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Grace
Personified
M y first meeting with Shri Kumarpalbhai was quite chancey and an interesting one. I had gone to his residence with a view to purchase a set of books written by his father Shri Balabhai alias Shri Jaybhikhkhu. While guiding me as to how to go about it, Shri Kumarpalbhai was grace personified. That was almost three and a half decades ago.
Since then, of course, too much water has flown below the bridge. And then came a 'Pitt the Younger' on the scence, if I may use the analogy. This similie is not fully correct though. For this here Pitt has far more outgrown all the expectations. Ravindranath Tagore had a son who was extremely promising. In fact, Tagore was looking forward to be overtaken by him. That was not destined, unfortunately. The son died while still in his youth. Otherwise it was an appropriate case of 'Shisyen Parajay Ichhayet'. In fact, Balabhai has been both happier and luckier in this respect.
My younger son had the pleasure of studying along with the elder son of Shri Kumarpalbhai. This also provided me an opportunity to know the family more closely.
Prafull Bakeri
394
