Natasha Patel Nema says the late author’s seven-volume autobiography has changed her forever and given her direction.
Veteran Gujarati author Pannalal Patel’s granddaughter Natasha Patel Nema has translated a few stories from the author’s seven-volume of popular stories Jindagi Sanjeevani.
It started as a book of photographs, but as Natasha sifted through her grandfather’s work, it changed her perspective of life, leading her to select 11 stories for translation for a generation that would lose out on Pannalal’s work due to the language barrier. The book is titled, ‘Finding Gattu—the compelling journey of Pannalal Patel’
“I was so inspired, it helped me find my path and calling. I felt compelled to pen it down in English so it could reach more people and help them as well,” Natasha says.
“All the stories that have made the cut to this book are the ones that affected me. But the most heart-warming story was that of Gattu and Reva. Gattu met Reva when the plague hit city schools and Gattu had to return home to his village. Their love was nothing short of love like that of Radha-Krishna. I never imagined that such love existed on earth, here in my family, my grandfather’s life,” Natasha says.
For the author, this was perhaps the purest form of love, where the partners only wanted to see the other person happy without possessing each other. “They loved each other for the sake of only LOVE. It took time for me to understand this kind of love. They both knew from the beginning that they will never be together, as a couple, but they were still together, that kind of mature love seldom exists,” she muses.
It even took time for Natasha to let go of her belief in science and have faith in the Almighty. “It was during my pregnancy,” said Natasha. She continued, “Doctors advised bed rest and asked me to be prepared for the worst. My grandfather Gattu believed in Mother Mira, from Pondicherry. And because her photo was in our house, I would, as a ritual, light a diya at the foot of the frame. But this ritual turned into my life’s turning point.”
As soon as the doctors gave their verdict, Natasha thought of Gattu, and like him, she left it all on the almighty and the Divine Mother from Pondicherry. Natasha stayed calm and trusted in the Divine Mother. She was going to have the baby, and she did! “My son came after a full term, weighing 3.5 kgs, which I don’t think would have happened without me knowing Gattu’s story and his recovery (Pannalal was diagnosed with TB and repeated medications and treatments did not give me the relief. Till he visited Ashram and the Divine Mother from Pondicherry and submitted himself to his faith on the Divine Mother’s blessings),” she said.
Gattu’s relationship with Hira Maa, his mother, his unconditional love for her and Hira Maa’s sole focus of life on her children have helped Natasha strengthen her ties right from birth with her son Kabir. “Even Vali Maa, my grandmother, dedicated her life to her children,” said Natasha.
Today Natasha lives her life as per Divine Mother’s blessings, just like Pannalal. She has surrendered to her. “I don’t use my intellectual mind anymore. It was faith and the Divine Mother who brought me to Reshma Jain who is the editor of my book, at the right time. Reshma too got attached to Gattu’s story and came on board. I am sure the book will find its course, this is how Pannalal thought and I have learned this from him,” said Natasha.
About the artwork:
The multi-faceted Priya Pereira designed the book and the artwork on its cover page. As per Natasha, it was an intuitive connection—from Pannalal Patel’s lowest point in life, when he had to pick up the broom–to penning his first article in PhoolChhab. His literary writing changed his life for good.
About the film “Uljhan”:
The 1942 film ‘Uljhan’, was based on Pannalal Patel’s book Malela Jeev. Natasha had seen the film as a teen. She has mentioned the film and her grandfather’s struggles behind the film in the book in Chapter 9, Bombay Diaries.
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