Three contemporary leaders of India, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Vallabhbhai Patel, all became barristers. All three went to London in their time. Back then, one would go to London to study law right after completing matriculation (11th standard). America existed on the map, of course, but India had very little connection with it. India was under the British Empire and naturally, people’s attention and aspirations were directed towards England.
Mohandas, the son of a Diwan, didn’t have to worry about the cost of studying abroad. His father paid for his education and he became a barrister without much difficulty. Later, when a well-known businessman from Porbandar, Dada Abdulla, had a legal case in South Africa, Gandhi went there as an interpreter to translate Dada Abdulla’s Gujarati statements into English for the lawyer.
Jawaharlal was well-known, the son of Motilal Nehru, a wealthy lawyer who was close to British officials. For him, going to London to become a barrister was quite easy.
The third among them, Vallabhbhai, also aspired to become a barrister. But his path in life was much tougher. To complete his matriculation studies, he stayed with his friend Kashibhai in Bakrol. Kashibhai’s wife had passed away, leaving behind a little daughter. Kashibhai had to both prepare for his matric exams and look after the young child as a mother would.
While staying with him, Vallabhbhai not only studied but also helped care for the child, changing her clothes, rocking her to sleep and feeding her milk. Like Kashibhai, Vallabhbhai too developed a deep sense of compassion and affection for children.
Years later, when his own wife, Jhaverba, passed away leaving behind their daughter Maniben and son Dahyabhai, Vallabhbhai drew upon that same experience. He took on both parents’ roles, raising his children with love and care, never feeling the need to remarry. After passing his matriculation, Vallabhbhai went on to qualify as a pleader (lawyer).
In 1900, at the age of twenty-five, he began practising law in Godhra. His elder brother, Viththalbhai, was practising in Borsad. To avoid any rivalry with his elder brother, he chose not to practise in Borsad. He went to Godhra instead.
Within a short time, his law practice flourished in Godhra. To fulfil his dream of becoming a barrister in the future, he began living frugally and saving money for the necessary expenses. Between 1900 and 1905, when the rupee was equivalent in value to the dollar, he managed to save about ten thousand rupees.
This shows that his law practice was doing well. His intelligence, quick thinking and deep knowledge of the law earned him respect even from the judges. It was said that if Vallabhbhai accepted a case, the client was considered as good as won.
He left Godhra and moved to Borsad
In Godhra, Vallabhbhai’s elder brother, Vithalbhai, was practising law. He was very knowledgeable, honest and straightforward, but the local magistrate didn’t like him. Because of this, the magistrate started giving unfair judgments against his clients. As a result, Vithalbhai began losing cases, his clients left him and his reputation suffered.
When Vallabhbhai heard about this, he felt very sad. He left his successful practice in Godhra and went to Borsad to help. Soon, the same magistrate who had troubled Vithalbhai found himself facing a corruption case. Only a lawyer like Vallabhbhai could have helped him, but Vallabhbhai refused to take the case.
Following Vallabhbhai’s plan, the magistrate’s lawyer advised him that Vallabhbhai would never go against his elder brother. “If you want help, ask Vithalbhai to recommend you,” he said. The magistrate then went to Vithalbhai and asked for his support. After that, the harassment stopped and Vallabhbhai had successfully solved his brother’s problem.
He became a Lakshman, a loyal and devoted younger brother
Vallabhbhai left Godhra and came to Borsad for his elder brother, Vithalbhai. Before coming, he had already been corresponding to go to London to become a barrister. He had completed all the necessary preparations and paid the fees. Vallabhbhai was waiting for the admission letter.
Finally, the admission letter arrived in the name of “V. Z. Patel.” It went to Vithalbhai. Since both brothers’ names were written the same way in English, Vithalbhai thought, “So, Vallabhbhai has secretly made all arrangements to go to London and become a barrister!”
When he showed the letter to Vallabhbhai, he said, “This letter is yours; you’ve got the admission. But I want to go. Once I return, you can go anytime you wish. But I don’t think I will get such an opportunity again. It would be good if you let me go instead.” Feeling a deep sense of brotherly devotion, like Lakshman towards his elder brother, Vallabhbhai happily agreed. All of his savings were spent on his elder brother’s expenses for becoming a barrister.
In addition, when Vithalbhai went to England, he took his wife, Diwaliben, along with him. Vallabhbhai’s wife, Jhaverba, often had differences with her sister-in-law, Diwaliben, whose temperament was irritable as she had no children. To avoid conflicts and to ensure Diwaliben didn’t feel offended, Vallabhbhai gently explained to his wife and sent her to her parental home. To support his brother, Vallabhbhai sacrificed all his savings and even his own domestic happiness.
