Chapter outline and page reference:
Balaknath 262
Yasodhara Bhatta 262
Kavi Gangadhara 263
Kavi Shridhar 263
Trikamdas Bhavanishankar Vaishnav 263
Diwan Amarji 264
Diwan Ranchhodji Amarji 264
Varas Ismail Gangji 265
Manohar Swami 267
Adityaramji Vyas 267
Manishanker Jatashankar Kikani 268
Rao Bahadur Gokalji Sampatram Jhala 268
Bhagwanlal Sampatram Chhatrapati 270
Vazir Sheikh Bahauddin Hasambhai 270
Bhagwanlal Indraji 272
Karunashanker Indraji 275
Raghunatha Indraji 275
Vallabhji Acharya 275
Pandit Gatulal 276
Tribhovandas Motichand Shah 276
Rao Bahadur Tribhuvanrai Dulerai Rana 280
Prataprai Vasantrai Saurashtrakar 282
Janmashanker Mahashanker Buch 282
Damodardas Hirji Jagad 282
Alibhai Jamal 282
Dayashankar Trikanji Dave 283
Tribhovandas Jagjivandas Raja 283
Ismail Abrehani 285
Durlabh Ramji 285
Jaisukhrai Purushotamrai Joshipura 286
Manmohan Purushottam Gandhi 286
Shambhuprasad Harprasad Desai 287
Arvindbhai Navranglal Buch 289
Gorabhai Ramji Pathak 290
Jatashanker Harjiwan Vora 290
Maharanishanker Ambashanker Sharma 290
Motilal Ravishanker Ghoda 290
Gulam Ahmed Shaikh 290
Indra Vasavada 291
Narendra N Shukla 291
Pushpa Chhaya 291
Dilip Dholakia 291
Rajendra Desai 292
Suryakantbhai Acharya 293
Prafullachandra Harsukhrai Vaishnav 293
Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani 294
Hanif Mohammad 296
Yogesh Harilal Desai 298
Kishore Keshavlal Koticha 298
Chittaranjan N Nirmel 298
Abdul Rahim Nagori 299
Ram Krishnaswamy Iyengar 300
Pranlal Vyas 300
Chimanlal Padia 300
Vrundavan Solanki 301
Abdullakhan Samiullakhan Yusufzai 302
Manoj Vrajlal Khanderia 303
Izhar Haider 303
Parveen Babi 304
Diwaliben Bhil 305
Niru Mehta 305
Parimal Rupani 306
Chapter preview (first two pages only):
The arrangement of the following people born in Junagadh, or who spent a significant part of their life there, is largely chronological.
Balaknath
Baba Balaknath or Devat Siddh is understood to have been born at Junagadh, the son of a Brahmin pundit Vishno Vaish and his wife Laxmi, and to have learned the basics of ‘siddhas’ from Dattatrey at Mount Girnar. He has a strong following in India, especially in the northern hill State of Himachal Pradesh where his popular siddhpith cave temple occurs on the top of Dhavi Giri, a mountain near Shah Talai in Hamirpur District. The story of Baba Balaknath can be found in the puranic Baba Balaknath Amar Katha. He is seen as one of the 84 siddhs (chaurasi siddhs) in the Nath Sampraday tradition, and is said to have been a contemporary of the important Nath siddhs Gorakhnath and Bartruhari, with whom he had various interactions. This could place Balaknath in the 9th–10th centuries, the period suggested for Gorakhnath by Singh (1937), although Briggs (1938, page 250) was tentatively inclined to assign Gorakhnath to early in the 11th century.
Shiva ordained that the prodigy Balaknath (bal = child) remain a child forever. This sanyasi boy was endowed with miraculous powers, so that on his many pilgrimages he scattered his bounties and blessings. The image of Baba Balaknath as a child yogi seated upon a peacock and wearing a pearl necklace is almost identical to traditional iconography of Murugan, Kartikaya or Skanda (Sharma 1970, Ranchan and Jasta 1981, Geaves 2007).
Yasodhara Bhatta
Yasodhara Bhatta, a Vaishnav Brahmin, wrote the 13th century Rasaprakasa Sudhakara (Effulgence of Mercury, Wellspring of Nectar), an important Sanskrit Hindu work straddling the line between tantric alchemy and therapeutic alchemy. It is a comprehensive work of 13 chapters devoted to medicinal uses of mercurials and other alchemical preparations. It is essentially a work on rasa-chemistry, but includes alchemic details also. Yasodhara’s name figures in all the Rasa Siddha lists. He mentions the 12th to 13th century Somadeva and opium, which dates his work to the 13th century. Ambar (agnijara) is also mentioned.
