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KIMATRAI
- GIANCHANDANI – GIANI
TRANSLATOR’S
(NARAIN
KIMATRAI'S) ROOTS
Kimatrai
Building in Hyderabad Sind still majestically stands
Read:
A trip to Sind, a journey to my roots
Nukh:
- Phul
Vadiya.
The following appears in Sind
je Hindun jee Tareek by Diwan Bhurumal Mahirchand Advani:
During the Japanese war of 1942,
Sindhis suffered huge losses. Many were confined to detention camps and many
killed.
Subash Chander Bose, after
escaping from India to Germany, visited Far East and South East Asia. He
received overwhelming support from Sindhis.
Due to Second World War, Sindhis
ventured out throughout India.
Leading at Madras: M/s.
Chellaram Gianchand. The family split giving birth to 3 firms. M/s. Chellaram
Gianchand, M/s. Kishinchand Chellaram and M/s. Kewalram Chellaram.
Calcutta: M/s. Tarachand Parsram
Jewelers. Late Rai Bahadur Mohandas Vaswani was their manager at one time.
Rangoon: M/s. Gunomal
Parasram, M/s T. Khemchand Tejumal and others.
Ahmedabad: M/s. Jhamatmal
Kimatrai’s Art Silk Mill and Surat: M/s. K. N. Dhanamal’s Art Silk Mill.
Shikarpuris were spread out
through out India. Whilst Amils at Bombay.
Sindwork Merchants Association: -
The Sindwork Merchants Association was founded in the year 1918. Its first
president, Mukhi Harkishindas presided for twelve years.
Foreign Remittances to
Sind: -
According to information
gathered by Diwan Bherumal in the year 1947, Sindworkees Bhaibunds remitted over
Rupees Two and Half Crores from Overseas to Hyderabad every year. Remittances by
Shikarpuris were in addition to this.
Bhai
Gianchand migrated to Sind from Punjab and settled at Khudabad, the
capital of Sind then.
Some of
his brothers went to Lahore, Dadoo, Sakhar and Khairpur.
Bhai
Gianchand’s roots are connected with those of Bhai Pohoomal Khiani.
(Narain's
wife: Shakun's family. It however goes beyond 7 generations)
Bhai
Gianchand’s son: Bhai Ramanmal, a merchant, moved
to Hyderabad, but realizing it was a very small market and seeing no potential,
he went to Bombay. Bhai Ramanmal was the first Sindworkee to sail in a Dinghy (a
small boat) from Karachi to Bombay. He was called Bhai Ramanmal Bumbai Waro
(Bombay wala – From Bombay). Till 1947, the Gianchandanis were called
‘Bombai wara’.
While at
Khudabad and later at Hyderabad, Bhai Ramanmal had developed rapport with the
Mir and had close contacts with them. On his return to Hyderabad, Bhai Ramanmal
presented them with gifts that he had brought from Bombay, consisting of Clocks,
Glassware etc.
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Bhai
Ramanmal had two sons: Bhai Damomal and Bhai
Kimatrai.
Bhai
Damomal’s Family: - Bhai Damomal had two sons: Bhai Tolaram and Bhai
Manghanmal.
Bhai
Tolaram was born in the year 1858. He was also a trader but devoted time to
religious activity and participated in the Panchayat (social) and Municipal
affairs. He was respected in the city and a street was named after him. Bhai
Tolaram expired in the year 1932 at the ripe age of 74.
Bhai
Tolaram’s sons: Bhai Gunomal, Bhai Tarachand, and Bhai Hassomal.
Bhai
Tarachand son: Mr. Bhagwan. He lives in Mumbai.
Bhai
Hassomal’s sons are settled at Lagos Nigeria and else where.
Bhai
Damomal’s other son was Bhai Manghanmal. He had three sons: M/s. Tirthdas,
Gulabrai and Mulchand. They opted for higher education.
Mr.
