Tab Article
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born to a Patidar gurjar farmer family of Gujarat. His native place was Karamsad. His date of birth was never officially recorded – Patel entered 31 October as his date of birth on his matriculation examination papers. They lived in the village of Karamsad, Bombay Presidency, where Jhaverbhai owned a homestead. Somabhai, Narsibhai and Vithalbhai Patel (also a future political leader) were his elder brothers. He had a younger brother, Kashibhai, and a sister, Dahiba. As a boy, Patel helped his father in the fields. When he was eighteen years old, Patel's marriage was arranged with Jhaverba, a girl of twelve or thirteen years old from a nearby village. According to custom, the young bride would continue to live with her parents until her husband started earning and could establish their household.
