history of ithna asheri lamu and mombasa
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KHOJA SHIA ITHNA-ASHERIS IN
LAMU AND MOMBASA, 1870-19301
BY
ZAHIR BHALLOO
Lamu - In about 1870, Dewji Jamal, a
rich Ithna-Asheri merchant of Bombay and
Zanzibar established a branch of his company
Dewji Jamal & Co in Lamu which was then the
chief port of Kenya. Besides this solitary
venture there is no record of Khoja Shia Ithna-
Asheris on the island until 1880. The period
1880-1890 witnessed a large number of Ithna-
asheri arrivals in Lamu. Most of the new
arrivals came from Kutch or Kathiawad but
some also came from older Khoja settlements
along the East African coast like Bagamoyo,
Zanzibar and Kilwa. When they arrived most
were already “Ithna-Asheri” and it is likely that
only a very small number of Khojas actually seceded in Lamu. Late Hussein
Abdalla Jaffer, a great-grandson of Dewji Jamal remembers that while his
grandfather Jaffer Dewji was in Lamu he often used to help Ismaili Khojas
and invite them for religious majlises. After some time a number of them
left the jamatkhana and joined the Ithna-Asheris.2
In 1883 seven sons of Kanji Asani left Jamkhambalia (near
Jamnagar) in Kathiawad and arrived in Lamu after a forty day journey by
dhow. Of the seven, five, Dewji Kanji, Daya Kanji, Panju Kanji, Samji
Kanji, Ramji Kanji became Ithna-asheris. Each of the brothers established
shops in Lamu town from where they carried out a flourishing import export
business. A great grandson of Dewji Kanji, Jafferali Merali, who was born
in Lamu in 1919, describes the family business:
“At that time Lamu did a great deal of trade, with Mombasa,
Somalia and direct to India. The dhows anchored off Lamu town,
and the steamers anchored off Shela. One of our main exports was
the doum palm mat bags that were used in Zanzibar for packing
1 Author’s Note: The following is a précis of the early history of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris
in Mombasa and Lamu. I was inspired to write about the Ithna-Asheris after meeting
Cynthia Salvadori, author of the remarkable three volume work, We Came in Dhows.
Cynthia was fortunate enough to interview Hussein Abdalla Jaffer and Gulamali G.A.
Datoo, scions of the two pioneer Ithna-Asheri families of Mombasa. I decided to carry on
where she left off and began to interview as many old members of the community as I
could. Of course I never intended to nor indeed was it possible to record every story. The
few I did are published here along with historical notes, photographs and newspaper
clippings. 2 From an interview with Hassan A.M.Jaffer.
Dewji Jamal
(from Hussein A. Jaffer)
2
cloves. Another was mangrove poles which went to the Gulf
countries. We imported mainly rice, sugar, wheat and spices.”3
In 1885 one of Dewji Jamal‟s sons, Nazerali Dewji, arrived in Lamu with
his family from Zanzibar. A handwritten letter by John Kirk, the British
Consul in Zanzibar, to his deputy in Lamu announces the new arrivals:
“I have been asked to mention to you that Nazerali Deoji [sic] and
his family have gone to settle in Lamu, and to say that he is the
Agent of Deoji Jamal [sic] of this place, a British Indian. Also I
would say that the family of Deoji Jamal including his Agent now at
Lamu have formally left the Khoja sect and joined that of the
K.Shias. They are still however British subjects. For leaving the
Khojas the family has sometimes been annoyed by their former co-
religionists.”4
The „family‟ mentioned in the letter probably also included two of Nazerali
Dewji‟s younger brothers, Nasser Dewji and Jaffer Dewji, who were sent to
manage the branch of Dewji Jamal & Co on the island. In 1887 Nazerali
Dewji moved to Mombasa to establish a new branch of Dewji Jamal & Co.
Because Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris arriving in Lamu came with their
families by 1895 the population of Khoja Shia Ithna-asheris had increased to
about three hundred. Initially the Ithna-asheris met at individual homes to
perform the „majlis‟, „matam‟ and other communal observances. In 1896
Dewji Jamal bought land for building a mosque-imambara. The Jamat
meanwhile established a fund to raise the capital required to build the
mosque-imambara. Nasser Dewji supervised the construction and played a
leading role in the collection efforts.5 In the same year Jaffer Dewji left for
Mombasa to manage the Mombasa branch of Dewji Jamal & Co. Soon after
Jaffer Dewji‟s departure the Lamu Khoja Shia Ithna-asheri community
plunged into a decade of communal discord. The internal factionalism
which gripped the Lamu jamat in those days was not uncommon. The
jamats at Zanzibar, Mombasa and Dar-es-Salam all faced similar challenges.
Often in such cases social conflict resulted in the acquisition of new land for
use as a cemetery or the building of new mosques and imambaras. This in
turn helped to meet the demands of an increase in the size of the community
once the conflict was resolved and the jamat was again reunited.
In Lamu shortly after the conflict began, one faction, with the help
of contributions from Zanzibar, built a temporary new mosque outside the
1896 mosque-imambara. This was later re-built in the 1900‟s with
contributions from Jivraj Khatau, Jivraj Meghji and others who had left
Mombasa‟s “Bustani” (see below) into the splendid mosque that can be seen
today on the Lamu the sea front. When the Lamu jamat reunited, this
mosque became its main mosque, while the top floor of the older 1896
mosque-imambara was now used exclusively as an imambara. In the 1920‟s
3 Cynthia Salvadori, “Muharram in Lamu from an interview with Jafferali Merali”, We
Came in Dhows v.1 ( Paperchase Kenya Ltd: Nairobi, 1996), 30-31 4 Cynthia Salvadori, We Came in Dhows, v.1, 30. 5 In 1901 Nasser Dewji died onboard a German ship while returning from pilgrimage to
Mecca and was buried at sea.
