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Varas Dayabhai Velji
Dr. D.S. Merchant
Period: (1870-1937)

Veljibhai (d.1922) had two sons in Kathiawar, Dayabhai and Kassimbhai with two daughters from his first wife. He had also two other sons, Hussainbhai and Valibhai with one daughter from his second wife. Among these four sons and three daughters, the most famous was Varas Dayabhai Velji.

Varas Dayabhai was born in Bhankh, Kathiawar most probably in 1870 and lost his mother in infancy. His father thus married second time. Varas Dayabhai was eager for education, but could not acquire it and learnt Gujrati to some extent from his sisters.

His family surrounding don’t appear to be very amicable and at an early age, he left his home. He travelled by train without ticket for Vancaner and then returned to Ahmadnagar. He worked in the shop of a certain Veljibhai. He then started to live with his own family. He worked hard and honestly for about eight years and made a little saving till he was able to carve out his own career. Soon afterwards, he became an eminent leather merchant and commission agent. His office known as Dayabhai Velji & Co. became famous in Ahmadnagar with its branches in Bombay, Poona and Kanpur.

He married at the age of 18 years. Unfortunately, his wife and a newly born child died very soon. He married a second time at the age of 21 years in 1891 to a certain Sakarbai, who was blessed with two daughters, Fatima and Jena and a son of great merit and talent, named Musa.

His business flourished to great extent in Ahmadnagar, about 150 k.m. from Poona, situated on western India on the Sina River. Its original name was Bhinar and was conquered in 1310 by the Bahmani ruler, Malik Ahmad Nizam Shah. He founded Ahmadnagar in 1490. It is now a district of Maharashtra State, covering an area of 6586 sq.miles.

Varas Dayabhai imported machinery from Calcutta and installed a tannery in Ahmadnagar. He entered into the trade of bones and exported its powder in Europe. His wife and his brother also helped him in his business. He became one of business magnates in Ahmadnagar in 1912, where hardly 20 Ismailis resided.

He employed a large amount of people of ethnic groups, who lived like beasts in forests and rural areas. For entertaining adequate provisions of nourishment and education to their children, he housed them with his own expenses. The famous famine of 1900 was also a terrible blow on India. Most of the people left their children in destitution and let them wandered for food. Varas Dayabhai gave shelter to these children. Without using a little force of obligations, he preached them and brought most of them in Ismaili fold. He also built a new jamatkhana in Ahmadnagar on the road, known as Dayabhai Road.

In 1903, the Imam is reported to have said to Missionary Jamal Megji in Bombay that, “Have you ever been in Poona?” He said, “Not at all.” The Imam said, “There is my one momin in Ahmednagar. You go to Ahmednagar after performing here your waez. He is a true momin. You then proceed to Kudachi, where resides his brother, Kassim Velji, who is also a true momin.”
Jamal Megji sent his message in advance to Varas Dayabhai that, “I have been ordered by the Imam to see you. I am coming.” When Missionary Jamal Megji reached Ahmednagar, Varas Dayabhai arranged his waez programme in the jamatkhana, and proposed him to arrange an annual majlis in Ahmednagar and he would bear its whole expenses. Jamal Megji said, “Not in Ahmednagar, but in Poona provided you find it far better, so that the Ismailis of Bombay can also participate.” Varas Dayabhai admired his plan and contributed enough funds for the annual majlis in Poona. The Imam also told to Jamal Megji to see Kassim Velji in Kudachi, where he went with Varas Dayabhai. Kassim Velji told him that, “You have given chance to Varas Dayabhai, now you also let me share. I am ready to serve in the annual majlis wherever your organize it.” Jamal Megji said that, “You share funds for the majlis for Jam Jodhpur in Kathiawar.” Kassim Velji shared along with Varas Dayabhai. Accordingly, the first annual majlis in Poona started in 1904 under the supervision of Varas Dayabhai.

Jamal Megji sent his message in advance to Varas Dayabhai that, “I have been ordered by the Imam to see you. I am coming.” When Missionary Jamal Megji reached Ahmednagar, Varas Dayabhai arranged his programme in the khana, and proposed him to arrange an annual in Ahmednagar and he would bear its whole expenses. Jamal Megji said, “Not in Ahmednagar, but in Poona provided you find it far better, so that the Ismailis of Bombay can also participate.” Varas Dayabhai admired his plan and contributed enough funds for the annual in Poona. The Imam also told to Jamal Megji to see Kassim Velji in Kudachi, where he went with Varas Dayabhai. Kassim Velji told him that, “You have given chance to Varas Dayabhai, now you also let me share. I am ready to serve in the annual wherever your organize it.” Jamal Megji said that, “You share funds for the for Jam Jodhpur in Kathiawar.” Kassim Velji shared along with Varas Dayabhai. Accordingly, the first annual in Poona started in 1904 under the supervision of Varas Dayabhai.

Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah attended the fourth annual majlis of Poona on January 12, 1908 and formed a majlis Committee to maintain the accounts, viz. Kamadia Haji Nazar Ali, Nainsibhai Pirbhai, Rahim Moloo, Dayabhai Velji, Hashim Kanji, Moledina Megji, Laljibhai Nanji and Alibhai Kunvarji. Later on, Varas Dayabhai was consigned the entire administration of the annual majlis of both Poona and Virpur. The Imam said on January 10, 1910 to the members of the majlis Committee that, “God will recompense you rewards for your exertions.”

The Ismaili Council for district Ghat came into existence in February, 1910. Dayabhai was appointed its President with Safar Ali Jan Muhammad Jamal Pradhan as Honorary Secretary. It covered the administration of Poona, Solapur, Bijapur, Pachapur, Ahmednagar, Kolapur, Hyderabad, Sikandarabad, Ajmer, Agra, Lahore, Kanpur, Delhi, etc.

On December 3, 1912, he went to Bombay with his wife and invited the Imam to attend the marriage of his son, Musa. Since the wedding date was inconvenient, the Imam said, “I will attend the marriage provided you postpone it for one month.” He agreed and decided to perform the marriage during the 10th annual majlis in Virpur. He made another request to propose a fateful date for it. The Imam fixed the date 28th. His wife Sukkubai said that it seemed not ideal date, because it carried an even figure. The Imam said to Varas Dayabhai, “Ask her, who has made all the dates. No date is imperfect, all are equal.” The Imam gave him a period of one month for wedding preparations. Unfortunately, the wife of Varas Dayabhai expired in the first week of January 1913 before the marriage.

Varas Dayabhai also worked hard in the annual majlis and fair in Virpur. For attending the 10th annual majlis in Virpur, the Imam left Bombay by a special train for Gujrat and Kathiawar in January 1913. The train reached Surat on January 12, 1913 and on the same day at Sidhpur. The Imam left Sidhpur on January 15, 1913 for Limadi, and then arrived at Virpur on January 22, 1913. Thakkur Surshin, his son Hamirshin, the Dewan and the Ismaili leaders accorded him a rousing welcome at the station of Virpur, including Varas Dayabhai. The Imam attended the majlis and graced didar on 22nd, 24th, 28th, 29th and 30th January 1913.

By orders of the Imam, a large number of Ismailis from Bombay, Kutchh and Karachi flocked together in Virpur. On January 28, 1913, the food for the wedding reception was cooked for about 10 to 12 thousand people, but the estimation was beyond the expected figure. It reached to 30 to 35 thousand people. It was a problem and a matter of prestige for Varas Dayabhai to feed the outnumbered guests with insufficient foods. He however managed other items of the meal, but failed to arrange the sweetballs (ladoo) for the guests. Worries crowded in his mind as there were few minutes in lunchtime. He at once approached the Imam in the majlis hall and implored, “Mawla, I have tried as much as I could. The time is very short and the sweetballs are less than the guests." The Imam said, “Well, show me your kitchen.” Varas brought the Imam in the room where insufficient sweetballs were placed in plates. The Imam took a piece of sweetball, broke it into pieces and powdered it. The Imam recited something on it, then spread the powder on all the sweetballs and said, “You cover the plates with a white cloth and serve the jamat without picking up the cover.” The Imam also uttered the words, “More blesssings, more blessings, blessing, blessing.”

The jamat was entertained with lunch, yet there was plenty of food. The sweetballs were served for three days, but it remained inexhaustible. Varas Dayabhai requested the Imam that the sweetballs were plenty and the jamats were leaving the majlis, and wished to entertain another meal to the jamat once again. The Imam disallowed it and said, “Not at all. The time is over. It was only for the wedding reception of your son. You give its parcels to everyone who are leaving and to those who need for marriages in this majlis.” Accordingly, each person was given four extra sweetballs at the conclusion of the majlis.

During his last didar on Thursday, January 30, 1913, the Imam made a farman that, “Dayabhai Velji has worked too much in this fair and the jamat, moiling and toiling all the times in such noble cause and works too much in Poona. I, therefore, appoint him as a Wazir for Poona. I have come here in Virpur to attend the marriage of Musa, the son of Dayabhai. I had not desired to visit Virpur and its fair in this year had the marriage not been performed. And if I may have come next time, the fair would have been organized in other place or in Rajkot. My programme (for Virpur however) destined due to the occasion of this marriage, and as a result, some other good works have also been solemnized.”

