MY
REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR OF LIFE
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MY
REFLECTION IN THE MIRIR OF LIFE
Chhe manvi jivan ni ghatmal evi
Dukh pradhan sukh alp thaki bhareli
[ The series of incidents that happens in the life
of every human are such that they bring pains often and happiness seldom…]
In the above stanza, the philosophy of life is well portrayed by famous
poet and gazal lyricist Shri Balshankar Kantharia. The cycle of happiness
and gloominess is on a roll every moment in Human's life. Sometimes only
a short shadow of joy is seen against the mountain of difficulties. The
human life is created such that their mind always keeps themselves in
pains. Sometimes the cause for the pain is some disease or sometimes it's
their progeny; sometimes the reason is monetary and sometimes the reason
for the pain is the lack of understanding between the spouses and in a
way the pains and the wounds that play a vital role in everyone's life.
On one hand, the human is filled with good qualities like love, forbearance,
goodness, philanthropy, trust and on the other hand jealousy, arrogance,
enmity, anger also have grown in the character of a human and for the
same reason, a human acts sweetly as well as bitterly at times.
How someone faces a difficult situation in life is purely subjective.
It largely depends on a person's nature and willpower which differs from
person to person. Some people, who have seen and understood the life closely
know well about the secrets of a happy life. They make the best of everything
they have and can convert their pain into pleasure and their life becomes
a source of motivation and inspiration for everyone. But it simply depends
on how deep a person has strived to know about “the life”.
In the year 1952, when I was studying in 6th grade class, someone recommended
me to read a novel written by Shri R. V. Desai. Those days were not of
the modern lights that illumine with the electricity. They were the days
of oil lamps and lanterns. The novel was finished in just one day almost
without a break. And in a novel was finished in just one day almost without
a break. And in a few days, not even a single novel or story book was
left unread from the public library of Umreth, a small town in Gujarat,
my native place.
It was decided to publish a hand written magazine, “Chirag”
from Umreth, the town I lived in. Articles, poems, stories- only the school
and college students were going to find their place in it and my gut feeling
inspired me to write something thoughtful when I came to know about it.
I prepared one article and one story in a few days time and sent them
to their panel. I was still in school and I thought where my work would
stand when they would compare the same with those from the college students.
And to my pleasure and surprise when the first issue of the magazine “Chirag”
was published, the judges had selected me a winner in the article as well
as the story section and I stood in the first place. And the prizes were
given by Shri Ishvar Patelicar, a noted Gujarati Writer, in a large public
school function. The people from my village began seeing me as an author,
overnight. And I began involved more and more into reading and writing
then usual academic study. I happen to come into contact with Raju Parikh,
my friend, who was a great lover of literature. Together, we translated
some select stories from Hindi and Marathi literature. And our stories
were finding their place in a weekly magazine “VARTA”, which
was published from Mumbai. That was the teenage period of my life. and
it was thrilling to read our names, “Jayanti Dalal, Raju Parikh”,
as authors, again and again. And I can remember well that in those days
I also used to write a column in a weekly 'Minabazar' published from Ahmedabad,
depicting original thoughts, for many months. In 1955, when I was still
in college studying Bachelor of Science, a short novel 'Phool ane Kanta'
was published in “Anand” a weekly from Ahmedabad.
I passed my graduation in 1958 and that was the end of conventional academic
study as I got married in the same year. In 1960 the god almighty sent
me my first son Amit and the complex and intricate phase of life began
then on.
May be disability is the most painful of all pains. It's the war against
life throughout the life. The life of a soul in a disabled body sways
between hopefulness and despondency, achievements and failures, sympathy
and humiliations, ambitions and agonies. And failures, sympathy and humiliations,
ambitions and agonies. And it's not only the disabled infant who undergoes
pain; the pain spreads its shadow onto his parents and everyone close
to that infant.
I still remember every moment of that day of sheer disaster, when the
prominent child specialist Dr. Merchant uttered the havoc creating truth,
in the black and white. I thought as if I am entrapped into a whirlwind
and everything seemed rotating in front of my eyes. Dr. said,
Mr. Dalal, 'I'm sorry to say that your son is suffering with cerebral
palsy. He would not walk.'
'Sir, never would he walk on his own?’
‘No! Only a little can be done with the help of physiotherapy treatments.'
My wife went blank as she heard the same. She almost fainted. It was a
happy occasion for us and for my in-laws to cheer about when Amit was
born and we came to know about his ailment only when he was seven months
old. For us it was like an attack of lightning from the sky on my life
that seemed like a mass on black cloud. We were left with no option but
to pray.