Tirthdas went abroad and became a Barrister. He realized that the Europeans
would find it difficult to pronounce his surname, choose to call himself
‘Giani’ instead. All his cousins are now called ‘Giani’.
Mr.
Mulchand Giani married the daughter of Rai Bahadur Diwan Pribhdas Shewakram
Advani, pioneer of ‘Nav Vidyalaya High School’, Hyderabad. Rai Bahadur Diwan
Pribhdas’ nephew Mr. Motiram Dalpatrai Advani, in the year 1947, was senior
Income Tax Officer at Bombay.
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Bhai
Kimatrai’s Family: -
Bhai
Ramanmal’s other son was Bhai Kimatrai.
Bhai
Kimatrai had six sons: Bhai Naraindas (Narumal), Bhai Jhamatmal, Bhai Tahilram,
Bhai Issardas, Bhai Valiram, Bhai Verhomal and a daughter Shrimati Totibai.
Bhai
Naraindas had two sons: Bhai Shamdas and Bhai Sadhumal.
Bhai
Shamdas had one son named Mr. Kotumal. His (Kotumal’s) son is settled some
where in either Spain or South America.
Bhai
Sadhumal had one son named Mr. Lekhraj. Mr. Lekhraj’s son and daughter are
settled at Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
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Bhai
Jhamatmal’s Family: -
(Translator’s
(Narain's) Grandfather).
Bhai
Jhamatmal was born at Hyderabad in the year 1860, and married into Mayaramani
family. He was a religious and pious man and kept company with like-minded
people. He was closely associated with Bhai Kalachand Gidwani, a renowned Sant
of that time. Together they started a Sat Sangh (spiritual get together) which
came to known as ‘Bhai Jhamatmal Sat Sangh’. Around 100 persons attended and
participated every morning and evening. Rations (food) were provided to the
needy. This carried on until the partition of India (1947). Entire expense after
Bhai Jhamatmal’s demise was borne by his son Bhai Sobhraj, translators’
father.
Being
religious and pious did not deter Bhai Jhamatmal from attending to and expanding
his business. His cloth shop was, since the days of the Mirs, located at Shahi
Bazaar near Khumbati Ghitti. The shop operated for fifty years.
In
the year 1890, Bhai Jhamatmal started his Sindwork at Rangoon Burma in
partnership with Bhai Nanikram Menghraj. Business flourished and Bhai Jhamatmal
continued with his charitable activity with more zeal.
Bhai
Jhamatmal expired at the age of 68 in the month of August 1926. He left behind
his two sons Bhai Sobhraj and Bhai Lalchand. Bhai Lalchand expired prior to 1947
and did not have any children.
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Bhai
Sobhrajmal’s Family: -
Bhai
Sobhraj was born at Hyderabad on Feb. 7th 1891, and followed his fathers
footsteps. He participated in the Sat Sangh and continued the charitable work.
Bhai
Sobhraj joined Sindwork and spent much time in Japan. He expended his business
and established offices at Ahmedabad, Bombay, Delhi, Japan, Java, Sumatra,
Manila, Shanghai, Singapore, Rangoon, Saigon, France and London. He was the
first Sindhi to install an Art Silk Mill at Ahmedabad in 1937 under the name of
The Nanikram Sobhraj Mills Ltd.
At
Hyderabad, Bhai Sobhraj’s Kothi (office) was located just out side the Qilla,
at the Fort’s end of Shahi Bazaar.
Bhai
Sobhraj was twice elected as The President of Sindwork Merchants Association and
was connected with the Khudabad Bhaibund Panchayat and other associations. He
was also Justice of Peace.
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NARAIN'S
FAMILY
Translator’s
(Narain's) Note.
“My
father, Bhai Sobhraj married my mother Shrimati Kishnibai nee Tikka daughter of
Bhai Deomal Gopwani from Halla. He (my father) expired in 1978 at Bombay and my
mother expired in 1980.
