Footprints

Memoirs of an Indian Patriarch

Footprints
Memoirs of an Indian Patriarch

Maghanmal J. Pancholia

As narrated to Vasanti Sundaram

Published by Motivate Publishing Dubai: PO Box 2331, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971 4) 282 4060; fax: (+971 4) 282 7898 e-mail: books@motivate.ae www.booksarabia.com Office 508, Building No 8, Dubai Media City, Dubai, UAE Tel: (+971 4) 390 3550; fax: (+971 4) 390 4845 Abu Dhabi: PO Box 43072, Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel: (+971 2) 677 2005; fax: (+971 2) 677 0124 London: Acre House, 11/15 William Road, London NW1 3ER e-mail: motivateuk@motivate.ae Directors: Editors: Senior Designer: Designer: General Manager Books: Publishing Coordinator: Obaid Humaid Al Tayer and Ian Fairservice Moushumi Nandy Simona Cassano Cithadel Francisco Charlie Banalo Jonathan Griffiths Zelda Pinto

Motivate Publishing and Maghanmal J. Pancholia 2009 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying or storing in any medium by electronic means) without the written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for the copyright holders written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publishers. In accordance with the International Copyright Act 1956 and the UAE Federal Law No. (7) of 2002, Concerning Copyrights and Neighboring Rights, any person acting in contravention of this will be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. ISBN: 978 1 86063 265 5 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Printed and bound by Rashid Printers & Stationers LLC, Ajman, United Arab Emirates

Dedication
To Thatta, a home I can never leave behind To Dubai, a home I can never let go To my family and friends To my parents

Jethanand Lalchand Pancholia

Totabai Jethanand Pancholia

Contents
Foreword Preface 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 People I Belong To Growing Up In Thatta Road Often Travelled A Little More Of Thatta Back To School College In Karachi Leaving One Home For Another Turning Point Past Forward Crossing Over Alleys Of Souk Al Banian View From The Top On Board The Pearling Trade The Creek Setting The Stage Up And Running My Role Model Footprints Then There Were Those . . . The Indian Association The Indian Club The Indian High School viii xii 1 5 12 21 26 34 41 47 53 58 64 69 75 86 92 99 103 109 116 128 143 154 159

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39

Brave New World Moving On Travel Log Notes From Nathdwara Helping Hands Call Of The Community Lighting Knowledge Candles Family Speak Having Their Say Colleagues And Countrymen Fascination For The Printed World Still A Student Short Fuse Stumbling Blocks My Day Everyday Generation Next Epilogue Acknowledgements

176 185 192 201 209 219 226 235 240 257 271 277 281 288 292 300 304 308

A sketch of the neighbourhood where the author lived, by His Excellency Mirza Al Sayegh.

viii

Foreword
One of my earliest recollections of the Indian community in Dubai is of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the late Ruler of Dubai, visiting the homes of Indian merchants on important festival days such as Diwali. After exchanging greetings and relishing the ladoos that would be served to him, he would take his leave. His departure would signal our turn to rush in and grab our share of the generous spread. The entire area would be decorated with lights and reverberate with live music. We enjoyed the celebrations as much as our Indian friends did. During the 50s, our lives centred around the Jama mosque and the souk in Bur Dubai; the Indian community and most of the Arabs lived in the same neighbourhood within 100 feet of each other. Every day, the locals followed the same routine leaving their homes in the morning, they headed straight to Sheikh Rashids office to greet and update him on all matters over hot cups of tea. Once this was done, they visited Souk Al Banian to meet the Indian merchants and discuss trade. My father followed the same routine. He would spend his mornings with the Indian businessmen, and then conduct Arabic and English classes in his madrassa by the Creek during the evenings. Some of the Indian community leaders were his students then; clearly validating a relationship that goes way back in time. It is a relationship we are extremely proud of and sincerely seek to nurture. Together, we have shared the same dreams for this country and for Dubai, and together we have worked hard to realize those aspirations. Dubais ties with India go back to the days when it began taking shape as a port, and established relations with Bandar Abbas and Bushara on one side and Mumbai on the other. Realizing the importance of building up its trade activities and aware of the Indian merchants astute business acumen, the Al Maktoum family invited the community, more specifically the Thattais (Sindhis), to come to Dubai and set up their commercial activities in textiles, pearls, gold and money exchange.
ix