3
and 30‟s the population of the Lamu jamat began to decline steadily. By the
end of the Second World War most Khojas had migrated to Mombasa. One
reason for the migration was that Mombasa had displaced Lamu as the chief
commercial port of Kenya. Another reason was the lack of adequate higher
education facilities in Lamu, though it must be said the community did
make efforts in this regard when Jiwan Visram established a school-madrasa
on the island in the 1890‟s.
Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Mosque, Lamu, Kenya (Photo by Author)
Mombasa - Khoja settlement in Mombasa
dates to 1867 when Waljee Hirjee a prominent
Khoja Ismaili merchant of Zanzibar opened a shop
at the Old Port. The first Ithna-asheri to settle in
Mombasa was Abdalla Datoo Hirjee. He arrived
on the island from Zazibar in 1882. In 1887
Nazerali Dewji left Lamu and moved to Mombasa
to manage a branch of Dewji Jamal & Co. and in
1896 he was followed by his brother Jaffer Dewji.
The numbers of Khojas on the island at the
time was small. In 1887 the combined Khoja
population (both Ismailis and Ithna-Asheris) on
the island was estimated at only twenty five
compared to around 1,900 in Zanzibar and 385 in Bagamoyo. With the
establishment of the Imperial British East African Company (IBEA) in
1888, Mombasa became the chief commercial entrepôt of East Africa. Large
numbers of Khojas began to arrive from the old mercantile centres of
Zanzibar, Bagamoyo, Lamu and Kilwa; others came directly from India.
Khojas who had already established firms in Zanzibar, Bagamoyo or Lamu
decided to open branches or shift altogether to Mombasa.
For example, in 1893 Dharamsi Khatau called his brother Jivraj
Khatau from India to manage a branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co in
Mombasa. Also at this time two famous Bagamoyo merchant princes,
Allidina Visram and his Ithna-asheri nephew Nasser Virji decided to shift
Waljee Hirjee
(from C. Salvadori)
4
their businesses to Mombasa and opened branches in 1895 and 1900
respectively. As Edward Rodwell notes Mombasa was not much of a place
in those days. Ndia Kuu and Vasco Da Gama St (now Mbarak Hinaway St)
comprised the main streets. The town boasted few stone buildings. Most of
the island was covered by jungle, infested with puff-adders, and leopards
roamed about the town at night. Every now and then lions would walk over
the ford at Makupa when the tide was low. In 1892 Mombasa was the scene
of a celebrated lion hunt in the area where Mombasa Sports Club is now
situated. The business of the town was in the hands of a small group of
Bhattias, Bohras, Memons and Khojas.
Mombasa, Ndia Kuu, 1895
As the Khoja Shia Ithna-asheri population on the island increased –
by 1897 it had grown to about a hundred – arrangements were made to meet
at individual houses to perform the „majlis‟, „matam‟ and other communal
rituals. In 1897 Dewji Jamal & Co bought a shamba called “kitumba” with a
small bunaglow from Maryam bint Mohamed bin Mbarak Karooso for use
as a cemetery. Two years later in 1899 the community decided to build a
mosque and imambara. The mosque-imambara was built on a shamba (in
Persian “bustan”) worth five thousand rupees belonging to Dewji Jamal &
Co. A fund was established and a small mosque-imambara was built which
became known as “Bustani” (now Hyderi). Unfortunately towards the end
of the same year the Mombasa Khoja Shia Ithna-asheris became caught up
in the ongoing communal discord and conflict in Zanzibar and Lamu.
According to late Sadak Jivraj Meghji soon after the differences arose a
small bungalow was purchased near the Bustani. The disaffected party
would gather there to perform namaz and majlis. A madrasa under the
charge of a Seyyid Rhemtulla was established to teach the Quran and the
Seyyid was paid fifteen rupees a month for his services. However after a
year the madrasa was stopped and religious activities were shifted to the
house of Mohammed Baqir, a Persian gentleman living in Mombasa.
5
Eventually the leaders of the new Jamat decided to acquire their own
cemetery and build a new mosque-imambara.
In 1903 Dharamsi Khatau, Jivraj Khatau and Walji Bhanji bought
land along present day Haileselassie Rd for use as a cemetery.
Original 16 Rajab 1321/8 October 1903 Arabic Deed of Sale of a plot of land for the
cemetery by Dharamsi Khatau & Co. next to the shamba of Dewji Jamal (from A.A.
Khatau)
In the same year, Dharamsi Khatau, Jivraj Khatau and Jivraj Meghji
also bought land along Old Killindini Rd and a fund was established to build
a new mosque-imambara. In 1904 work on the mosque-imambara, named
“Kuwwatul Islam” (now Husseini) was completed. Various dignitaries from
Zanzibar were invited for the opening ceremony including the resident alim
of Zanzibar, Seyyid Abdulhusein Marashi, who performed the religious
ceremony of dedication. Henceforth the Ithna-asheri community of
Mombasa had two jamats: “Bustani” and “Kuwwatul Islam” each with their
own mosque-imambara and cemetery. As luck would have it the two
cemeteries, although separated from each other by a wall, were right next to
each other. When the two jamats were reunited on 28 October 1966 under
the famous slogan “ek bano nek bano” (unite and prosper), the wall between
the two cemeteries (known then as the “Berlin Wall”), was finally brought
down.
****
6
1904, Mombasa - Visiting dignitaries from Zanzibar at the opening ceremony of the
“Kuwwatul Islam Mosque” on Old Killindini Rd. (from Sayyid Muhammad Redha
Shushtary).
Sitting (from L-R second row): Sayyid Muhammad Ali (first l); Sayyid Muhammad Ali
(third l); Sayyid Abdulhussein Marashi (centre); Sayyid Jaffer Marashi (second r); Sayyid
Muhammad Taqi Marashi (first r); Standing (third row R-L): Ali Mohammed Jagani,
(unkown), Ismail Kalyan.
