Early Parsis of Jhansi

This is the story of the Parsis in Jhansi. Unfortunately not much is recorded & we will endeavour to keep researching and adding more information to this site as we come across information.

The Parsis, as we knew them, great stalwarts in their own rights whom we remember fondly, with pride, to have made their acquaintance. You hear of the tales of Railway engine drivers, the train guards and the accidents and occasional adventures on the railway line, and the great bonhomie developed among the running staff. This is the stuff that exemplifies the human spirit.

The early Parsis migrated to Jhansi for economic reasons, in search of jobs & excitement of joining the newly formed network of the Railways. In the early 20th century people rarely left their home areas, most travelled on foot & if one could afford it, then by horse, camel, elephant and bullock cart. The Railways in those days, with British foresight or the idea of mass trade & military aggression, were creating a rail network which still exists, and which drew many a brave men to leave the comforts of home and hearth to venture to Jhansi.

But why Jhansi?

Early on, Jhansi became a central point for the Indian railway network of the British Empire, due to its central location in India, easy access to all parts of the country & skilled local populace. Also it is to be noted that except for the famous battle of the Ranee with the British, Jhansi was always a pro British territory.

After the battles of 1857/58, as the British at the time were adamantly keen, on setting an example by destroying all rebel towns, hanging the rebels from trees in public or blasting them from cannon mouths, destroying the land & communities & the same happened to Jhansi also along with other rebel hotspots like Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and many more.

In 1858, the Ranee was forced to leave Jhansi, after the gates were treacherously opened by an insider, the fort stormed and the town was systematically looted. Jhansi was burnt down, with fires and smoke coming out of the fort & township for days. Most males were slaughtered or hanged, as rebels. Literally the British wanted to remove the name of Jhansi from the map, which they almost did, for over four decades. But the close proximity of the place and its central location and importance of its strategic position made them return and develop a central Military command, which still exists and with it soon developed neighbouring places like Bina and Babina, large military cantonment towns.

The famous Jhansi na Bor (Plums) actually from this region and have the unique quality of being sweet & sour in taste and their shelf life preservation, with just a sprinkle of salt or even just by itself, is not just legendary, but a reality, for years. Supply of Bor to the markets of Bombay was a part time trade for many an early Parsi family in Jhansi to supplement their incomes & our family was one of the largest one in this trade and presently the only one involved in it, with my brother Farokh looking after it.

So this is the story of the Paris in Jhansi.

In our time there were just Parsis, which included all Zoroastrians and even descendants of Iranees, we never had the distinction of Parsi or Irani taken that rigidly, everyone was either a Parsi or not. Simple. The majority of Parsi families and specially the earlier ones came in connection with either the railways or military & a few for Business.

So where do you begin? At the very beginning, isn't it?

At this time we do not have a clear record of the very beginning, of which the first families or person was that arrived here. As is our history, we Zoroastrians have never been great recorders of our activities in general & specially written records. But it is clearly acknowledged that the Raja & the Boyce families were probably the earliest settlers.

As per Phiroze (Filly )Boyce his forefathers came to Jhansi from Morar, near Gwalior, at the request of the British to open a General merchandise store in Jhansi, in the late 19th century. The British were opening up a large cantonment area in Jhansi and they required all sorts of people to tag along for their town settlements.

As recorded by William Dalrymple in his newly released book in 2006 -The Last Mughal, during the 1857 rebellion, the enterprising Parsi firm of Jehangir & Cowasjee, have been recorded to have been in Delhi, supplying the British armies all sorts of commodities, mostly liquor, groceries, & foreign goods.

As recorded by Tahmankar, in his book - Ranee of Jhansi, an account of the rebellion of the times, there is also a record of a Parsi trader in Sagar, close to Jhansi, where he mentions that a Parsee trader supplied food items and trade provisions to the British army marching past, at a very large profit, but the British had to take the provision from him as no one else could provide the supplies required. So we can surely conclude that the early enterprising Parsees are recorded in Delhi & Sagar as early as 1857 or before. Also in the Jhansi Zoroastrian Aramgarg (graveyard) there are Parsis buried there as early as 1889, so we can assume Parsis would be there much earlier.

Exact details are still sketchy with us but following is indicative history of Jhansi Anjuman as provided by Rony Dick, current President of the Jhansi Anjuman.

