Indian consulate remembers Sardar Valabhbhai Patel in Toronto

The ceremony took place in in the Hindu Cultural Centre, in Mississauga, with the lighting of the lamp.

Over 60 people, mostly adults and seniors,  clad in traditional attire, attended the remembrance celebration.

The Consulate General of India, Toronto, Dinesh Bhatia graced the occasion as the chief guest.  The other notable dignitary was Sharda Behn Patel who was the oldest neighbour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Sam, a young Indo-Canadian, who has been born and raised in Canada, was delegated to give a speech in the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the Indian national language, Hindi. Sam, gathered his interest in Indian politics, soon after Prime Minister Modi came in action in 2014.

Sam described the multifaceted life of Sardar Patel as he was lovingly called in various stages.

The first stage, depicted Patel as a young naughty boy who participated in an agitation against his teacher. His father, JavedBhai Patel took him to Shastriji Maharaj, a reputed scholar of the age, who prophesised that one day he would rule the nation.

In the second stage Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was projected as a lawyer. While fighting his case before the Gujarat court, he received a telegram, but did not react to it. After he won the case, the judge asked him about the telegram. He revealed that the telegram brought the death of his wife.

Everyone was taken aback that the death of a loved one could not deter him from his promised mission of winning for his client. Patel stated that to gain some bigger things for the nation, one must forgo one’s own personal sorrows and happiness.

In the third stage of Patel’s life as described by Sam, when he was in jail, the news of his brother’s death came in. On Gandhi’s request the British authorities agreed to free him for a few hours to attend the last rites of his brother under the condition that Patel will not campaign politically following his release.

But Patel refused the condition stating that he was not a slave of British people. Consequently, Patel was not released from jail to attend to the final cremation ceremony of his brother. For Patel, national security was more than the love for the departed family member.

In the fourth stage of his life, Sam portrayed Patel as a home minister. To Patel, selflessness, religion and the blessings of his Guru (leader) were more important than the materialistic benefits.

Dinesh Bhatia, in his speech mentioned that these teachings of selfless motive are what makes Patel, the Iron man and a great inspiration to the youth of nation not only in India but all over the globe.

He also invited all the people present to join in the celebration of his birthday in the year 2018 in Gujarat.

Bhatia also pitched for ace author Shivbrat Lal Burman’s book named “Rashtra Navnirman ke Mantradata”. He believes the book, available in most libraries in Toronto, will give people a good insight of the leaders of formative India, which also includes Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The event culminated with lip smacking food in the memory of the ace leader of India.

(Reporting and pictures by Asha Bajaj)