Early 1900’s - Mombasa Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheris. Note the Union Jack flying in the
background. (from A.A. Khatau)
7
The “Berlin Wall” separating the two Ithna-asheri cemetries being brought down by
representatives of the two jamats: Abdulhussein Dharamsi Khatau and Sadak Jivraj Meghji
(from A.A. Khatau)
The Old Bustani, Mombasa (from A.A. Khatau)
8
“Chittilesso”
Hanging on a wall at the entrance of the Mombasa Club there used
to be a superb black and white photograph of a sailing dhow. On the
dhow‟s stern, you could read
the legend “W. RAMJI &
SONS, LAMU, L.58”. The
dhow belonged to old Walji
Ramji a leading Ithna-Asheri
piece-cloth merchant of Lamu.
He arrived on the island in 1885
along with his brothers Molu
Ramji and Damji Ramji.
The three brothers built
up a flourishing business
retailing and wholesaling cotton
cloth. When they were tired of
sitting in their shops they used
to go door to door to make
deliveries. They became famous
under the name “chittilesso”, a
name which is still remembered
by old residents of Lamu to this
day. (Chit is the Gujarati word
for cotton and lesso is a type of
cloth wrap around worn by Swahili women)
****
Life in Lamu
From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa
Life in Lamu in the 1930‟s was very simple. People would wake up
in the morning and go for prayers. They would open their shops from 8:00-
12:00 pm and then go home for lunch and to sleep. The shops would re-
open again at 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm when people would go for maghrib
prayers. After dinner some people would open their shops at half past eight
to do book keeping until around 10:00 pm when they would go to bed. The
chairmen of the jamat in those days were Jaffer Panju, Hassan Walji, Molu
Ramji and his brother Walji Ramji. Molu Ramji used to bring grain and
other cargo from Mombasa and would export boriti (mangrove poles).
Yes I remember Daya Kanji. He had a big shop in Lamu and was
also into bringing cargo from Mombasa and shipping boriti and copra. Daya
Kanji‟s agent Abdulrasul Hirji Walji stayed in Faza where he would buy
boriti. The Bohra Adamali Nurbhai and the Parsi Cowasjee were also in
Faza. They used to come to Lamu once every six months for a hair cut.
There was no electricity in the mosque; we had to use kerosene lamps. The
imambara was upstairs. There were two ways of going up to the imambara;
one way was from the bazaar and this was used by the ladies and the other
was from the sea shore which was used by gents. Two staircases were built
9
on either side. The local mullas were Mulla Jafferali Alibhai, Mulla
Vallimohamed Merali Dewji, Mulla Mohammedali Nanji and Mulla Nanji
Bhanji, who was a very old man at the time. The mullas would give waez
and majlis in the imambara upstairs from the wooden pulpit (mimbar). Later
on we used to have alims coming from outside Lamu. They would stay in
the madrasa at the top which was converted into a guesthouse when there
weren‟t any children left.
The purdah was strictly enforced in those days in Lamu. There was a
wall with a wooden door in the middle of the imambara that was always
closed. Next to the door was a window like the one in our mosque in
Zanzibar. During niyyaz (feasts) which were always at lunch time if the
ladies needed anything extra they used to tap the window‟s sill. Mwalimu
Yusufu and Mwalimu Faraj used to teach the students Quran in the madrasa.
On Thursday nights we would all go to the Chungani (cemetery). Majlises
were held there in the small building (now in ruins) with barazas outside.
This building was built during the time of Molu Ramji. The oldest graves
you can see in the Lamu Chungani today are of Daya Kanji, Damji Ramji,
Molu Ramji, Walji Ramji, Alibhai Panju and Jaffer Panju.
****
Dhows I Can Remember
From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa
Walji Ramji was known as “chittilesso” and he was a big piece cloth
merchant. He used to own a number of dhows. I remember “Sadat el-
Khayr”; “Kheya” which disappeared while sailing from Lamu to Mombasa
and “Violet” which also disappeared even though many inquiries into its
whereabouts were made. The three brothers Hassan Walji, Rhemtulla Walji
and Hirji Walji were into importing grain and taking cargo to Mombasa,
Tanga and Dar-es-Salaam. Hassan Walji had dhows as well. I remember
“Madina”, “Munawer” and “Rangoon”. Mulla Nanji Bhanji‟s dhow was
“Ruman”.
****
Two Brave Brothers
From the “Ithna-Asheri Trade Directory”
Not all Khoja familes that came to Lamu actually lived on the island.
A number of people were based in Kunumbi and Witu on the mainland;
others in Faza and Siyu on Pate island. The leaders of the Bhimji Kanji
family are an example. Hassan Bhimji and Hirji Bhimji lived in Mpeketoni
on the banks of the Tana River. They would travel along the river in dug out
canoes or “hodis” to remote villages negotiating crocodiles, hippos and
native tribes to trade.
****
10
Cosmopolitan Lamu
From interviews with Hussein Abdalla Jaffer Pardhan (AP), Mombasa
Yes I do remember something about other communities. The
Ismailis in Lamu in the 1930‟s I remember are Velji Khatau, Mohan Amersi
and his brother Remtulla (Remu) Amersi and Lalji Rajan. There were many
Bohras. T.M.Jeevanjee had the biggest dhow in Lamu called “Queen Mary”.
The dhow sank on its first trip to Kismayu loaded with boriti. Other Bohras
were Ibrahimji Moosajee, Amijee Ismailjee, Sadiqali Nurbhai,
Gulamhussein Nurbhai, Pirbhai Nurbhai, Gulamhussein Daya, Hassanali
Zahabu who used to sell gold, Ismail Kichwa, Alibhai Mauritiuswalla who
had a big building in Lamu and Gulamhussein “Belwed” who was lame and
moved about on one foot.
