Manu My Dad — The Heroic Struggle of an Ordinary Life
Hello, Readers. Welcome to the third blog from ‘ Circle of Life` Category. Today is one of my seven wonders was born. Today is the birthday of my loving dad, Bhupendrakumar Suthar aka #rjtBknd & Manu. So, this blog is about himself, our relationship & memories. Do enjoy, learn and share.
My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me. — Jim Valvano
About Manu
I was born on 09/12/1961. At that time, I was being very sick and suffering between life and death. There was a blister in my head. And that is how my childhood started. At Six, I got admitted to pre-school. And in the 2nd standard, my neighbour teacher asked for a bribe to pass me in the exam which we did not give which failed me.
After that from fifth, I got admitted in the best school of Khedbrahma, Sheth Keshavji Thakar. There I studied from fifth to the tenth standard. After giving 10th SSC Exam, I went to my elder brother’s house at Navsari, Gujarat. He was in Bank of Baroda at that time. I learned how to repair a radio at Real Radio which located in Bhagal, Surat, Gujarat. I do not remember the duration of the course. After completing it, I started working at Lalvani Radio for the practice. In the meantime, 10th SSC result declared & I failed. And after that, I took Drawing as an extra subject and gave the exam & I passed. After that, I started eleventh from the same school. After the 12th HSC Exam, I went to Nargol, Valsad to study Textile Design for two years. I stayed in a hostel for the first year and in paying guest with my batchmates.
For the training of Textile Design, I went to Ahmedabad’s famous mill, Ahmedabad Cotton Mill in Amraiwadi. During training, I was staying at my sister’s house in Naroda, Ahmedabad and used Cycle for a daily commute. After completing training, I went to Nargol to give final second-year exam & I did well in that. My brother-in-law was working in Ahmedabad and India’s famous Vimal Mill. With his friend’s reference, I got a job as an Artist in Madhu Fabrics named cloth mill which located in Nandasan, in between of Kalol and Mehsana. I rented a room in a nearby village, Laxmipura and I went to my home in Khedbrahma to bring extra luggage and all.
At around 10 PM, I reached Laxmipura after bringing luggage from home. With all luggage, I entered desolated house being very scary. And the room was like one have to enter from the backside to the first floor & there was fodder and to come to the front living room. I worked there were many months. I do not remember the exact numbers.
My two colleagues, Herold Rajpur and Bhogendra Makwana (From Nadiad) came to Surat to try their luck. They started working in one mill in Surat and also called me there after some time. We were sharing a room with their friends in Rander Housing Board, Rander, Surat. I started working in Private Firm & after that, I went to the famous Dada Mill located on Udhana Road, Surat. And after that, I worked in many mills in Surat. And in around 2006–07, Embroidery market started to emerge in Surat. So, I began to work in Embroidery and have experience of working in many firms.
At retiring age, I am working in Embroidery firm in Gothan, Surat from last six years.
Tale of Manu
Daddies don’t just love their children every now and then, it’s a love without end. — George Strait
My nature was the biggest obstacle to my success. My character is more or less similar to my dad. He was speaking not much & that culture came to me and made me speaking less. There is one proverb in Gujarati, “બોલે તેના બૉર વેચાય” and one in English, “First Impression is the last impression”. I failed to give this impression and cost me much in my wealth.
When my first job started in Madhu Fabrics, my salary was INR 400 & the rent of the room was INR 30. That 400 was much enough to live in that period. When I started my job in a private firm in Surat, my salary was INR 800 & I was paying my bills by myself. In the beginning, we, friends, were making a meal by ourself & after that, we started taking meal in household lodge. After working there was some time, I started working as an Artist in a private firm in Patel Nagar AK Road (Ashwanikumar Road) of one of my relative with a salary of INR 1300.
At that time, I was staying with my family in Amroli, Surat and to go to Patel Nagar I used Tapi Railway Bridge. I heard that Gandhiji used this bridge for Dandi March. When I started my job in Dada Mill, my salary was INR 5000 and rent for the room was INR 800. We were paying our bills from that and with savings from that I bought Bajaj Super Scooter in cash for INR 25000. At that time, my daughter was around 2–3 years old & Ramayan broadcasted on TV. Neighbours were not letting her watch the same. So on an immediate basis, we bought Sharp Colour TV for INR 16000 in cash. Till 2019, it was working without any fault.
While doing jobs in famous mills of Surat, there was hike and drop in my salaries. Like this, I worked till 2006 and after that in Embroidery firms. There was one time when I was working in one firm from 6 AM to 9 AM, another firm from 10 AM to 5:30 PM and after that two hours in another firm. I was reaching my home at 10 PM. I was earning well at that time as I was working in three firms. Right now from the last six years, I am working in the firm located in Gothan, Surat and getting good pay there.
Author and Manu
A son can change his father from being selfish to selfless.
We do not share many moments to be nostalgic about but which we share our most nostalgic. Those days of waiting for Saturday to go to school on the scooter! My parents always pushed to study better for a great future. You might get the reason behind that. In 9th standard, exam pattern was like 50% MCQs and 50% Descriptive. In the midterm exam, I scored 28 out of 30 in Maths and below 20 in other subjects. Like all of us, I had to take parents signature on answer sheets. Next day — Saturday, I wake up & got ready to leave. My dad was doing worship at that time. I asked him for signature & the rest you can imagine. That was one of the moments when I grabbed much courage in myself.
And then the result of 10th board exam. I scored 96.07 %tile in the same. The first-ever chick kiss by him will be the pre-eminent & unforgettable moment for myself in my life. And this moment drove me to score 90.25 %tile in the 11–12th board (There was four semesters pattern). Around three years ago, he got admitted to the hospital. In the weekend, I went home from college. I don’t know what happened to me and I could not go to see him. I still feel deeply regret fro that and at the same tile can not understand the vibe. How did that happen to me?
About Manu from Author
Life doesn’t come with an instruction book-that’s why we have fathers. — H. Jackson Browne
He has always been a hard-working person. Always back his family in whichever condition. But people from our family misused his character. From his savings of hard work, he couraged himself and bought a home for our family back in about 1992 in Pandesara, Surat of INR 1,20,000. We sold it out for only INR 40,000. Reason for the same also comprises of bad did of family. He moved on from it and again took courage to buy home. Once again, obstacle from family — there will be a share of five brothers! How can they! He lost token money & we lost our home for life. After that, they never encouraged or showed support for the same.
In 2006, Surat was hit by a big flood in Tapi River & our scooter got damaged being in the water for many days. And we had to sell it in scrap. Then he was using autos and walking to commute and also when he was doing three jobs in a day. After many years of his struggle and encouragement of my warrior, we bought a new bike around seven years ago & it is in a top-level condition right now. We, I and my warrior, never learned a cycle because he felt insecure about the buying cycle. Though both us never blamed him for this. People are to blame! He is the only my inspiration to be an electrical engineer. Although he has less speaking character, he has created many good relations by stepping out of well, Khedbrahma.
I Love You, #rjtBknd.
I hope I can be as good of a father to my son as my dad was to me. — Calvin Johnson
Thank you so much for giving your valuable time. Do share with your connections. 🤗
I would like to thank my backbones Mr Vishvesh Patel and Mr Vandit Mehta for providing their immersive support to this blog. (FYI — 1. Both of them have co-founded Instagram Page — The Solaces. 2. Vandit with his friend, Mahek Sharma, have launched their debut book — In Search of Home — Get your copy now from Amazon)
Do not forget to have a look at his artwork:
Originally published at http://rjtbknd.wordpress.com on December 9, 2020.