After the demise of Sheikh Maktoum bin Hasher, when Sheikh Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum took over as Ruler of Dubai in 1912, he introduced more policies that allowed the Iranians and Indians to dynamically participate in trading activities, and therefore in the emirates development. With Sheikh Rashid assuming the title in 1958, this synergy was further driven forward. Sheikh Rashid appreciated the fact that India was the first country to pledge its support to the formation of the United Arab Emirates federation in 1971. So proud was he of the Indian community that he would make sure they were invited to all official receptions. It was as if he wanted to tell everyone, especially the visiting dignitaries: Please know, these are the people who have helped me build Dubai. With Sheikh Rashid setting such a precedent, it was only natural that his sons would emulate his example. And the harmonious relationship continued when late Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum became the Ruler of Dubai in 1990. Since 2006, the same spirit of cordiality and brotherhood has prevailed under the dynamic leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. When His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, held his wedding reception in 1987, he wished to express his appreciation of the Indians role in nation building by inviting them to the event. He asked us to draw a list of persons who we thought were representative of the community. We presented him with 60 names. While reviewing the list, he looked surprised and asked: Do you mean there are only 60 people leading such a huge community in the whole of the UAE? Please get me more names. Eventually, we managed to put together a list of over 250 people including businessmen, academics, managers, philanthropists and others. All of them were invited to the royal reception, much to the satisfaction of the HH Sheikh Hamdan. The Indians have proved their dedication and devotion not just to their families and homeland, but to our country as well. Thanks to stalwarts such as Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia, the community has been guided to achieve great successes for itself and for the UAE at large.
x

I was once invited to speak at a gathering to felicitate the visit of a high profile Indian delegation. The chief guest asked me about Dubais secret for success. I told him I would share this with him in my speech. When I took the floor, I said, The answer lies in this room itself; look around you, all those you see here have been key to Dubais success, responsible for its unprecedented growth. Together, we have laid brick by brick to erect this phenomenal business model called Dubai. In the same speech, I even went on to say, If you want me to be more specific, allow me to acknowledge the pillar of this community Mr Maghanmal Jethanand Pancholia. My mention of his name evoked a thunderous applause from the audience. Magabha truly deserves this distinction. He has been my neighbour, friend, and a co-member on the board of several organizations. I have known him to be affable, modest, highly informed, honest, straightforward and forever young at heart. It is remarkable that despite his age, he still continues to be actively involved in his community and company affairs. Even today, I see him leading his fellow community members at every significant gathering. He is always present with his people to reiterate their commitment to the rulers and to the country. It does not surprise then that our leaders have always regarded the Indian community as an integral component of this nation. The symbiotic association is destined to grow even further as the UAEs policies simply cannot be de-linked from the presence, participation and contribution of the foreign communities living in this country. Footprints Memoirs of an Indian Patriarch will not only serve as Magabhas personal memoir, it will be held as a historical reference of this emirate by the younger generation, Arabs and Indians alike. I wish the endeavour every success and hope Magabha continues to hold the inspirational torch that he has been carrying for almost eight decades now. His Excellency Mirza Al Sayegh Office of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum

xi

Preface
In junior school a science teacher called Pardhasani privately coached us after school hours. An exceptional teacher with several books on Physics to his credit, he lived about a kilometre away from our home. Every alternate evening, about six or seven of us would walk to his house at around eight and return home at ten. On one such day, we did something most unexpected we broke almost 30 street lanterns on our way back home. Thatta, the place where I come from, had no electricity back then. All the roads were lit by lanterns that were provided by the municipality. It was the job of a worker to fill the lamps with kerosene and light them around sunset. That night, we pelted these lanterns one by one with stones and ran away before anyone could spot us. When we reached the school the next morning, we saw Mr Mirchandani, the chief secretary of Thatta Municipality, venting his ire on our headmaster. He was convinced one of the students was responsible for the misdeed. Fortunately, my name did not feature on the suspected list. Unaware that we were damaging public property, it took me a long time to get over that incident. A few years later, when I was in high school, I got the chance to prove my discomfort over hiding the truth. Out of the 40 students in my class, only two or three were girls. And, one of the boys habitually troubled them. On a specially busy day when most of the teachers were preoccupied, he took things a little too far and the matter got out of hand. On hearing the girls complaints, the headmaster, Devanmal Jagasia, demanded to know who the miscreant was. Every student was subjected to a gruelling inquisition, yet none confessed the truth. When my turn came, I told the headmaster, Excuse me Sir, I can tell you what I know. Without any qualms of being tagged a spoilsport, I told him I had noticed his son entering and leaving the classroom through the window. I added that I didnt know what subsequently took place. The
xiii