According to White (1996, page 159): ‘Yasodhara states that he is a resident of the Saurashtran town of Jirnabhidha, which likely corresponds to the modern toponym of Junagadh.’ Rajyagor (1975, page 715) noted that: ‘Pandit Yashodhar of Junagadh wrote a book on chemistry called Rasprakash Sudhakar and helped Nagarjun in writing Rasratnakar.’
Kavi Gangadhara
Rajyagor (1975, page 715) mentioned that: ‘Kavi Gangadhar of Junagadh wrote Mandlik Kavya prior to 1470 A.D. in Sanskrit. It depicts the life of Rah Mandlik III before his fall and exploits of his ancestors.’ Gangadhara, a Nagar Brahmin and a court poet, wrote the Sanskrit eulogy in praise of King Mandalika. The Mandalika-nrpa-carita (The Deeds of King Mandalika), also known as the Mandalika Kavya or Mandalika Mahakavya, is the only non-epigraphic text from the Chudasama court that has survived to the present day. The text was written about 1460 AD, at the height of Mandlik’s power (see Chapter 19, Volume 3).
Kavi Shridhar
Kavi Shridhar of Junagadh wrote ‘Ravan Mandodri Samvad’, ‘Gauri Charitra’ and other works (Rajyagor 1975, page 716). According to Mehta (1987, page 31): ‘Shridhar (1509) wrote Ravanmandodari Samvad (dialogue between Ravana and Mandodari) in which Man-dodari (wife of Ravana) entreats Ravana to hand over Sita to Rama and make peace with him…Shridhar’s poem is in a dialogue form, and in the poem, Ravana instead of abusing Rama, praises him. The audience also relishes this change, because their religious sentiments are pampered.’ According to Trivedi (1997, page 106): ‘In Shridhar Adalaja’s Ravan-Mandodari Samwada, the wife is depicted as trying to dissuade Ravana from fighting with Rama. The heroic stature of Ravana is considerably damaged by the author’s treatment of the theme. Gauri Charitra is an akhyan in the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Bhiladi.’
Trikamdas Bhavanishankar Vaishnav
Trikamdas Bhavanishankar Vaishnav (1734–1769 AD) of Junagadh, was a soldier statesman, scholar, well-known diplomat of his day, and he became the
I am tracing the family tree of Vazir Sheikh Bahauddin Hasambhai need some data of his family.
Hi Zaid
If you have not already accessed it, you might find something useful in the little book of 78 pages, titled: ‘A Short Biographical Sketch of Madarul Maham Shaikh Mahmad Bahauddinbhai Hasambhai, C. I. E., Vazier Saheb of Junagadh’. It was published in 1896, by Nirnaya-Sagar Press (Javaji Dadaji Chaudhari), Bombay.
Cheers
J.
I also belong to the same family and would like to trace my roots .Please let me know where I can access the book ABiographical sketch of Bahauddin Bhai Hassam bhai published in 1896 by Nir Naya Sagar Press. I wonder if you could send me a photocopy of the family tree online to my e mail address
Hi Zia
I revisited the old book about Junagadh’s Vazier, Bahauddin Bhai, and found it to be significantly a eulogy of the man. It also sets the scene of Junagadh State during his time. But unfortunately it provides no clues to his family origins. Of course, he did have a connection by marriage with the ruling family, as Mahabat Khanji II’s second of four wives was Laddibibi, Bahauddin Bhai’s sister.
Nevertheless, just in case you might be interested to read a little about him, I will send you a file of photo page images I made of the book a few years ago in Junagadh.
In any case, I made a few brief notes relating to Bahauddin Bhai, as follows:
Vazir Sheikh Bahauddin Hasambhai was descended from a line of distinguished ancestors of the Sunni faith. When he was a child he developed a strong friendship with Mahabat Khan II, as they were of equal age and his paternal aunt Chehatboo and her husband Lalbhai were chief confidants of Maji Sahiba, Mahabat Khan’s mother. Bahauddin became a constant companion of Mahabat Khan. When Mahabat Khan (born 10th May 1838) became Nawab in 1851, at the age of 14 years, he appreciated the past services of his old attendants, and Sheikh Bahauddin was appointed chief of his personal risala (bodyguards). In 1853 AD Mahabat Khan II was married with great pomp to Ladli Begum Sahiba, sister of Sheikh Bahauddin, making the two brothers-in-law.
When Mahabat Khan ascended the gadi (throne) he was a minor so a Council of Regency was appointed. When he attained his majority in 1858 the Council of Regency was terminated but affairs of the State remained in the hands of his mother and the administration was poorly managed by two brothers, Keshavji and Virji Luhana, as well as other Luhana family members. The two brothers had been devising schemes to disturb relations between the Agency and the States, and they were in secret alliance with the Wagher dacoits who made depredations in the States in those times. The Nawab, with the help of the Agency, took away all the power from his mother, and all the Luhanas were dismissed from State service. Keshavji received 10 years imprisonment and Virji escaped trial by throwing himself down from a window and dying, while in confinement at Uparkot Fort. Sheikh Bahauddin rendered useful help to the Nawab in this matter, so the Nawab conferred upon him the office of Vazir (chief minister, secretary of state) and the village of Agatarai as a Jagir, in 1862. In 1868, in appreciation of faithful and responsible services, Bahauddin was also given Bhiyal as a Jagir.