But we didn't loose our heart and began his treatment in an orthopedic
hospital. I believed in the Karma Theory and I knew that it's None but
someone himself who is responsible for everything that happens in one's
life.
I was told that there was no medication for the disease he was suffering
by. But we made every possible effort to support him with good life. We
went with Amit at many places of pilgrimage and tourist interests with
us. We had been to Delhi, Haridwar, Masuri, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar together.
And even today I don't obtain the contentment, unless I take him somewhere
outdoor at least twice, every month.
* * *
I had never thought that my guru and the writer of the popular columinst,
Shri Acharya Amrutlal Yagnic, who had seen my loving liking for literature
during my college days, would opine his feelings with these words.
“I had seen the seeds of literature and science in Jayanti Dalal
during his college days and I feel pleasant when I see today its full
grown plant with blooming flowers on it. Shri Dalal has its full grown
plant with blooming flowers on it. Shri Dalal has achieved these with
the imagination of a creator and accuracy of a scientist. I wish to congratulate
him in particular for bringing new concepts in the field of acrylics.
Though I had chosen science for my conventional academic study, I had
always imagined creating a fusion of the concepts of science and the art
of literature from the early days of my childhood. May be this was the
cause that had pushed me towards the field of science, ignoring Shri Yagnic's
suggestion to take up the field of arts.
In the year 1966, I entered the beautiful world of literature with my
first novel “Tarsi Aankho, Suka Hoth.”. and with some more novels
and short stories, I always dreamt to create a beautiful fusion of science
and literature.
I introduced the new series of acrylic furniture in India with a slogan,
“the industry is for the art and the art is for the industry.”
My ultra modern showroom showing the newly imagined usage acrylics was
inaugurated by the superstar Dilipkumar who had noted: “Striking
innovative endeavor. I like the pieces done on a modernistic line…
my best wishes for their pioneering venture in acrylic furniture.”
The god almighty is really merciful. When Amit was a kid, we used to take
him out to see movies to entertain him and when he grew bigger making
it difficult to carry him, the new drive-in theater started in Bandra.
And when he grew further reaching his teen age, there were Television
and VCR for him.
I have resorted to literature in the moment of difficulties, pertaining
to family or business and this has worked miracle by relieving me of all
my stress. It has already been 50 years in my relationship with “words”.
In response to the novels that were published weekly, I used to receive
a bunch of letters from the readers. And their loving, warm, touching
feedback used to overwhelm me. The finest award for an author is when
his thoughts touch his readers' hearts.
I have always said that one must live a life that would become an inspiration
for someone else. I have been able to meet the difficulties of life and
with the length of life that I've passed so far, I can say with evidence
that it's just because of my deep desires to create the best in the world
of literatures. I have never been felt sad or depressed even in the days
of acute difficulties. I have developed the sense that likes to see the
both, the rising as well as the setting of the sun. I could do and accomplish
the one that was needed to be done and also the one that I always loved
to do.
I believe that the creator has balanced this world by creating two types
of humans. You'll come across some wicked minds and also the holy minds
and every human is filled with vices as well as virtues. We should learn
to see the good part in everyone ignoring the bad part. And that would
smoothen out the path of life.
I feel that it's nothing but the grace of god that I could achieve a leading
name in the field of acrylics and an also have received love from my millions
of readers. I know that all this I could do is solely because of my innate
faith in the god almighty. When I talk to him I tell him, 'You'll be tired,
in sending troubles to me but I won’t in facing them… but I
have to make one request here- don't take away my forbearance.'
For every author, his assets are the love that he acquires from his readers
and I am really wealthy that way.
Have you ever seen a lady who had shared the food in one plate with her
disabled offspring for more than 44 years!? She knew that her bosom is
the place for her weaker offspring where he would always feel safe. And
I also would like to declare one secret here at this point of my life
to all of you. It's the love and support of my wife that has always infused
immense strength in me. I couldn't have done anything in life without
her support.
I believe that it's the God, Christ or Prophet who has come to our home
in the form Amit. And I'm going to worship the god I believe in till the
end of my life by taking every care of Amit.
For me, 'acrylic' is my heart and 'literature' is my oxygen. I pray the
goddess Sarswati to enable me to 'write' till the end of my life…
and this is my art desire.
- Jayanti M. Dalal.
(Translated : Sandeep Doshi)
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