Anjuman formed in the early 1930's:

• First President was Mr Eduljee Merwanjee Boyce, served as President from inception to 1940 when he passed away.
• Succeeded by Dr Jamshedji Patel.
• Then Cowasjee Ballaporia.
• Then Maneck Mirza Workshop Foreman.
• Hormusjee Engineer from around 1954 to 1982.
• Adi Engineer from around 1982 to 1987.
• Noshir Dinshaw Roowala, only 3 months in interim (Was Anjuman secretary for almost 35 years).
• Rony J Dick since 1988 to date.

Some Snippets on Jhansi History ----- Rony J Dick, President

From around 1800 to 1900 there were very few Parsi families recorded in Jhansi. Late Eduljee Merchant, Late Fardoonji Raja, Late Mrs Glass & Late Eduljee Ardeshir Dick were some of the early settlers in Jhansi .

Rony Dick’s father Jehangirjee was born in 1894, he joined the GIP Railway in 1912 & retired from the railways. Like him his father Eduljee Ardeshir Dick was also with the GIP Railway and retired in 1925 and then settled in Mumbai.

The Jhansi Anjuman building was donated by Lala family of Surat in memory of their late father Cawasjee Lala. The Mirza family used to stay in the area before the Anjuman building was erected. The Dharamsala building was donated by the Lala family in 1932.

The early Boyce family arrived from Morena where they had business setup. The British of the day had asked them to come to Jhansi to assist in the cantonment being set up there. So Phiroze (Filly)Boyces grandfather Merwanjee Boyce & Mr Abbott travelled to Jhansi to settle there. Mr Boyce settled in Civil lines, where the property etc still exists. Mr Merwanjee Boyce also was instrumental in donating the Aramgarh area (Cemetery) & the surrounding boundary walls in 1894.

Mr Abott with a larger family settled around the cantonment area. The Abbott brothers built the area of Sipri Bazaar, Roy Gunj, Charlie Gunj & Abott gunj. The Abott Dam was built by Mr Abott and Mr Boyce. A stone plaque at the water dam still records this. A proud thing, unfortunately most Parsis in Jhansi probably do not remember this.

The first Ervad priest in Jhansi was late Ervad Panthaky. Then he was succeeded by Ervad Dorabjee Dastoor who served the Jhansi Parsi Anjuman for almost 36 years. His son Sapal, an excellent Ervad with terrific loud clear pronunciations looked after the Agra area for years. Dorabjee left Jhansi around 1975 for Udwada due to old age where after a few years he left for his heavenly abode.

Mr Hormusjee Rustomjee Engineer and Mr Savaksha R Engineer had a passenger bus company in Jhansi, probably the first passenger bus service in Jhansi.

Late Eduljee M Boyce’s wife Late Mrs Pervizmai Boyce was the First Honourable Lady Magistrate of Jhansi.

Most Parsi family were employed with the Railways as driver, guards, workshop foreman & clerks in offices. Their children also followed the elders steps and joined and retired from the railways. This trend only changed around 1970.

Some of the Jhansi boys have made a great name for themselves:

• Burjor Bharucha retired as General Manager of Bombay Dyeing
• Hoshang Kohina was Deputy General Manager of Union bank of India & is presently Chairman Zoroastrian bank of India
• Boman Mirza, settled in Mumbai is married into the famous Chinoy family of Hyderabad
• Late Baji Mirza’s son Late Manekshaw Mirza donated Rs 150,000 to the Jhansi Parsi Anjuman in his will when he passed away in Calcutta.
• Mr. Filly M Maneckjee settled in Canada donated Rs 1,00,000 to Parsi General hospital in Mumbai for the poor and needy Parsees health support

Members Of The Jhansi Parsi Anjuman 1942.

Following is a list of Members of the Jhansi Anjuman of 1942, kindly supplied By Katy Keki Khambatta (Katy Kolah) translated from Gujarati into English by her daughter Farzana. They live in Pune now.

---

Some Early  Photos of Jhansi

 

Residence of the Bishop of the St Jude's Church. The church was erected in free India, but this residence is typically British of the earlier times. We would like to know for who & what the original building was erected for? 