whole class was askance I had spilt the beans. I was unruffled; it didnt matter what they thought of me as long as my conscience was clear; I had dared to stand up for what was right. The headmaster understood the implication of my words, and instead of getting upset that I had given his son away in front of the entire class, he was happy I had spoken the truth. He immediately reprimanded his son and handed out appropriate punishment. Following that incident, whenever a problem surfaced in the school, the headmaster called me to confirm the truth, which I thought was a great endorsement of his faith in my word. Since then and until today, I have tried to be true to myself and to all those I am connected with. In the same vein, I have done my best to be true to my memory in this book while delving valiantly into my past. I took up the exercise of writing my autobiography for just one reason: to escape my familys long time nagging to record my life within the pages of a book. Besides my own people, I have also been persistently told to document a memoir by my UAE national friends, especially the younger generation. Not really the one to take myself seriously, I challenged the need for such a memoir. My sons said, For the sake of posterity, Dada. Posterity, I considered. Thats too big a word for a small man like me. For your grandchildren, they persisted, trying the emotional route. Havent I tired everyone enough with my stories of water being carried on donkeys backs! I lived up to my reputation of not giving in to an argument too easily. They, however, stuck to their logic and threw the final bait to hook me. For future generations to know what it took Thattai Bhatias to get where they are . . . [I could already feel my resolve weakening] . . . and, to tell them what it will take to sustain themselves tomorrow, they finished smugly. The key words Thattai Bhatia peeled away every layer of my resistance; I was momentarily inundated by a maze of nostalgic images. I succumbed. Rising to the challenge, the first thing I did was to get myself a cell phone. Puzzled, my family wondered at the connection. I got their unspoken message Why would I need the gadget when I have always condemned it as redundant? I gave them a look that said, If I am going
xiv

to lose myself in memories, you might as well know where to find me. Not so smart I know, but it worked. My sons scrambled to get me one, and my grandsons took great pleasure in teaching me all about the SIM card. Excited over my brush with a technology that I had until then disdained, I immediately stored my friends numbers to discuss the good old golden days in Thatta. The elation, however, dimmed half way through the journey and the cell phone lost its glamour. I do not know where it is now. The past, indeed, draws you deeper and deeper into its recesses telling you it is alive, pulsating with the same vigour, long after you thought it was forgotten and put to rest. And so, it is with a great sense of gratitude to my family and friends, and the entire Thattai community that I begin to tell the tale of my life that began in Thatta several summers ago. But first, I must thank four people who have greatly impacted my life: My mother Totabai, who taught me what spiritualism is; my father Jethanand Lalchand Pancholia, who instilled in me the importance of personal and professional honesty; my elder brother Parmanand, who is the reason for what I am today, and the late Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who inspired me to look beyond the immediate. More recently, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, has been my source of inspiration. Although I am several years older, I have much to learn from him. He amazes me with his vision for Dubai and subsequently for the UAE. For someone who has been here since 1942, I have watched Dubai grow, from its days of infancy. The coastal town that seemed half-asleep when I first discovered it, is now a city that never sleeps. A pearl-diving village that crawled from one day to another is today a dynamic metropolis that ranks high in global economic performance. The credit for this transformation goes entirely to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, I salute the Ruling Familys vision and confidence, and wish them continued success. I would also like to record my appreciation for all the young nationals, most of whom I have seen grow up, and assume positions of immense responsibility either as heads of government-led organizations or private conglomerates. It is indeed heartening to see them return to
xv

the country after equipping themselves with advanced academic learning abroad, and rising to the expectations of the UAEs leadership with a strong desire and dedication to take the country forward. In doing so, they are leading by example for others to emulate, not just in this country but across the world. In their trusted and capable hands, the UAE will continue to make the impossible possible. Finally, a word on this book; unlike other biographies, this book does not pass any political judgement or espouse management philosophies. I have only briefly touched upon my professional achievements. In other words, it is a modest compilation of simple thoughts, simply said.

xvi

People I Belong To
chaPTer 1

There is nothing that makes me more proud than calling myself an Indian, a Sindhi and a Thattai Bhatia. I, therefore, cannot speak about myself without a mention of the people I belong to. The roots of Thattai Bhatias are embedded in Jaisalmer. Known as Bhattis, they formed part of the rajput ruling family. When the Mughal invasion and the subsequent decline of the rajputs forced nearly 2,000 families to migrate from Jaisalmer, a large corpus of the community moved towards the north of Punjab to Bhavalpur, Multan and Kutch. a few others found a home in Thatta (Sindh) towards the early fourteenth century. Depending on the province they settled in, the Bhatias assumed clannish titles such as Kutchi Bhatias, Sindhi Bhatias and Punjabi Bhatias. The Sindhi Bhatias were further classified after the city they lived in, such as Thattai, hyderabadi, roehri and Nasarpuri Bhatias. The Bhatias decision to settle down in faraway Thatta had a specific reason to it. By merit of their long association with the rajputs, they had imbibed virtues of valour and nobility, qualities that soon became synonymous with the community. Impressed with their gallantry, the King of Thatta sought their help to quell a rebellion in his fertile province situated in Sindh across the river Indus. accepting his invitation, the Bhatias fought valiantly and succeeded in reclaiming the Kings land. In return for their timely and courageous gesture, the ruler invited the community to make Thatta their home, 60 miles from Karachi. as people that were once reputed for their glory on the battlefield, the Thattais quickly settled into a peaceful pattern of life. however, more change was in store.
1