Among the Sunni community I remember Haji Mohammed Karim
Khatri and his brother Haji Gulmohammed Karim Khatri. There were two
barber shops in Lamu, the oldest being Sidik Ahmed‟s and the other one
was Hasham‟s. The old Hindus were Jevant Dossa, Vallabhdas Valji who
was a Bhattia and his brother Morarji Valji. They would burn their dead in
Kitau opposite Shela. There was a bar near the Lamu Customs owned by a
Goan, Mr.Vagasse. The Parsis I remember in Lamu were the two sons of
Cowasjee Nowrojee Dastur, Keki and his brother Homi. Among Arabs I
remember Shaykh Mohammed Maa‟wy who had mango shambas, Salim
Ahmed Basaida who worked with Smith Mackenzie, Hussein Shamuti,
Abdalla Bathes and Mr. Yahya who was the only man in Lamu with a horse.
He used to ride it on the main street along the sea shore.
****
Ivory and Sim Sim
There is an interesting letter in the Zanzibar Archives from the
British Consular Agency in Lamu to the Customs Officer in Lamu. Dated
1890, it is a petition filed by one “Hemraj Luddha” complaining about extra
charges he was asked to pay for a consignment of sim sim seed and ivory
that he had brought by dhow from Mambrui. According to Luddha, despite
paying full customs fees for the sim sim seed and the ivory at Mambrui, the
Lamu customs had retained the ivory and demanded extra payment of duty.
Could Hemraj Luddha be the Ithna-asheri merchant Hemraj
Ladhani? I am inclined to think so. Erratic spelling of tricky Indian names
was common in the Consular Agency. If those inscrutable clerks could turn
the famous Zanzibari merchant Fazal Issani into „Fazal Isa,‟ Hemraj Luddha
is probably none other than Hemraj Ladhani. In 1880 Hemraj Ladhani sailed
with his family by dhow from Kutch to Bagamoyo. Around 1885 he moved
with his family to Lamu. Hemraj Ladhani had five sons: Virji Hemraj;
Abdalla Hemraj; Rashid Hemraj; Bandali Hemraj and Hassam Hemraj all of
whom were well known in Lamu as „Bagamoyowallas‟.
****
11
Dharamsi Khatau: A Pioneer and Merchant Prince
From interviews with Akberali A. Khatau, Mombasa
My grandfather Dharamsi Khatau was
born in Nagalpur, Kutch in 1865. He had four
brothers Jivraj Khatau, Manji Khatau, Kassim
Khatau and Killu Khatau. Yes it‟s the same
“shaheed” Killu Khatau, the student of Mulla
Qader Husayn who was martyred in Bombay.
After the death of Killu in 1878, my
grandfather left Bombay in 1880 with his
father and mother along with the wife of Killu
Khatau and Killu‟s daughters. The journey to
Mombasa by dhow took about a month. On the
way Khatau Nanjani, my great-grandfather
saddened by the death of Killu passed away. He
was lowered into the sea with full honours.
When the dhow arrived in Mombasa, Dharamsi Khatau decided to
stay on board and disembark in Zanzibar. In Zanzibar he established
Dharamsi Khatau & Co., which grew to become a successful import
company that used to import textiles from Germany. It had forty branches
throughout East Africa, in Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi, Mazeras, Takangu,
Kisumu, Bukoba, Nairobi and Meru etc. Many Ithna-Asheri pioneers began
working with Dharamsi Khatau & Co before establishing their own
businesses including Rashid Moledina, Abdalla Kanji, Rashid
Nurmohammed of Kampala, Moledina Virji and Ali Mohammed Jagani.
In 1893 my grandfather called his brother Jivraj Khatau to manage
the Mombasa branch of Dharamsi Khatau & Co. It was Jivraj who extended
the company‟s business deep into the interior.
There is an interesting incident that my father
told me about Jivraj Khatau. One day Walji
Bhanji was delayed in paying for goods bought
from the German firm Messrs.Hansing & Co.
He was sent a notice threatening court action.
When Jivraj Khatau heard about this, he
became very angry and told the firm‟s German
representative: “Walji Bhanji is my brother.”
Later that day the notice was torn up by the
German in Jivraj‟s office. The Germans knew if
they didn‟t take the notice back all business
dealings between Dharamsi Khatau & Co. and
Messrs. Hansing & Co. would stop. You see,
that‟s how it used to be in the old days.
Dharamsi Khatau
(from A.A. Khatau)
Messrs. Hansing & Co.
Mombasa
(from Playne and Gale)
12
An old envelope: the remains of a business empire
(from A.A. Khatau)
****
The First Ithna-Asheri in Nairobi
From Cynthia Salvadori‟s We Came in Dhows and interviews with Mulla
Anverali Valimohamed Walji and Hussein A. Walji, Mombasa
Walji Bhanji was born in Kutch in 1869.
He had two brothers Khaku Bhanji and Karim
Bhanji. After Khaku‟s death, Walji Bhanji
married his brother‟s wife Kaiserbai and raised
his brother‟s children Suleman Khaku and
Bachibai. Kaiserbai bore him two sons Alibhai
and Valimohammed. In 1898 Walji Bhanji left
Kutch and arrived with his family in Mombasa.
He stayed with Ladha Kanji and opened a small
shop selling matches and tobacco. In 1899 he
decided to go to Nairobi. He travelled by train
to Voi and then by donkey to Nairobi. Very
quickly Walji Bhanji was able to establish a
successful import-export firm. The firm grew
to almost sixty branches across East Africa.
There was even a branch in Nakuru opened in 1902 and supervised by
Karim Bux.