The Parsis & the British population, the Anglo Indians & local Christians had a very close community bon homie and participated keenly in social activities together. The evening parties would have common friends and as they all worked together in the Railways, the children also were close friends not just being neighbours but also sharing similiar schools. The living residences, i.e. Bungalows were all close by and easy reach within a walk or cycle way. 

In later days the American fashions of the 1960s did influence the teens and a bit rebelliously, as in all parts of the world then, with tight pants, long hair & the influence of Elvis Priestley & the Beatles. A lot of the families of Parsees were indirectly also affected by the second world war & the returning soldiers had seen a part of the world which they would talk about to the local Parsees. One such was Tehmuras Bhagat, a quiet soldier gentleman, who used to wear his army beret and award badges at times for functions, but i was too young, around 9 years old, to realise any significance. Alas.

---

My uncles Cawas, Dali, Kaku, Darab & Dosu & lots of other Jhansi Parsis earned their living driving these engines up and down from Jhansi. Most runs were up to Delhi & Itarsi on the mail passenger's trains, like Punjab Mail. Jhansi drivers would change over, rest and return back on another train run back to Jhansi. As children we used to watch in awe our uncles open their huge metal trunks (luggage) which were like modern safes with compartments for books, pens, clothes, torch etc and if we were lucky and uncle was in a good generous mood we would get some novelty to us like a gooseberry, dry nuts or special Delhi halwa etc or the seasonal fruit. Both my Sara Kakis (Aunts), very loving & very caring women who looked after their husbands & children. Family life revolved around the males a lot, depending on their "line" runs & quiet had to be maintained when an engine driver returned back from a run, so he could catch up on his lost sleep.

---

This structure is typically the old Railway Officers & Engine Driver's/Guard's, bungalow, with huge rooms, large verandas, high ceilings to keep the Indian summer heat out, on the hot days, large open areas in front and back of the house. In a house like this, three generations of Pestonjis lived and very many fond memories are still treasured by all cousins. Note the chimney on top for the fire-place, as winters again are extremely cold in Jhansi. Most houses had nice laid out gardens in front and poultry and farm animals in the rear and separate servant's quarters. Most families had vegetable gardens, reared goats, geese, even cows, pets like dogs and cats, horses etc.

---

This is a Tonga, a horse driven cart which probably is a modern version of the ancient chariots of the kings and warriors. During the time from around 1900 to almost 1970, it was the main mode of transport in Jhansi. Normally seats 3 people comfortably, but more can be squeezed in as per the Tongawalas economic condition and whims and the horses physical condition.

This photo shows a very basic tonga, there used to be others normally very fancily decorated and with more comfortable seats. Tongas are a very rare sight in major urban metropolis's now and this one probably is a rarity also. In their heyday, they were in great demand; most rich locals would have their own, like we have motor cars now, with foot board men, horseman etc. Our Jai aunty had one too and stories are told of the Boyce family kids and elders riding out each day, all dressed up, for an evening outing through the streets of Jhansi, pre independence days. Most tonga owners were Afghan Muslims who used to have fleets of these plying for trade.

---

This is the photo on day of my Pesi Kakas navjote. In the background is the Jehangir Hall, Pachhlu Bannu (rear entrance). In the photo are also Jehangir Kaka in coat and cap. Goolbai our grandmother and Pesi kaka's Mum, "saes" is being held by Jai Fuiji. Lady partly hidden behind is Banoo Engineer Traditionally on navjote day the "Nhan" the bath is given to the initiate, which was done in the bathroom, behind where the people are gathered, the procession then walked out left and went around the block and entered the Navjote stage in the hall, where other friends and family would greet the procession, the "Aachu Michu" would be done and then the Priest would take over for the Navjote ceremony. After the ceremony there would be a gourmet feast and the fun and frolic would begin. Note the sapat (slippers) on Pesi's feet.

---

This photos seems to be around late 1940's. In the centre is Jehangir Kaka. On his left is Kersi (Kaku) Bhagat. Also seen here is Cawas Pestonji & Rustom Bhagat.  

In later years, my memories of Kaku uncle, as he was fondly called by everyone are very clear of a strong, sturdy and short person, who was a person easy to talk to & quiet gentle with us kids. Their house  was also an open house to almost everyone and the Parsi kids used to study for years at their house, under the tutorage of our Master I D Nautyal. 