Vazir Sahib Sheikh Bahauddin died on 14th July 1914 and was buried in the Mausoleum built by himself near the Mahabat Muqbara.
Sorry that I couldn’t be of any substantive help.
All the best.
J.
Thank you very much for all the information.Bahauddin Bhai was married to the sister of Nawab Mahabat Khan 11 ,and his own sister Laddli Begum was married to the Nawab .it was her son who became the next Nawab Bahadur Khan 111 . I did not know all the details you have kindly written . Thanks again Zia Usman.
Hello Zia Usman and Johnbhai. I know something very interesting about Vazir Bauddinbhai. As a young child, he had received blessings from a Hindu saint. Do you know this? I know the whole story.
And Zia Usman, I also have a group photo of Vazir Bauddinbhai with Nawab Mahabat Khanji of Junagadh and other state officials.
Hello Dave Prakash Sir,
Thanks for your communication. I would be very interested to learn from you about Bahauddinbhai.
Also, are you familiar with the Bahauddinbhai Album. It’s full of interesting early photos. Zia Uzman very kindly sent me scans of all the images from an old copy he possesses.
All the best
John
Hello again Dave Prakash Sir,
I will always be interested to learn whatever I can about Junagadh. And if your photo of Bahauddinbhai is not in the Bahauddinbhai Album, then I’m sure Zia would be interested; I would then inform him by email.
Best wishes
John
Hi John,
With heavy heart,I would like to inform you that Mr. Parimal Rupani (306),Passed away on 06-Feb-2018.
Regards,
Sagar
Thanks Sagar for passing on this news, as sad as it is. Junagadh has lost a dignified and captivating citizen who must have truly loved the city given his life-long interest in and boundless knowledge of its prodigious history. His many fine publications about Junagadh are testimony to his enthusiasm and understanding of its past. But our sorrow is much more than this, for I’m sure that very many people like myself have lost a true friend and colleague.
I will so miss Parimal Bhai’s endearing personality, his straightforward exterior, and his lovable interior. I always found him unstintingly generous with the sharing of information; he would invariably freely offer gems of wisdom about Junagadh in my quest for information, and was always keen to allow me to photograph choice examples from his vast collection of historical items, as well as his collection of antique and rare books about Junagadh. I always felt very privileged whenever I was invited into his home to sit an inspect his special historical objects. Also, he was always happy to introduce me to people in Junagadh in important positions, such as the City Collector, District Superintendent of Police, senior Jain and Hindu clergymen, and every time I revisited Junagadh he would immediately contact media representatives to come to get my ‘story’. I will also miss our vehicle journeys, when his driver would take us to places in Junagadh such as Mai Gadechi, Pancheshwar Caves, Khapra Khodia Caves, Sakario Timbo, and many more, as well as to locations further afield like Bilkha, Ra Khengar Vav, Fofal Dam, Khambhalida Caves, etc. But I will always fondly remember the small things: drinking hot kavi in his shop, dispensed from a large kettle by the itinerant kavi man, or watching Parimal Bhai rub an old coin, brought wrapped in an old plastic bag in to the shop by local villagers, in his hair so that the hair oil would enable a clearer view of the coin’s impression.
Parimal Rupani will be sorely missed by many, and it may take a long time before another appears who has such a profound interest in Junagadh and Kathiawar’s history and artefacts.
The following is a very brief biography of Parimal Rupani:
Mr Parimal Rupani (1958–2018) was the grandson of the Mr Jethalal Rupani (Advocate), a leading citizen of Junagadh. He worked on the history and archaeology of Kathiawad for 25 years, and from 1986 wrote numerous articles about Junagadh. At its 50 year anniversary the Government of Gujarat honoured him with the present of a shield. With the release in 2010 of his Gujarati booklet on the biography of Diwan Anant Amarchand Vasavada, Parimal Rupani’s work on the history of Junagadh was honoured by the saint Morari Bapu (Moraridas Prabhudas Hariyani). Parimal was a collector of old coins, manuscripts and Moghal parwana (documents), and had a very large collection of old photographs and other memorabilia, collectables and relics of Junagadh State before and after independence. In 2011 he produced a Gujarati book on the history of Junagadh, titled ‘Narasaiya ni Nagari Junagadh’, which includes 21 research articles and 450 rare photographs of Junagadh City and its monuments.
John