Jalaram

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Jalaram
Born	November 4, 1799(1799-11-04) Virpur, Gujarat, India
Died	February 23, 1881 (aged 81) Virpur, Gujarat, India
Spouse	Virbai Thakkar
Parents	Pradhan Thakkar,Rajbai Thakkar

Shree Jalaram Bapa was born in Virpur, Rajkot district, Gujarat, India in 1799, on the seventh day of the Kaartika month.

Saint Jalaram was a devotee of Lord Ram.

[edit] Biography

Jalaram Bapa was however not willing to live household life and to continue to do business of his father. 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 Virbaima to stay in his house.

It was obvious that Jalaram Bapa was inclined to completely withdraw from marital life. Fortunately his wife, Virbaima decided to follow the path of Jalaram. So, when Jalaram decided to go for a pilgrimage for holy places like Ayodhya, Kasi, Badrinath and several other sacred places. Virbaima followed him. At the age of 18, Jalaram Bapa accepted Shree Bhojalram from Fatehpur as guru and was given a "Guru Malaa and Mantra" in the name of Shree Ram. 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 during 24 hours. Nobody returned from that place without having food. All this he did single handed with Virbaima assisting him. Soon his fame spread as an incarnation of the divine. Whoever come to Virpur, whether Hindu, Muslim or any Religion was fed by Bapa.

At a time when God himself in dress of Saint said Jalarambapa to donate his wife Virbaima to serve him, after having deep sight in heart Jalarambapa actually donated virbaima(with her concent there to). After reaching somewhere in forest a saint ask virbai ma to wait for him but he never came, it followed by akashwani stating that it was only to taste hospitality of couple, god came, and given a as blessing which today also there in virpur.

This tradition of feeding the people continues even today in Jalaram Main temple in Virpur, Gujarat.

[edit] Jalaram Jayanti

Even today Jalaram's birthday (the seventh day of Kartik month) is celebrated as Jalaram Jayanti. On this day various groups of Jalaram devotees feed the food as prasad. This happens at a lot of Jalaram temples in Mumbai. Jalaram Jayanti also happens to fall on the seventh day after Diwali.