The fair of majlis in Virpur was administered exceedingly well by Kassim Velji, the brother of Varas Dayabhai. The Imam also visited the majlis hall on January 31, 1913 and admired the administration of lodging and fooding of the guest Ismailis.

The fair of in Virpur was administered exceedingly well by Kassim Velji, the brother of Varas Dayabhai. The Imam also visited the hall on January 31, 1913 and admired the administration of lodging and fooding of the guest Ismailis.

Before departure, the Imam told him to build a Boarding in Virpur for the new Ismaili children. Varas Dayabhai spent massive amount and erected a Boarding with seven boys during its inauguration. It was certainly the first Shia Imami Ismaili Boarding in India, which was opened on August 1, 1913. Varas Dayabhai was its President with Nur Muhammad Panchan as an Honorary Secretary.

He had a severe shock when his second wife expired in 1913. He married for the third time in 1915 to look after his children. His third wife, Khatijabai, who had four daughters, Gulbanu, Sherbanu, Shakar, Daulat and a son, Aziz. Unfortunately, she remained constantly ill. The Imam told him to marry once again. His fourth marriage was performed with Santokhbai of Kotada. His two wives, the sick and the fourth one however lived together. His fourth wife mostly looked after the children.

He then centered his all attentions in Ahmadnagar. He brought a multitude of people in depressed class and fostered them with his own expenses. He protected many orphans in their destitution, and raised them from poverty to a steady income. The local people opposed his mission and filed a suit against him. He won the case and resumed his noble mission undaunted. He converted the ethnic people and gave them shelter, food and education. He employed them and arranged their marriages with houses to live freely in the Ismaili circles. With the guidance of the Imam, he constructed a philanthropic educational institution in Ahmadnagar in the name of the Imam, known as the Sultania Orphanage in 1918.

He was noted for giving his incredible services in the annual majlis in Poona for several years. He spent large amount for the participants in the majlis. In 1920, the newly formed H.H. The Aga Khan’s Bombay Volunteer Corps arranged three special trains from Bombay to Poona.

Varas Dayabhai was most obedient servant of the Imam. During the majlis in Poona in 1920, he approached the Volunteer Corps on the first day of the majlis with a request to take over the charge of the food distribution. The officers told him that the volunteers were assigned to keep order and were unable to serve food in uniforms. Varas Dayabhai ruffled for solutions. When the Imam graced the majlis hall, Varas Dayabhai humbly reported it to the Imam in presence of Lt. Col. Itmadi Pir Mohammad V. Madhani (1896-1959). The Imam smiled and said, “Indeed, it is right. The volunteers are our soldiers and are in charge of the safety of the jamat. It is not part of their duty to serve foods.” Varas Dayabhai bowed his head in reverence. To show the volunteers that he was not displeased with them, he very broad-heartedly looked after them and provided meals in their camps. He also visited it twice a day to watch their comforts, and conquered their hearts.

It appears that most of the Ismailis of Bombay flocked in multitude in Poona to attend the majlis after a tedious journey. Their insufficient lodging in Poona was also a major problem. Thus, the Imam abolished the tradition of majlis in Poona through an official announcement on Monday, March 20, 1920 that, “There are much hardship and difficulty to the jamats in the majlis of Poona. The people face hardship and me too. Today is the last majlis in Poona, and there will be no more majlis in Poona. But when I will visit Poona, there will be (the majlis) for the jamats of Poona and district Poona, including Ahmadnagar, Kurchi, Banglore, Varagal, etc. and organize the majlis for them and accept their offerings and mehmanis. This majlis hall is now changed into the school hall. You people have come from a long distance after a tedious journey of train and expenses. You also got here no adequate facility of your lodgings and faced much troubles. I accept your dastboshi, not once but for ten times. The Indore jamat is free from district Poona. Make your own Council with four members in it. You set out for Bombay soon after taking the (last) dinner on today.”

Unfortunately, a false rumour spread in the arena of narrow-minded people in Bombay that the majlis in Poona was wound up due to embezzling of its funds. When it was brought to the kind notice of the Imam, he became highly displeased.

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Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, He has written biography of ismaili heroes such as Varas Dayabhai Velji in 101 Ismaili Heroes,

"Varas Dayabhai Velji"
written by Dr. D.S. Merchant

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