the
Sultan
of Gujarat, having lost the battle against Akbar,
was seeking asylum from princely states. |
Jam
Sataji offered him asylum. |
Akbar, angered by what he took it as his insult,
deputed Aziz Kokah with choicest warriors, weapons
and infantry to capture Muzafar
alive. |
Not
the one to yield to the Aziz Kokah's pursuations or temptations, or bend before his threats,
Jam Sataji remained determined on protecting Muzafar true to his Rajput
Dharma (tradition). |
In the inevitable
battle that followed, thousands laid down their lives, fighting valiantly for a
cause. |
It is said
that, at the end of the battle, the blood from the bleeding bodies flowed almost
as a river and
changed altogether the colour of the earth over there to bleeding red as it is found
even today. |
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The
Royal Emblem
of Nawanagar |
Jam Sataji
Vibhaji Rawalji Jadeja |
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Jalaluddin
Muhammad
Akbar |
The Mughal
Flag |
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Meghani goes emotional about his creation
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The Memorial raised at the Battlefield |
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Paaliyaa
(memorial stones)
planted in honour of those who fell fighting
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Kumar Ajaji Sataji Jadeja |
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his Shrine |
crown prince
Kumar Ajaji (left)
and his wife Surajkunwarba
(right) |
A painting
on the wall showing Ajaji
attacking Kokah with a spear |
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An old
Edict briefly depicting his sacrifice |
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Kumar Ajaji, the brave son of Jam
Sataji, on learning about the battle,
left midway his ongoing marriage ceremony
and rushed to the battlefield along with around
500 friends and guests of his who
were in the marriage party.
He fought fiercely only to fall in the end.
Although her marriage was not fully solemnized when
Kumar Ajaji thus left abruptly,
the bride, nevertheless, insisted on commiting
Sati, self-immolating herself with the head of her beheaded husband in her lap. |
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Jesaji
Vazeer |
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Elderly adviser and close confidant
of Jam Sataji,
he lead from the front and fought relentlessly till his last breath. |
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Nag Vazeer |
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A
Duha praising him
|
son of Jesaji Vazeer and childhood
friend of
Kumar Ajaji
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Even after both his arms
got chopped
off, he continued to hit, with the stumps of his mutiliated hands,
the
Mughal generals seated atop
the elephants
till he finally fell. |
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Nagda Bawo
and his disciples |
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He, along with his team of
over
1000 disciples, was returning from a pilgrimage
to Dwarka
when he saw the
grim battle being
wildly waged before his very eyes.
Greatly moved, they could not but
plunge -- and, alas, perish. |
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Maheramanji Dungarani, Dahya Lodak and
Bhanji Dal were the other close aides of Jam Sataji who gave up their lives. |
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The
other Rajput clans who too fought
in alphabetical order
- left to right, top to bottom |
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Baraiya |
Bhati |
Bundela |
Chandela |
Chauhan |
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Chavda |
Dabhi |
Devda |
Dhadhal |
Dodiya |
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Gaud |
Gohil |
Hada |
Jadav |
Jethwa |
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Jhala |
Kachhwaha |
Khichi |
Mori |
Nimbad |
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Padhiyar |
Parmar |
Rathod |
Sankhla |
Singhal |
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Sisodiya |
Sodha |
Solanki |
Vadher |
Vaghela |
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Vaja |
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Vala |
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Paaliyaa
standing in
salute to
those
who fought and died unknown
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Bhootnath Mahadev |
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The Shiva
Temple built by Jam Vibhaji II
when
he revived the old site some 150 years ago |
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Haziro |
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A mausoleum in memory of the Muslim soldiers killed
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Old Paintings of the action |
A sketch
from the book `Yaduvanshprakash' written
by Mavdanji Bhimji Ratnu, the
Rajkavi of Jamnagar state |
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A part of the
huge 18-feet-long and 2-feet-wide 1890 A.D. scroll painting, done in Kamagari
style by Kadia Madha Kachra in 1890
and
preserved and displayed at Archaeology Musuem in Lakhota Fort
at Jamnagar,
shows the battle being fiercely fought. |
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1938 : 5th
Akhil Hind Chaaran Sammelan,
Rajkot
Artist
Shashi Parmar |
May 21-22-23, 1938
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as many as
400
well-known
Chaarans -- many
of them
Kaviraj of princely states -- from
Kathiawar,
Kutch, Gujarat, Rajputana (Marwar, Mewar, Jaipur),
Malwa, Central Province, Sindh
attended
the prestigious meet.