The firm used to import piece goods and salt from India, sugar from
Mauritius and would export raw cotton and from 1909 onwards ivory to
India and the Far East. Walji Bhanji‟s sons Valimohammed and Alibhai and
his step son Suleman were made partners in the firm. It was Suleman who
extended the firm‟s operation into the interior. Cotton ginneries were set up
in Mbale and Butiaba. Walji Bhanji himself stayed mostly in Mombasa,
Valimohammed worked in Zanzibar and Alibhai was in charge of buying
ivory.
Walji Bhanji
(from Hussein A. Walji)
13
There was a time when Walji Bhanji was so famous amongst the
Africans that they were singing songs about him as they pushed the
handcarts bringing cotton and ivory to the depots. At first the family lived in
Walji Bhanji‟s buildings on Old Killindini Rd but later Walji Bhanji
acquired the big house (Leven House) near the stairs by the Old Port and the
whole family lived there. The ground floor was the head office with all the
accountants and everybody. On the top floor Suleman lived with his family.
Eventually Walji Bhanji‟s luck ran out. The Great Depression hit
Africa – and Walji Bhanji lost a lot of currency, German marks. Smith
Mackenzie advanced him a large sum to purchase the cotton crop. Locusts
devoured the entire crop. In 1932 he was declared bankrupt. All Walji
Bhanji‟s properties were put up for sale. Datoo came to auction them. For
three days after the auction Walji Bhanji never left the house, his big house
by the Old Port. On the third day, there in that house he died.
****
The Story of “Khalfan Soap”
From interviews with Mohammed A. Khalfan, Dar-es-Salam
Khalfan was a young man when his family got him married. As
things were difficult in India at the time due to drought, soon after his
marriage in 1835 he set sail in a dhow for the East African coast to Lamu.
Unfortunately on arrival in Lamu, the sea was extremely rough and the
dhow that was carrying Khalfan to the shore capsized and Khalfan drowned.
By the time news of Khalfan‟s death reached Bhavnagar, six months had
passed and Khalfan‟s wife was pregnant. The child born was called
Mohamed Khalfan. Around 1855 Mohammed Khalfan came by dhow to
Zanzibar.
In 1860 Mohammed Khalfan had a son, Ali who was the first local
birth in Zanzibar. When Ali grew up he was appointed Custom‟s agent to
the Sultan. Later he was given the management of the coconut and clove
plantations of the Sultan‟s sister. He had two sons, Abdulrasul who was
born in 1887 and Abdalla born in 1889. In 1910, Ali Mohamed Khalfan
decided to send his young sons Abdulrasul and Abdalla to Mombasa. There
Abdulrasul quickly got a job as broker with Smith Mackenzie & Co, due to
his fluent command of English, Kutchi, Gujarati and Kiswahili. Abdalla on
the other hand went into manufacturing after he met an Ethiopian named
Abdelrehaman, who told him he knew how to make soap.
Soon Abdalla had opened a small shed in Mombasa and had started
manufacturing soap. Business was brisk and within a short time, „Khalfan
Soap‟, had become famous. The purchase of caustic soda from Smith
Mackenzie reached such high levels that Abdalla decided it was time to
build a full-scale factory. Abdalla had by then become a personal friend of
Smith Mackenzie and it was this close friendship which allowed him to ask
Smith Mackenzie to accept the resignation of his brother, Abdulrasul and
along with him, Smith Mackenzie‟s chief accountant L.F.De Mello. Land on
which to build the factory was provided, by the mercantile prince and
Mombasa magnate Jaffer Dewji, who was the father-in-law of both the
brothers.
14
When the factory was built around 1920, it was the first time that a
two-story factory could be seen in Mombasa. Modern machinery was
imported from Krupp the giant German weapons manufacturing company
during the first and second world wars. The factory had a rest room and a
prayers room. A chef was imported from Bombay to do the cooking. Once
the Company‟s Registration Ordinace came out, Khalfan Oil Mills and Soap
Factory was one of the first Ithnasheri establishments to become a Limited
company. Smith Mackenzie took over the sole agency for the marketing of
the soap. The factory had become so prosperous that in 1930, when the
Maharao of Kutch Shree Khengarji visited Mombasa, a party was held in his
honour at the factory and various dignitaries of Mombasa were in
attendance.
Mombasa – 1930. The King of Kutch, Maharao Shree Kehngarji, accompanied by Prince
Madansinhji visiting the Khalfan Oil Mills and Soap Factory.
Sitting r-l: Rashid Moldeina, Fazleabbas Esmailjee Jeevanjee, Abdulrasul Ali Mohamed
Khalfan, Prince Madansinhji, Maharao Shree Khengarji, Jaffer Dewji, Bandali Esmail
Kalyan, Yusufali Esmailjee Jeevanjee, De Mello; standing r-l: Mohamedhusein Abdulrasul
Khalfan, Shariff Khalfan, Mohamed Jaffer Sheriff Dewji (from Mohammed A. Khalfan)
****
The Rao of Kutch’s Visit to Mombasa
From interviews with Hassan A.M.Jaffer, Mombasa
I remember late Kassamali Jivraj Meghji telling me that when the
Rao of Kutch visited Mombasa in 1930 the elders of the Asian community
wanted to hold a celebration of some sort in his honour. They approached
Jaffer Dewji to host a tea party at his house. In those days Jaffer Dewji was
one of the senior most Asian businessmen in Mombasa. Jaffer Dewji
suggested that it would not be appropriate to only invite the Rao of Kutch
15
for tea; after all he was the King of Kutch and had to be treated with respect
in keeping with his status. He suggested that he would get the official boat
of the Liwali Sir Ali bin Salim.
