[image title=”glimpses-of-heritage” size=”full” id=”1210″ align=”left” linkto=”https://www.oshwal-usa.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/glimpses-of-heritage.pdf” ]This is a book on this Oshwal history compiled by Keshavlal M. Shah of the U.K.,  available for download here: Glimpses of Heritage [PDF, 2.2MB]

Introduction

Shri Keshavlalbhai the son of Shri Makanji Bhoja Dhara and Smt. Ratnabai, was born in NAVAGAM in India in 1926. He studied in Gujarati upto 4th standard and though he wanted to study more, due to the circumstances he had to go to Kenya in 1937 at the age of 11 years. He had to return to India after about two years due to the prolonged illness of his father,who died in 1941. During this period Shri Keshubhai looked after his father and also assumed total responsibility for his family, including his mother. He is a kind hearted person and has a very helpful nature, and hence he took care of his father most religiously without any regrets.

Shri Keshubhai had to leave Navagam for Bombay, to earn a decent living, as he had to support his mother and-family. He had small brothers and sisters, and there were no proper means of income in absence of his father, yet, he did not lose heart and on the contrary made up his mind to do hard work and earn money. As Navagam was a very small place, the opportunities were very less, hence he decided to try his luck at a much bigger and well established business centre like Bombay and started earning.

He married Kumari Radiyat, daughter of Shri Khimji Karamshi Pethod of Kajurda, India, in 1944. She is from a respectable family and is very religious and simple in nature. Keshavlalbhai has got a very strong support and companionship in his life from his wife.

At the end of 1945 Shri Keshubhai went again to Kenya, for better prospects, and joined his uncle Shri Devchand Bhoja in business at Kerugoya (KENYA).He set up a business in 1949’at Baricho (KENYA), but had to wind up the same a few years later in 1951 due the MAD MAD agitation there, which forced many flourishing businesses to close down at that time. He moved on to Forthall (KENYA) and established two shops with his younger brother Shri Premchandbhai, and also invited his other younger brothers Shri Jivrajbhai and Shri Veljibhai from India and jointly set up a new business at River Road Nairobi, KENYA, under the title of ‘RAMESH EMPORIUM’. His grandfather Shri Bhoja Dhara expired at Forthall in 1954, and this gave a moral setback to Shri Keshubhai as he lost the strong support and guidance of his grandfather, who had helped him very much after the death of his father. However, after the death of his grandfather, he received excellent guidance from his uncle Shri Narsi Bhoja, and prospered in his business byshifting it to a more lucrative place called Mombasa in 1963, However due to the political circumstances he was forced to wind up his business in Mombasa and emigrate to England in 1975 for permanent settlement. Shri Keshavlalbhai has put in a lot of efforts and has also contributed financially in preparing the FAMILY TREE and I congratulate him for the same.

The family tree has been compiled with great efforts and difficulty as he was staying very far away from his motherland. A lot of hard work and dedication has been put into this book by Keshavlalbhai, in the hope that it will be of interest and benefit future generations.

I feel it is necessary for every Oshwal family to keep this book in their library as a reference and rememberance of our forefathers, for the future generations of Oshwals.

– JIVRAJ MAKANJI SHAH

download here: Glimpses of Heritage [PDF, 2.2MB]