|
President
Thakur Kesari
Singh Sauda
(1872-1941)
Rajkavi
of Rajputana
|
Hosts
left to right
T N Dave MA, PhD (Principal,
Dharmendra College)
Ramdan Kesarbhai Taapariya (Hebatpur)
Chhelbhai Dave
(The Brave Policeman) |
President - Chaaran Hit Vardhak Sabhaa
Tharanbhai Madhubhai
Mahedu
(1879-1954)
Rajkavi of Vala-Vallabhipur |
the well-known
Chaarans who were also present |
Shankardan Jethibhai Detha
(1892-1972)
Rajkavi of Limbdi
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Meghanand Khengarbhai Leela
(1861-1944)
Chhatrawa, District
Porbandar
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Mavdan Bhimji Ratnu
(1892-1984)
Rajkavi of Jamnagar
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Kanji Gagubhai Leela
(1903-1973)
Sanali, District Amreli
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Dula Bhaya Kag
(1903-1977)
Majadar,
District Amreli
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Merubha Meghanand Gadhavi
(1906-1977)
Chhatrawa, District Porbandar
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Khetsinh Narayanji Misan
(1908-1974)
Modhera,
District Mehsana |
Hardan Pingalshibhai Narela
(1908-1966)
Rajkavi of
Bhavnagar |
Pingalshi Parbatji Payak
(1908-1987)
Lodrani, District Kutch |
Invited onto the dias, Meghani started off with a
Marwaari song and then went on to speak
for the next one and a half hours, holding the august audience spellbound all the while. |
excerpts from
his speech
|
As Meghani completed his address, the Rajkavi
of Limdi, Shankardan Detha,
sprang on his feet, approached Meghani,
hugged him affectionately, and said
:
"Meghani ! Kaljug
(Kaliyug), they say, has already set in. I now feel convinced
it indeed has.
How come, otherwise,
this could happen :
A
Vaaniyo (Bania) goes on unfolding and
interpreting
Charanee literature,
quoting from
it copiously and extempore for one and a half hours; and
we, hundreds of Chaarans, called
Deviputras
(Sons of the Goddess),
sit listening to him, silent and sheeplike, all along, hypnotized so much so that
we forget to rekindle our extinguished Hookahs
inbetween !"
The tongue-in-cheek comment of Shankardanji sparked off a loud, hearty laughter
amongst the audience.
Meghani's humble reply was :
"I am just a
Postman"
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Distinguished
Chaarans on the dias |
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seated --
left to right
Nathubhai, Meghanandbhai standing -- left to right
Narandan, Dolatdan
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Dula Kag, Merubha and others |
left to right
Jogidan and Hardan Narela
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Chaarans |
Chaarans
from
Marwaar
having higher education -- BA, LLB |
Chaarans |
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Chaaran Volunteers |
Evening Daayaro
Persuasive Presentation by |
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Merubha |
Dula Kag |
Khetsinh |
the trio sang in praise of
Mahatma Gandhi |
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Jhaverchand Meghani
|
Rajkavi
Mavdan Ratnu
recited Brahmanandji's
'Harihar Aj Her Her, Vikasat
Soor Ber Ber
Faragat Ghat Fer Fer, Natawar Naache' |
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Rajkavi
Hardan Narela
recited a poem
'Chaarano Kevaa Hataa' |
Master Vasant
'Meree Maataa
Ke Sar Par Taaj Rahe' |
Kavi Tribhuvan Vyas
recited his poem
'Dhanya Ho Dhanya Sauraashtra
Dharanee' |
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