Jaffer Dewji asked the Liwali for his boat with the request that there
should be two flags on the boat, the Union Jack and the red flag of the
Sultan of Zanzibar. A number of prominent Ithna-asheris and non-Ithna-
asheris were invited to accompany the Rao of Kutch and his chief minister
as they were taken round the island on the boat and then to Jaffer Dewji‟s
house for tea. Now it so happened that an Ithna-asheri had been killed by an
Ismaili in Kutch in the Rao‟s life time. Abadalla Kanji who was fearless
decided to ask him what happened to the case. The Rao, realizing he was
surrounded by leaders of different communities shrewdly said “You come to
Kutch and I will answer you.” Somebody on the boat asked Abdalla Kanji if
he would go to Kutch, to which Abdalla Kanji replied in Kutchi, “Buddho
mukeh rosivindo!” (If I go the old man will roast me alive!).
****
Bwana Judge
From an interview with Aunali G.Kanji, Mombasa
Abdalla Kanji was born in Bhuj, Kutch in 1881.
His father Kanji Dhalani was trading in Bagamoyo and
died there. After his death Abdalla Kanji came to
Mombasa in 1902 with his brother Bandali Kanji. He
began work in the firm of Jivraj Meghji & Co and then
established Abdalla Kanji & Sons in 1904. As the
family grew Abdalla Kanji decided to expand his import
export business into land and estate as well. Most of his
savings were invested in the purchase of land and
property. Tewa road off Moi Avenue where he built
Jaffer Dewji’s Visitor’s Book (from Hassan A.M. Jaffer)
Abdalla Kanji
(from Aunali G. Kanji)
16
houses including his own used to be known as Abdalla Kanji St. He was a
great philanthropist and friend of the needy. Although he never took any
official position in the community, leaders and elders always sought his
advice. He was a champion in resolving disputes and was nick-named
„Bwana Judge‟ because people respected and honoured his judgment. When
he passed away in 1944, on the way to the kabrastan (cemetery) his coffin
was stopped three times by other communities so that they could place
“shaals” (pieces of cloth) on it as a mark of respect.
****
Molubhai Rhemtulla
From an interview with Mulla Hassanali G. Khaki, Mombasa
Opposite Mackinnon Market there used to be a shamba and a small
shop belonging to Molubhai Rhemtulla. When Molubhai became old he
went to the jamat elders and told them that he wanted to donate his shamba
and shop to the jamat. The jamat elders refused and advised him to keep it
for his only daughter. Unfortunately Molubhai‟s daughter passed away soon
after. Molubhai once again went to the elders and told them since he had no
heirs he would give the shamba and shop as a gift to the jamat.
The jamat asked Molubhai what he would like the income to be used
for and Molubahi told them to use it for Thursday majlis and niyyaz. No, it
was not written down; no will was made at the time it was only spoken.
Suddenly in that same year in 1926 Molubhai passed away. In those days
the jamat used to collect a rent of five rupees from the shop. Later a building
was constructed on the land, and a portion was leased out to the adjacent
petrol station. Today the rent accrued is worth thousands of shillings.
****
A Dinner in Bhuj-Kutch
Valimohamed Ladha came to Mombasa in the 1890‟s from
Zanzibar. He belonged to an old Zanzibar Khoja family and had four
brothers Shermohamed, Mohamed, Dostmohammed and Rustamali. In his
will he left his land and property (opposite the Saifee bakery) to the jamat.
In writing how he wished income from his property to be spent,
Valimohamed added the remarkable stipulation that every year on the 14th
of Jamadil Awwal, his trustees had to arrange a dinner in memory of his late
father Ladha Ranmal in Bhuj-Kutch!
From the wakf deed of Valimohamed Ladha
17
Two German Spies
From Interviews with Mulla Anverali Vallimohamed Walji, Mombasa
I heard about this from our elders when I was very young. During
the First World War there were two Ithna-asheris here who were German
spies. They were caught and sentenced to death. Before they were hanged
they were allowed to pray in Kuwwatul Islam mosque. I used to know their
names but I can‟t remember them anymore.
****
Contributors to the Old Bustani
Based on the Bustani wakf deed and the “Ithnasheri trade directory”
In 1899 when leaders of the community decided to build a mosque
and imambara, they organised a “harambee” to collect money. The list of
contributors has been preserved in the wakf deed. Some of the names are
quite surprising. Rattansi Virji who donated 251 rupees was none other than
the first “kamadia” of the Kuze Jamatkhana built in 1888. Mohammed
Dhanji another Ismaili contributor was a wealthy glass and lamp merchant
of Mombasa who once famously owned “10,000 acres within a 10 mile
radius of Mombasa”. Other contributors included Jamaldin Pasandali, a
Baloch shopkeeper, who donated 615 rupees and was one of the original six
“mutawallis” of the Bustani (the other five were: Nazerali Dewji, Jaffer
Dewji, Mohammed Lakha, Allarakhia Valli and Mohamed Jetha).
Mohammed Baqir who donated 4,000 rupees was a Persian living in
Mombasa. In the 1900‟s he left Mombasa and went to Mbale in Uganda.
According to late Ladhabhai Rawji of Mbale, Mohammed Baqir was a good
hunter and used to trade in ivory and other produce. He was very religious
and had an annexe of two rooms in his house where majlises were recited
regularly. He was also a great social worker. In 1919 when an epidemic of
influenza struck at Mbale people were very scared but Mohammed Baqir
continued to serve bravely and distributed free medicines to all. He died in
1922.
****
Issa Thaver’s Lane
Who is Issa Thaver? No one knows. Was he a Khoja, a Memon, a
Bohra? I remember seeing a sign which said “Issa Thaver Lane” on the road
just after the central police station leading down into Kibokoni. Today the
road is renamed “Bawazir Rd”. According to late Sadak Jivraj Meghji in the
“Ithna-Asheri Trade Directory” Issa Thaver was a prominent Ithna-asheri
merchant of Mombasa. The head of his firm was Abdalla Datoo, it had a
branch in Lamu, and its biggest buyer was A.M. Jeevanjee. When Molubhai
Jivraj Meghji arrived in Mombasa he stayed with Issa Thaver. In 1899 Issa
Thaver donated the sum of 1001 rupees for the construction of the Bustani.
