Vallabh Vidyanagar(VVN): A View From A Distance

Note: This is an old and lost article. Many thanks to Snehalbhai for preserving this and forwarding it to me.

Date: Oct, 31, 2002
“You can take a person out of VVN, but you can’t take out VVN out of a
person.”

Now this sentence may sound a bit familiar to you guys, but ask any VVNite and you will come to know what I’m talking about. This is not just a “home-town love” out of which, I’m writing this article, but I have seen enough examples of the persons who have lived in VVN even for a short-time, but coulnd’t forget the time they enjoyed in VVN.

“Vibrant” is the first word coming out of my mind when I think about VVN. Now, non-VVNites will ask, what makes VVN so pulsating ? Well, keep reading coz you are about to discover the liveliness of VVN.

VVN is a reality, once dreamed by Legends like Sardar Patel and Bhaikaka. Architecturally well-planned, VVN was orginally conceived as a “Vidya-dhaam” ( an education center ). Here is a partial list of schools and collges VVN have:

1. Hiraba Bal-Mandir
2. M.K. Primary school ( Makki )
3. G.J.Sharda Mandir ( GoJo)
4. English Teaching School (ETS)
5. I.B.Patel School
6. M.U.Patel Technical School (MU)
7. T.V.Patel Arts and Commerce School
8. RPTP Science School
9. Home Science School
10.BJVM Commerce college
11.N.V.Patel Arts College
12. BVM Engineering College
13. Pramukh Swami Medical College
14. Architecture College
15. G.H.Patel Engineering college
16. MBA College
17. Kala Kendra
18. V.P.Science College
19. Numerous Post Graduate schools in the fields of Science, Medical,
Technology, Arts, Sports and commerce.

The discussion on the courses offered by these schools is really an out of scope of this article. In short, if you are born in VVN, right from your KG to Doctorate, you are guaranteed to have an educational institute of your choice.

Such a diversified educational center will definately create a new wave of educated and literate “immigrants” from neighbouring villages, towns and even states. In this scenario, industrial and business development is bound to flourish. Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation(GIDC) is just few KMs away from VVN which has become an essential component in the development of Gujarat State. One can find products ranging from a 0.5mm diameter iron ball to gigantic crane.

Despite much industrial development, one cannot find much cleaner environment in any other city of the whole state, than that of VVN. Properly planted green trees, balance the fragile eco-system. The city administration is vigilant enough to “maintain” the environmental profile.

Because of the education, people are very well aware of their rights and responsibilites. The city administration is bound to provide the best human living condition to it’s residents. Compared to any other cities, VVN has steady suppy of all basic necessities like drinking water, medical facilities, electricity, garbage removal system, roads and railway.

The down-town is divided in two parts- Mota Bazar and Nana Bazar. Take a walk on the narrow roads of nana-bazaar or enjoy the openness of Mota Bazaar, you will come across a variety of the businesses. Co-operative Milk Dairy, books stores, special shops for shoes and footware, small tea ‘ laaris’, music shops, paanwallas, food stores, grocessary stores, food clubs, private education classes, driving schools, ice-creame parlours, theators and many more. Evenings in VVN are really colorful and charged as students from all over the state, roam around.

Hungry at very early hours in the morning ? No problem – go to “Chamunda” and have a masala-tea with your choice of break-fast of Bataka-pau (with Ratlami Sev as a topping), bread-butter or toast-biscuit. While roaming around in the city, take a bite of “Aadarsh na Gota” ( its chutney is really-really tasty ) or “Yogesh or Gayatri na Khaman” or “Everfresh na puff”. OR how about a fruit-dish or fruit juice at “Saurastra Juice” ? Well, if you don’t like the environment at “Saurastra Juice”, you always find a “mobile” fruit-store of Shanakaka, mostly stationed near Sardar Statue. Wait wait..I’m coming down to pau-bhaji, yaar ! Eat the lip smacking, hot pau-bhaji at Mistry’s or Nylon’s, and I guarantee, you will require a nice, sweet, cold ice-creame of ‘Satya Narayan’ after that. South indian food is not left behind, my friends.. “Nityanand” is right there in Mota bazaar to serve you. ‘Avre’, ‘Avkul’,'Gold Coin’, ‘icy-spicy’ or ‘Swagat’ restaurants are there to cater people having sophisticated taste. Oh, fed up of same-old-ostensible-setup of the a/c restaurants ? Why don’t you jump out on a bazaar road to enjoy “pani-puri” of any “bhaiyaji” ( Hey, ever wondered how that bhaiyaji keeps count of pani-puri eaten by each individual customer and serving them – atleast 4 to 6 in numbers – at the same time ? ). I know, after eating so much, your tummy is bound to poke out. Why don’t you just eat “shingoDa” paan at Sahjanand or Patel ?

Residents of VVN seem to be enjoying not only the money and education, but all other major components of life. For example, festivals, arts, music, sports etc. The best time any one can have is during ‘Navratri’. Keeping the traditions intact, every year, many local artists and groups shine out with very different innovations in the Garba-raas. Diwali, Holi and other festivals are also fun to celebrate. ‘Shastri Medan’ is an epicenter of all sports related activities. Cricket, being a popular game in india, is widely played in ‘Shastri Medan’. At the same time, all other indoor and outdoor games are also well-encouraged. ‘Shastri Medan’ is the place where you will find Ramesh Uncle, aged 62, taking an early morning walk and Montu, aged 8, practing his karate lessons in the evening.

In the comparatively civilized culture of VVN, not only materialistic developments got importance, but religion has also esteemed to balance to human life. “Om-kareshwar Mahadev” – popularly know as “mahadev” is a central hindu temple where all the religious festivals are celebrated with overwhelming participation of the public. Swaminarayan, Jain temple and few other temples are also conviniently located to meet the people’s religious
needs.

Eat “Purohit ni Khichdi” or enjoy the rain on Anand-VVN road; play street cricket in a hot summer or experience an unity with omnipotent in quiteness of ISKON temple; discuss everything from politics to spirituality with a group of friends making a cricle on the bikes or simply nurture the zeel of your artistic side – whatever you do in VVN, the bottom line is, you have FUN. Slowly but surely, the VVN will become your LIFE as essential as breathing, if you live there. What will remain, if you dare to take out a LIFE out of a person, hmmm ?