The Institute of Youth Development, Bhuj-Kutch has taken up a giant stride in publishing a booklet – “Ishvar Parmar – The Multi-dimensional Creator”/ “ઇશ્વર પરમાર – બહુઆયામી સર્જક” – to document briefly the literature of Dr. Ishvar Parmar – a dedicated teacher and a versatile literary personality. There cannot be any debate on the utility of such a booklet in terms of critically documenting the literary contribution of likes of Dr. Ishvar Paramar. The simple looking task certainly assumes far greater significance when viewed in terms of catalytic role such booklets can play in acting as bridge between otherwise distant reader and the ‘the creator working form a corner’. It is indeed an act of great service.
Born in Reha, Kutch on 6th October, 1941 to Shri Damajibhai Paramar and Smt. Ramkunvarben Paramar, Dr. Paramar has settled in Dwarka in the dedicated pursuit of his chosen profession of the teacher. The family was in the business of farming, small time trading and construction contractors, but Dr. Paramar was destined to become a dedicated teacher. Early schooling in Kutch and then in Mumbai [Bombay, in those days] ,therefore did not stop at graduation in Economics, but went on to additional education by way B.Ed. (Gujarati-Hindi) to further M.Ed. and M.A. (Hindi). His wife, Smt. Artiben was also a teacher and so are the two daughters.
The subject of his doctorate thesis – Review of Educational References in the Gujarati Social Novels of pre-Independence 1937-47 decade and post-Independence 1967-77 decade – epitomizes the hidden dimensions of a researcher and a literary creator embedded simultaneously in a teacher that makes the “Ishvar Paramar” – a multi-dimensional virtuoso.
His multi-tasking forays have successfully continued even when he was a full – time dedicated, creative, experimenter, and innovator teacher first.
His literary urge itched him when he was 10, and he was ‘infatuated with a wish to see his name below any writing’. This dream came true soon enough when his poem “ Mini maasi e laaadvaa khaadhaa [Aunty Cat hogs sweets]” in Children Section of the daily Janshakti. Since then, the rigors of his own studies or duties of a teacher could not dampen the flow of his literary works.
His literary works include Children Literature, Parental Care literature, Children Literature critique, Pedagogic and Training literature. He has also been actively involved in the editorial responsibilities of textbook writing, Consultation for textbooks and co-authoring the textbook for the teachers’ training.
He credits his ‘practice of pleasing the inner mischievous innocence’ for his interest in as well as originality of his works of children literature1. His statement, ‘Just went on writing’ is simple reflection of his inherent modesty and natural creativity. His children literature very easily straddles child development and child care aspects. His writing style is savoury enough to keep the interest of the children engaged and his language just simple. Short, but meaningful sentences and special sound-like words have introduced a whiff of freshness in Gujarati Literature for the children. His underlying philosophy has been to “make children come to stories, preferably tell them the stories”. Not known to work in large numbers , but to create high-quality, he has 12 children story books, 7 critiques and 5 child care books in his repertoire.
Dr. Paramar has indeed documented his professional life in the form of his books on Education and Training2. These books truly reflect his mettle as teacher and researcher – e.g. his knack to recognize individuals and his planned, meticulous approach. His language does sound that of a teacher, which helps in arresting the counter-thought process of even his disagreeing reader. Shri Raghuvir Chaudhari has aptly summed this up while reviewing his book – ‘Education in the social novels’ – based on his doctoral thesis: “This thesis will be noted for Shri Paramar’s scientific work-style and brevity and will be a torch-bearer of the subsequent researchers. This is because of deep-rooted embedded true sensitivity of a live critic, rather than that of a teacher’s thought-process only.”
Dr. Ishvar Paramar ‘s literary reach3 has transcended the boundaries of children, education and training literature. The natural brevity of his style has resulted in several extra-short stories. He has effectively used readers’ imagination to transmit the subtle meaning in his such stories. He has very adroitly deployed similes to heighten the impact in his extra-short stories. Dr. Parmar has very successfully maintained an arm’s distance as a writer, from his personal beliefs and feelings, while compiling poems on Krshna and Dwaraka in ‘I saw the Dvaramati’ [‘દીઠી અમે દ્વારામતી’] or while introducing the work of Krishna in ‘ Karunasagar Dvarkadhish’ [‘કરૂણાસાગર દ્વારિકાધીશ’].
The young, neo-literary-critics – Pooja Kashyap Soni, pujaks12@yahoo.in , [‘Dr. Ishvabhai Paramar’s Children’s Literature’ 1] – (“ડૉ. ઇશ્વરભાઇ પરમારઃ બાળસાહિત્યકાર”), Pallavi K Shah, plvshah@gmail.com , [‘Dr. Ishvar Parmar’s Educational Literature’2] (“ડૉ.ઇશ્વર પરમારનાં કેળવણી વિષયક પુસ્તકો” ૨)અને Mona Liya , monabhuj@gmail.com, [Dt. Ishvar Paramar’s Other Literature’ 3] (“ડૉ. ઇશ્વર પરમારની અન્ય સાહિત્યકૃતિઓ”) – have been able to full justice to the entire spectrum of Dr. Paramar’s literary life within the constraint of the short space allotted to them.
Even granting that this booklet is a ‘small step’ in documenting the all-round , all-encompassing review of Dr. Ishvar Parmar’s literary works, its value would have multiplied manifold if the appended list of his books would have included additional details like name of the publisher, year of publication and price. This would have brought the readers almost at the doorstep of the treasure of Dr. Paramar’s wroks..
The Institute of Youth Development can extend the reach of this highly valuable effort by digitizing the booklet and then deploying the digital distribution platforms.
CONTACTS:
- Dr. Ishavar Paramar : Oppostite Sidhdhnath, Dvaraka 361 335 Cell Phone: +91 94 27 28 47 42
- Publishers: The Institute of Youth Development, 23, Ambika Society, Hospital Road, Bhuj – Kutch 370 001 // iyd.bhuj@gmail.com
- Editor: Shri Haresh Dholakia, New Mint Road, Bhuj- Kutch 370 001 // haresh.dholakia@yahoo.com
The world is too small? or Is it? 