****
18
Contributors to “Kuwwatul Islam”
From an interview with Mohamed Jaffer Mulla Hassanali Khaki, Mombasa
I have here an exact translation from Gujarati of notes made by my
late father Mulla Hassanali G. Khaki based on details of the history of
Kuwwatul Islam mosque and imambara given to him by late Mohamed
Sadak Jivraj Meghji. The Kuwwatul Islam mosque and imambara were built
in 1904 at the cost of 13,500 rupees. This was a large sum in those days. For
the construction of the mosque, Hasham Ghulamhussein Bhujwalla‟s sister
paid 5,000 rupees in 1903. In the same
year Jivraj Meghji and Ismail Kalyan went
to Bombay to raise funds for the
construction of the imambara and
contributions were also received from
Zanzibar. After the mosque and imambara
were built extensions were made to the
complex paid by Rajabali Bhaloo.
In 1906 a shop was built outside
the imambara by Jivraj Khatau in memory
of late Dharamsi
Khatau. Above
this shop the first
madrasa was built
by Nasser Virji of
Bagamoyo in
memory of his late
mother (dedicated to the community on 13th
July
1907). Next to the shop built by Jivraj Khatau, a
second one was built in 1907 by Jivraj Meghji to
cover the running expenses of the mosque. (This
shop was later occupied by Messrs. Dawood Haji
Nasser and Co). Funds were also raised by the jamat
to buy the shop next door occupied by the Ismaili
firm of Suleman Virjee for 5,900 rupees. In the same
year (1907) Jivraj Khatau passed away inside the mosque.
****
Jivraj Meghji
(from S.Sadak)
Nasser Virji
(from Jaffery Sports Club)
19
Abdalla Datoo’s Bohra Banker
Based on the Memoirs of Akberali G.A.Datoo published in the “Ithna-
Asheri Trade Directory”
Abdalla Datoo came to Zanzibar from
Mandvi in Kutch in 1870. He began work in
the firm of Tharia Topan. In those days Tharia
was a very powerful and influential man in
Zanzibar. He was both the “mukhi” of the
Jamatkhana and also Sultan Baragash‟s Chief
of Customs. His company had thirty shops
reaching all the way to Mozambique with its
head office in Zanzibar. Abdalla Datoo was
Tharia‟s chief accountant and he used to travel
by donkey through jungle from shop to shop to
check the accounts. His travels took him
towards Mombasa, Mikindani and Lindi. After
working in Tharia‟s company for around ten
years in 1882 Abdalla Datoo came to Mombasa to settle down. In Mombasa
he worked as the manager of the prominent firm of Issa Thaver. Abdalla
Datoo had become an Ithna-Asheri by then and he was a very pious and
religious man. Each month he would
take fifteen rupees from his salary and
give it to his banker, the Bohra high
priest Sheikh Esajee Mulla Bhaijee, to
keep so that he could go for pilgrimage
and ziyarat.
Unfortunately just when he had
collected enough money, the First World
War broke out and before it ended
Abdalla Datoo passed away. After his
death Sheikh Esajee went to see Abdalla
Datoo‟s wife Sakinabai. He gave her
five sacks containing one thousand
rupees each and said: “Abdallabhai had
saved this money to go for pilgrimage
and ziyarat but I am the only man who knew about it.” Even today old
Bohras in Mombasa remember Sheikh Esajee‟s honesty and trustworthiness.
He never lost a single rupee.
****
Abdalla Datoo
(from Samachar)
Sheikh Esajee Mulla Bhaijee
(from Yusuf Saeed)
20
Kwakizi or Kwakiziwi (Place of the Deaf Man)
From John H.A. Jewel, Mombasa the Friendly Town
Used to be forest land and was once owned by an Asian who was
very deaf. When people began to build houses in the location it came to be
called Kwa Kiziwi. He was the grandfather of the Datoo family, Abdulla
Datoo, and his house is still there.
****
The First Allidinian
From Fifty Years: A History of Allidina Visram High School, 1923-1972
Allidina Visram High School admitted its first pupil on 2nd January
1923. He was Mohamedali Dhalla, one of the senior pupils in the former
school and looked upon by both staff and pupils as a perfect leader. He still
recalls the day vividly as with a large crowd of other pupils he turned up at
the new building. “We had been looking forward eagerly to the day when
we would move to the beautiful new school,” he recalls “although the
opening was held without ceremony, it was an occasion in itself for us.”
****
21
The Ithna-Asheri Musafirkhana in Mombasa
The first Ithna-Asheri Musafirkhana or traveller‟s guesthouse in
Mombasa was built in 1908. 2,500 rupees were raised by the jamat and a
small musafirkhana was built behind the Kuwwatul Islam imambara. In the
1920‟s Abdalla Kanji and Fazal Ladak Shivji bought land and built a new
musafirkhana. The Kanjibhai and Ladakbhai Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri
Musafirkhana officially opened to travellers amid great fanfare at 9 am on
25th
September 1926. Its first trustees were: Abdalla Kanji, Fazal Ladak
Shivji, Walji Bhanji, Kassamali Jivraj Meghji and Gulamhussein Abdalla
Datoo. Travellers were welcome to stay for up to one month after which
they had to submit a special application to extend their stay.