A saintly soul
In 1909, Jhaverba passed away due to an incurable intestinal illness, leaving behind their daughter Maniben and son Dahyabhai. Vallabhbhai was then thirty-three years old. He was a young man of stature and good family background, if he had wished to remarry, many fathers would have felt honoured to have him as their son-in-law. But Vallabhbhai chose instead to dedicate his life entirely to raising his two young children. He lived his whole life with purity and self-discipline, never allowing his name to be linked with any woman.
Can Jawaharlal’s children speak of him with the same pride?
Becoming a Barrister
After spending all his savings on Vithalbhai, Vallabhbhai began living very frugally once again. He earned his livelihood by taking up new and difficult case and winning them. In 1910, he went to London to study and become a barrister. When he arrived at the port of London and got off the steamer, the customs officer found a ball of tobacco used for smoking hookah in his belongings. The British officer asked, “What is this?” With a quick wit, Vallabhbhai replied, “It’s an Indian sweet. You may taste it if you like.” The officer popped a piece into his mouth and Vallabhbhai quietly slipped ahead in the crowd!
Even in London, money was tight. He would travel twenty-two miles daily to and from the library, where he studied, reading the books there or borrowing them, as he couldn’t afford to buy his own. Despite such hardships, he completed his barrister course six months earlier than scheduled, saving six months of living and boarding expenses. On top of that, he even won a prize of fifty pounds. Neither Jawaharlal nor Gandhiji had faced such struggles, nor had they shown such brilliance. Both had studied at their fathers’ expense, yet neither had earned much distinction or success in legal practice.
Returning home and turning to the Nation
In 1913, after becoming a barrister, he returned to India and began living in Ahmedabad to practice law. He took on complicated cases and won them. His elder brother, Vithalbhai, was then practising in Mumbai. Vallabhbhai’s practice prospered greatly.
In 1917, due to excessive rainfall, the farmers of Kheda district lost their crops. Gandhiji, who had returned from South Africa, started a movement to get their land revenue cancelled. Vallabhbhai joined Gandhiji in this struggle, which led him to become involved in the activities of the Congress. In the end, the government had to give in. Gandhiji and Vallabhbhai became the leaders of Gujarat.
After this, from 1917 onwards, Vallabhbhai became active in Ahmedabad’s politics and in the Congress. In 1921, under his leadership, the 37th session of the Congress held in Ahmedabad was a great success. As a result of his excellent organisational skills, the first major public hospital in Ahmedabad, Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital, was established. Later, Vallabhbhai became active in the Ahmedabad Municipality. Around that time, Bhailalbhai Patel, who later founded Vallabh Vidyanagar and became the first opposition leader of Gujarat, was the Chief Engineer of the Sukkur Barrage project in Sindh. Vallabhbhai wrote to him, suggesting that he should come to Gujarat and serve his home state. Bhailalbhai then left Sindh, came to Ahmedabad and became the Chief Engineer of the Municipality. Thus, the foundation of Ahmedabad’s development was laid through Vallabhbhai’s vision.
Becoming the Sardar
During the Bardoli Satyagraha, Vallabhbhai went from village to village in Bardoli. Under the blazing sun, he walked through the farmers’ fields, undeterred by thorns, stones or rough paths. Though he came from the comfortable life of a big city like Ahmedabad, he roamed the countryside fearlessly. His conduct and his words ignited a new spirit among men and women alike. His speeches infused new life and inspired courage.
The late Uttamchand Shah, who preserved his speeches, described them as sharper than arrows and stronger than weapons. They were later published in book form. His words were so powerful that they could breathe life into lifeless bodies.
In one such gathering at the small village of Kharoḍ, the audience was deeply moved by his speech. Overwhelmed with emotion, a farmer named Kunvarji Durlabhji Patel stood up during the address and began walking toward Vallabhbhai, saying with folded hands, “Forgive me, my dear and brave one! You are our Sardar, our leader! You are our blessed Sardar!” Hearing this, the crowd began to chant loudly, “Sardar amara, ame Sardar na!” (“We belong to the Sardar and the Sardar belongs to us!”). The slogan “Jai Sardar!” echoed through the skies.
It was Kunvarji Durlabhji who first addressed Vallabhbhai as Sardar. The title caught on and in a later gathering, Mahatma Gandhi himself declared, “Vallabhbhai is our Sardar.”