Descendants of the Yaduvansh lineage, the Bhatias were originally devi pujaks (worshippers of Goddess Shakti). a providential meeting in the sixteenth century with the spiritual leader Jagadguru Shri Vallabhacharya on the banks of river Indus was soon to impact their lives, transforming their core spiritual belief. Shri Vallabhacharya is regarded as one of the five main acharyas (akin to Prophets) of the hindu religion, alongside Shri Shankaracharya, Shri ramanujacharya, Shri Madhavacharya and Shri Nimbarkacharya. These acharyas have significantly contributed to the revival of the Bhakti movement and upbringing of the hindu religion. During his stay in Thatta, Shri Vallabhacharyas spiritual discourses from Srimad Bhagwad inspired the Thattais to adopt the Pushtimarg philosophy. Shrinathji (incarnation of Lord Krishna) became their principle deity, and Nathdwara, the place of pilgrimage. So devout were the Thattais towards their newly acquired faith that they frequently invited the highly respected balaks (descendants of Shri Vallabhacharya) to their hometown to gain spiritual knowledge. They even regarded Thatta as their chhoti brij bhoomi (Lord Krishnas birthplace). Shrinathji was evidently quite popular with other medieval devotees as well. historians have referred to the Gaudiya preachers who founded Shrinathji temples in present-day Pakistan (in the city of Dera Ghazi Khan). Shrinathji was even worshipped as far away as russia (in the lower Volga region) and other places on the central asian trade routes. The Pushtimargi sect of hinduism has a realistic, more worldly and practical view of life, and does not advocate renunciation for spiritual growth. So, while devout hindus of the Brahmin community denounced travelling abroad as it involved the crossing of a water body, the Thattai Bhatias had no such qualms and sought new horizons to explore fresh business opportunities. Trade with arab lands began in the early eighteenth century, when people from the Gulf visited the small port of Thatta to barter pearls, fish, dates and other produce for lungis, hand-woven textiles, attars, spices and foodstuff. history says that nearly three centuries ago, the Thattai Bhatias were invited several times by the people in the Gulf to join them in supporting the pearl-fishing industry.
2

as more and more men left Thatta to seek new opportunities in Karachi, Bahrain or the Trucial States in faraway Gulf, the town became home primarily to the women and children of their families. apart from the arab countries, the Bhatias also established trade links with Baluchistan, Iran and afghanistan. Some of the Bhatia surnames like Kandhari, rustagi, Whabi clearly validate this fact. In their new homeland, the Bhatias made a good living as pearl financiers. Of the 300 Thattai families during my fathers time, nearly 100 had offices or pedis in Mumbai, considered a mark of prosperity then. They also acquired a reputation of being an upright and honest people. Known as banias (merchants), the businessmen were highly trusted by the arabs as well as the British in the region. The good times were however, short-lived. The Great Depression of the 1930s ravaged the pearl market and prices dipped steeply. The simultaneous invention of cultured pearls in Japan, which were sold at nearly 30 per cent of the price of natural pearls, sounded the deathknell for the industry. In order to alleviate the effect, the Gulf countries banned the import of cultured pearls. however, as this was not the case in Mumbai where the natural pearls were primarily marketed, the ban did little to save the situation. consequently, most of the Bhatias suffered heavy losses. My father had a logical explanation to this reversal of fortunes. he believed the pearl business floundered as it flouted a core tenet of hinduism in killing a living creature the oyster. Desperate to find alternative avenues of trade to sustain themselves, several Thattai Bhatia merchants began importing food supplies such as rice, wheat and wheat flour, as well as sugar, lentils, tea and spices including cardamom and pepper. Soon, they commanded a virtual monopoly as food suppliers to the region. Textiles too were brought in from India, china and Japan to cater to the retail and wholesale market. Just as these businesses were flourishing, there was once again a reversal in fortunes with the outbreak of the World War II in 1939. Food trade became a risky venture with shipping lines coming under threat from submarines and air attacks. This led to the rationing of food and textiles in the Trucial States and surrounding areas. Soon after, the partition of India followed. In 1947, the loss of Thatta to Pakistan brought several Sindhis from Gwadar into the Gulf. The Thatpeople i belong to
3

tai Bhatias who moved to India struck roots in the suburbs of Mumbai including Borivli, Kandivli and Malad. Today, out of the 10,000-strong Thattai Bhatia community, nearly 5,000 are settled in Mumbai, over 1,000 in Bahrain, and the rest in the Uae and other parts of the Gulf. a few have emigrated to the UK, US and canada. as for the new generation, many have moved away from their families commercial interests and joined the service industry after acquiring professional degrees abroad.