Jalaram Bapa

Jalaram Bapa (4 November 1799 (Samvat 1856) – 23 February 1881 (Samvat 1937), was a Hindu saint from Gujarat, India. He was born on 4 November 1799, 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 his wife Virbai to stay in his house. Due to a miracle the container in the house of Jalaram, where grains were stored, became inexhaustible.

It is believed that once a tailor named Haraji, who was suffering from severe stomach-ache came to him to get himself cured. Jalaram Bapa prayed to God and Haraji was cured. He fell at Jalaram Bapa's feet and addressed him as Bapa. Since then he was known as Jalaram Bapa. Soon his fame spread and people came to him to get rid of diseases and problems. Jalaram Bapa would pray for them in the name of Rama and miracles happened. Both Hindus and Muslims became his disciples. In 1822, Jamal, son of a rich Muslim merchant fell ill and doctors gave up all hope. At that point of time, Haraji, told Jamal of his experience (parcha). Jamal, prayed from his house, that if his son is cured of the disease, he would give 40 maunds of grain to Jalaram Bapa for sadavrat. His son recovered and Jamal visited house of Jalaram Bapa with cart load of grains and called him Jalla so Allah!.

It is said that at one time, God in the guise of an old saint told Jalaram to send Virbai to serve him. Jalaram consulted her and with her consent, sent her with the saint. But after walking some miles and reaching a nearby forest, the saint asked Virbai to wait for him. She waited but saint did not return. Instead, she heard an Akashwani stating that it was only to test the hospitality of the couple. Before the saint disappeared, he left a Danda [staff] and Jholi [cloth bag], with Virbai. Virbai returned home to Jalaram, as instructed by the celestial voice with Danda & Jholi. This Danda and Jholi are still at Virpur and kept on display in a glass enclosure.

Jalaram Bapa died on February 23, 1881, at the age of 81. Some of his devout followers believe that even after his death, Jalaram Bapa would make unusual miracles happen. One of these being that he fed one of his sisters water, a few hours after he died.

Family Jalaram Bapa and Virbai had a daughter named Jamnaben from their marriage. Jamnaben's grandson Harirambhai was adopted by Shri Jalaram Bapa and his direct descendant, Giridhar Bapa and his son Jaisukhram Bapa and Raghuram Bapa now head the gadi of revered Virpur shrine of Jalaram Bapa.

Virpur Virpur was the workplace of Shri Jalaram Bapa. The main shrine of Jalaram Bapa is located at Virpur. The shrine is actually the house complex where Jalaram lived during his lifetime. The shrine houses the belongings of Jalaram and the deities of Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman worshipped by him. It also has on display the Jholi and Danda said to have been given to him by God.

Parchas Devotees of Jalaram believe that if they pray to the saint sincerely, he blesses them and fulfils their wishes. These experiences are known as Parchas. They pray to Jalaram Bapa and if their wish is fulfilled they fast, and visit a temple on Thursday. There are many devotees of Jalaram Bapa who worship him like a God, similar to Sai Baba of Shirdi.

So far, there is only one book written on Shri Jalaram Bapa's Tales of Miracles by Author Chirag Sheth & Yuvraj Sheth, which is available on most online websites.

Jalaram Jayanti Jalaram Bapa's birthday is celebrated on 7th day Shukla paksha of the Hindu month of Kartika as Jalaram Jayanti. It falls on seventh day from Diwali. On this day, devotees are served meal as prasad. There is a huge fair and festival at Virpur on the occasion and millions of devotees visit Virpur, on this day to pay their respect to the saint and have prasad of chiefly khichdi with boondi and the popular farsan item Ganthiya. The Jalaram Jayanti celebrations are also held at all Jalaram temples across India & abroad with festivities, where devotees participate to pay their respects and have prasad.

Temples

One of the famous temple of Jalaram Bapa is Located at a small town named Virpur, 60 kms from Rajkot. People follow good work done by Jalaram bapa here and whole heartedly pray daily in the temple. Trustees made a rule since inception in 1992 to serve all devotees blissful meals as "Prasad" without accepting any offerings by devotees everyday right Jalaram Bapa idol at a temple in Vadodara, dressed in colorful attire on occasion of Jalaram Jayanti holding a danda and wearing a turban. The idol of Jalaram Bapa is shown as a smiling man holding danda and wearing often a white paghadi and white dhoti-kurta. The deities of his patron deities Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman are also mostly found along with his idol. Temples of Jalaram Bapa today can be found in several big & small towns across India. Outside India, his temples are located in East Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America,

In Mumbai, there is a crossroad at Mulund West Colony, called 'Jalaram Chowk'. This chowk is next to Jalaram Darshan.