Master Nautyal

Our " Masterjee " was a unique person in his own rights. He was a great person who taught almost three generations of students from a family. He was a simple person, who taught many Parsi students willingly without any qualms, although he was very strict and disciplined in his manner. Almost always dressed, in summer in a white short sleeve shirt and khaki shorts and on his bicycle, he cut a unique picture. The Parsi kids sometimes over 20 at a time, would all be around him, group studying & it was a fright as very young kids to go thought the group, as you would evidently be pulled over by him and made to read or talk to him of studies. But his perseverance, patience and understanding has influenced almost all the Parsee kids who came out of Jhansi from around 1940 to 1980

If anyone has has a photo of Master Nautyal - it would highly appreciated if they could email it to me.

---

The two young friends played cricket and many other sports and had very great memories of each other. Faram moved to Bombay and was a senior Railway Employment Officer. He was always a leading person for fun and entertainment at all Jhansi weddings and Navjotes. People may be interested to note that the future Captain and main stronghold of Indian women's cricket, later on, Diana Eduljee is his daughter.

---

A photo of the early railway passenger train compartment. The family travelling is Jai Elavia and her sons Aki, Adi & others. Note the absence of glass & railings in the windows. The train compartments were normally box cubicles, with basic amenities. In the hot Indian summers these compartments were like oven boxes specially when the train halted at a railway station. To keep the temperature down in later days, ice blocks were supplied in the rooms, which although they kept the room cool, left it very wet also.

Can you imagine, someone slipping and seeing them sliding out the open door of a moving train. Journeys end hey! Probably from this sort of an incident, they have made it unsafe to have doors open in moving trains?

---

Lady on left is Sera mai Driver, my Dad's cousin who used to live in Boyce compound. She was very instrumental in prodding me to read, study hard and at one time gave me a cutting of the Times of India dated around circa 1930 with an article on the Ranee of Jhansi. She goaded me that if a woman can be so brave and daring, fight for truth under such harsh condition, you too can do so. Which has stuck to my mind till today.

My personal contact with her was around 1971 when we moved to the Civil lines house as a 10 year old boy. She would regularly come and visit us and stay overnight also at times. She was a spinster and moulded in the old school of decency, discipline, self control and living in a humble manner. She tended to her aged mother with extreme love and care and lived in the same house after her passing away. She was quiet fond of gardening and had a “Sitafal (custard apple) tree” which produced sweet sitafals, which most Parsees and neighbours always had an ample share of the lovely fruits.

She was quiet a religious person and prayers were her major solace and support, especially in the old age. As a young boy, I remember vividly that we had a change of the local Ervad saheb (Zoroastrian Priest) in Jhansi & she met the new priest and informed him that he must pray slowly and not like a mail train, for her mothers prayers or else he would be in trouble. She never had electricity installed in her house as it would spoil her eyes, a popular belief of the time.

One evening she had come over to our house to stay overnight, as usual and went to sleep, but never woke up. She met her Maker in the most wonderful and peaceful manner in her sleep. It was quiet a thing for a young boy like me at the time, but her serenity, peaceful manner and strong personality are still sharply embedded in my memory. May Ahura Mazda, Bless her soul and also those of all our other Jhansi Zoroastrians.

---

The photo showing a cricket field, with Cawas Uncle on the batting crease and my father on the first slip position. At the Railway institute and cantonment club, cricket was an event each weekend. The whole family would go and it was a picnic time, with huge Tiffins of gourmet food, which the ladies served and the men coming off the fields always had a good supply of. These weekends were a fun time to relax, keep fit, meet others and enjoy life. Friendships were forged and strengthened, relationships built up that lasted a life time & a good point for young people to meet and form relationships also.

Cawas uncle was a natural player and according to Dhanji Anklesaria was one of the best cricketers with a natural grasp of the game, he has ever seen. Funnily he used to bat right handed and bowl extremely well with the left hand. Along with his brothers they had a trio of cricket fanatics, in the family. The brothers used to play a lot of cricket with the neighbouring teams of Princely kingdoms also.

There are a lot of interesting cricketing stories in the family and our cousin Percy Pestonji, Dali uncles son in fact almost went up to the Ranji trophy tournaments and was an excellent wicket keeper and batsman.

---

---