Mombasa, 1926 - Opening ceremony Ithna-asheri Musafirkhana
(from Jivraj collecion)
From L-R: T.M. Jeevanjee, British official, Sir Ali bin Salim, Abdalla Kanji (l behind Sir
Ali), Kassamali Jivraj Meghj, Gulamhussein Abdalla Datoo, [?], Religious Alim, Fazal
Ladak Shivji (above Alim), Rashid Moledina and Sir Mbarak Hinaway
22
Sheriff Jaffer & Co
From Cynthia Salvadori‟s We Came in Dhows based on interviews with late
Hussein Abdalla Jaffer
In 1903 shortly before his death (he died in Bombay in 1905), Dewji
Jamal asked his two sons, Sheriff and my grandfather Jaffer, the only two
sons remaining in East Africa to close his business (Dewji Jamal & Co) and
to form their own company. Thus „Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟ came into being. All
the „Dewji Jamal‟ properties were valued and sold to „Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟
and Dewji Jamal gave each of his two sons a gift of Rs 80,000, a large sum
at that time, for their dedicated services. Sheriff looked after the Zanzibar
branch and my grandfather Jaffer
managed the company in Mombasa and
also looked after the Lamu branch,
helped by his nephew Mohamedali.
„Sheriff Jaffer & Co‟ was one of
the three major firms in Mombasa,
together with that of Allidina Visram and
his son Abdulrasul and that of
A.M.Jeevanje. These big merchants
loaned money back and forth, with no
bills or anything written; their word was
enough. As Mombasa grew, streets were
named after prominent Indian merchants,
usually the streets where they had their
business premises. Jeevanjee St linked
Fort Jesus Rd and Makadara St. Three of
the Dewji brothers had streets named
after them – Sherrifbhai St, Jafferbhai St,
and Nazeralibhai St all strips of land
given by the estate free to the government
to make the roads.
My grandfather Jaffer Dewji lived
very well. He even had a horse [there
were hardly any horses in Mombasa],
such a good horse that some military
person, a colonel, wanted to buy it. My
grandfather refused to sell it – and the
horse died three days later. Jaffer Dewji
associated with the leading people, of all
communities. He was a friend of
Abdulrasul Visram – Abdulrasul was a very kind-hearted man, and anyone
who came to him for help always received it. He was a wonderful person.
Sadly Abdul Rasul suffered from TB, which is why he died so young.
My grandfather was also very friendly with Mackinnon, as well as
his Persian headman Mulla Shambe. But he didn‟t kowtow to anyone. One
time the PC came to visit him at his house and was ushered into the sitting
room where Jaffer was sitting. Jaffer, being rather elderly, did not stand up
but welcomed the PC and invited him to take a seat. The PC stayed standing
and seemed rather angry. Again, my grandfather asked him sit down. The
Premises of Shariff Jaffer & Co,
Mombasa opposite the Bohra Mosque
in Old Town (from Playne & Gale)
23
PC took offense and said, „why haven‟t you stood up to welcome me?‟ My
grandfather said, „This is my house and in it I do not have to stand up for
anyone. If you don‟t like it you can leave.‟ The PC left. Another European
official who heard of the incident took the matter up with the Governor –
and the PC was transferred.
Mombasa 1900’s. Sitting L-R: Count Abdulrasul Allidina Visram, T.M.Jeevanjee, the
Maharaja of Gaekwad, Jaffer Dewji, Jadewji Dewji. Standing R-L: Dr.Gama the Portugese
consul (from H.A.Jaffer)
****
Jaffer Dewji’s Museum at the Old Port
By „SHELLBACK‟ in the Mombasa Times
Hanging on the wall in front of the table I am writing at in a house
up-country is an entertaining rug which once belonged to that coast collector
of Persian and other treasures, the late Mr.Jaffer Dewji of Mombasa. Older
residents on the island will remember that big crowded room at the top of a
high building down near the Old Harbour and reached by a wide rather
gloomy staircase set about with huge grain jars which could well have
hidden Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. One panted up several flights, and
then, through an entirely unpretentious door, there suddenly was this unique
private collection of beautiful china and pottery massed so thickly on the
high walls that one could barely find space for an outspread hand between
the rows and rows of curious dishes, glazed tiled bowls and a hundred
different things spread before one.
24
It was a fascinating conglomeration. I remember glorious Persian
China of deep blue on
white with the full
blown Persian rose
twined in and out of
the delicate fluting, in
fact this typical rose
was everywhere in the
decorations. Other
bowls and plates, of a
greenish-grey glaze
had sacred writings
from the Koran, and
the devout would use
there for their
medicines or even
plain draughts of water – so certain were they that the holy words would
still their fevers. There were any amount of the so called Lamu China dishes
– now identified as of Chinese origin and some of the specimens were huge
and very rare and ancient. There were covered Chinese soup and rice bowls
with their little stubby china spoons, or rather scoops; tear bottles galore, tall
slender-necked rosewater bottles and sprinklers of exquisite turquoise blues
and greens, some encrusted with jewels. These bottles are often highly
prized heirlooms and rich Persians and Arabs bestow them upon the brides
of their eldest sons: I have one such lovely rosewater bottle given to me by a
charming Washihiri lady whom I once helped, and it has an honoured place
in my glass cabinet…
But I started off this article with a rug – alas not mine! Old Mr.
Jaffer Dewji had many such unusual rugs; not for the floor but to be hung as
tapestries are in Europe. He was persuaded to part with this one, but I do not
think anyone was ever successful in getting him to sell others. He died some
years ago and since then we have not had the pleasure of being able to look
at his lovely and interesting things. The Dewji family has a long and
honourable association with East Africa: is it too much to hope that some
day perhaps that fascinating top room may be thrown open again and people
interested in old and valuable and lovely china, porcelain, pottery and silver
and other objects may be privileged to enjoy once more the rare treat of
browsing round a magnificent private collection.
*****
Jaffer Dewji’s Museum c.1908 (from Playne & Gale)
25
26
Mombasa’s First Public Library
(From Robert G. Gregory‟s The Rise and Fall of
Philanthropy in East Africa)
(From Africa Speaks by Paul Louis Hoefler)
(From The Old Town, Mombasa: A Historical Guide by Jenny Maitland-Jones, Janet
McCrae, Judy Aldrick and Rosemary Macdonald)
(From Early Days in East Africa by Frederick John Jackson)
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