My
father Bhai Sobhraj had five sons and six daughters, however only four sons and
four daughters survived infancy:
Son
Mr. Vishindas married Mohini Fatehchand Hathiramani. They have three
daughters and one son named: -
Saroj,
married to Dayal Damodar Chanrai. They have two children named Navin and
Kirti. Both are married.
Veena,
married Ashok Chaturbhuj Kirpalani. They have three children named Suvidha,
Jasodha, and son Dushant.
Kailash
a.k.a. Harish, married Ravina Mohan Thadani. They have two children named
Shubir and Karishma.
Chitra,
married Gobind Ramchand Khemlani. They have two children named Lisha and
Suvir.
Son
Uttam: He expired prior to partition and was not married.
Son
Ram, married Chandra Parmanand Mahtani. They have one
daughter:
Meenal.
Meenal
is married to Deepak Kishinchand Kirpalani also known as Roopchand. They
have two sons named Rohit and Harsh.
I,
Narain also known as Nari am the youngest son. I am married to Shakun nee
Vimlu Jamnadas Khiani. We have three children.
Our
son Sunder is married to Saira Maneck Hiranandani. They have two daughters
named Aysha and Shazia and a son named Jai
Our
second child, daughter, Madhavi is married to Mohan Gurbux Hathiramani a.k.a.
Thawardas. They have two sons named Aditya and Kiran.
Our
third child is Anuja. She yet has to choose her mate.
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My
(Narain's) sisters:
Ishwari,
married to Gulu Metharam Kirpalani. Both now deceased. They have two
children: Helena (Sonu) and son Rajesh.
Rajesh is married to Andrea Bharatmal
Mayaramani of Chile. Rajesh has a daughter name Diana.
Janki,
married to Gul (Gobind) Vasanmal Lekhraj a.k.a. Ramchandani. Gul is also known
as Dr. G.Vee. He is Ph.D. They have two daughters Sabina and Manju.
Sabina,
married Anup Keshav Sakhrani. They have two children named Ishan and Ria.
Manju,
married to Ashok Bhagwandas Melwani. They have three children named Manish,
Manav, and Naomi.
Indira,
married to Hotan Kishinchand Pursram a.k.a. Vaswani.
Indira expired some years
ago. They have two children. Daughter Anu and son Jagdish.
Jagdish is married
Vanita nee Jaya Hundlani and have two sons named Akash and Ajay.
Anu
married Mahesh Pribhdas Ramchandani.
Last but
not the least, My youngest sister Vidya, married Ramkrishin Parsram (Chhatlani).
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Bhai
Kimatrai’s other children.
Bhai
Issardas Kimatrai left behind one son named Bhai Thaumal. He expired
after
partition at Bombay and had no issues.
Bhai
Tahilram son of Bhai Kimatrai had three sons: Bhai Gobindram, Bhai
Topandas
and Bhai Tiloomal.
Bhai
Gobindram Kimatrai had three children: Meena Vashi and Kanhaiya.
Bhai
Topandas Kimatrai had three children: Lal, Narain and Kishin.
Bhai
Tiloomal Kimatrai’s son was Ishwardas. He left behind one son, who I believe
is in Spain.
Bhai
Valiram Kimatrai left behind no issues.
Bhai
Verhomal Kimatrai did not marry.
Bhai
Kimatrai’s daughter Totibai married Tarachand Chandiramani and
had two
sons: Mr. Naraindas and Mr. Hassaram.
Bhai
Naraindas had four children: Sundri, Mohini, Leela and a Son Bhagwan.
Bhagwan
married daughter of Mr. Parmanand Vaswani and have children. They are settled at
Montreal, Canada.
Bhai
Hassaram married Parpati and had one daughter named Ruprani.
She is
married to Ramesh son of Bhai Kundandas R. Samtani.
'The Source of Sindhi Surnames' is a
translation into English, by Mr. Narain Sobhraj Kimatrai from the original
in Sindhi by Mr. Diwan Bherumal Mahirchand
Advani
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