ગુજરાતી
English
Dr. Jai Narayan Vyas
Thanks BBC Gujarati (Google translation from Gujarati)
22 July 2020
Buddhism and Jainism were separated from Hinduism. Jainism was founded by Shri Rishabhdev. All the Tirthankaras from Rishabhdev to Parshvanath, Mahavira were originally from the Kshatriya clan and were Gandahar Brahmins. Historians write that the Kshatriyas started doing business after adopting Jainism, so they came to be called Vanika or Vaniya.
Jainism was propagated in Gujarat during the reign of King Kumarpal (1143-1172 AD), the famous king of the Solanki dynasty of Anahilwad Patan and disciple of Jain guru Hemchandracharya.
On the orders of ‘Kalikal Sarvagya’ Hemchandracharya, Kumarpal banned all types of killing in his kingdom and built the Somnath temple, Taranga and Girnar as well as Jain temples in Pali, Rajasthan.
Seth Shantidas Jhaveri was an Oswal Jain but according to the available history of his ancestors, Samant Sangram Singh and Kumarpal were Kshatriyas of the Sisodia clan.
Some Rajputs of the Sisodia clan in Mewar, Rajasthan adopted Jainism, which is mentioned in the book “Mewar ki Jahojalali”.
After the Muslim invasion, there was a lot of turmoil in Mewar. During this period, Shantidas’ father Sahasrakiran left home and wealth and came to Ahmedabad with his family. Sahasrakiran took up a job in a jeweler’s shop and within five-six years became skilled in testing diamonds and pearls as well as rubies. Knowing Sahasrakiran’s bravery, the Seth married one of his daughters ‘Kumari’ to Sahasrakiran.
This Kumari gave birth to a son named Vardhman. Sahasrakiran had five children from his first wife Viramdevi namely Shantidas, Rupam, Panjika and Devaki, out of which Shantidas had a very bright and charismatic personality.
He was the Nagar Sheth of Ahmedabad, the head of a merchant association, a great jeweler and a supporter of the Indian shipping industry.
Seth Shantidas Jhaveri lived in Jhaveriwad, Ahmedabad. He had three shops in which he dealt in jewelry and clothes. At that time, Ahmedabad was full of business activities.
He knew the Persian language and was also proficient in how to speak it in the Mughal court. Mudhal emperors and their Begums and Sardars used to buy diamonds, pearls, rubies and jewels from him.
Jahangir used to call him ‘Shantidas Mama’. He was very popular in the Mughal court.
Shantidas Zaveri became Padshahi Zaveri
Shantidas’ identity was not limited to Ahmedabad only, but as a royal jeweler he developed close relations with the Mughal Sultanate of Delhi from Akbar to Jahangir, Shahjahan.
An incident of how Seth Shantidas became a royal jeweler is recorded in the book ‘Nagarsheth Shantidas’ written by Malti Shah.
Once Akbar’s court was full in Agra’s ‘Diwan-e-Khas’, the emperor placed a precious diamond in front of the royal court to test the jewelers of India and asked the jewelers to estimate the value of the diamond.
The jewelers had never seen such a brave man, so the jewelers were confused and started thinking about what answer to give to the king about this.
A teenager who must have been only 15 years old at that time, stood up and started testing the diamond in a different way. This handsome young man told Emperor Akbar the value of the diamond.
Then the emperor asked him on what basis he quoted the price of this diamond? Then the young man placed the book ‘Ratna Pariksha Mimansa’ in front of the king.
Thus, seeing the talent of this young man, King Akbar honored him by giving him a Kashmiri shawl and conferred the title of “Padshahi Jeweller” to Shantidas Jauhari, a native of Ahmedabad.
Shantilal Seth appointed to the post of Nagar Seth
To improve the behavior of his son Salim (Jahangir), Emperor Akbar took strict action against Salim.
Begam got angry due to the quarrel and sadness between the emperor and the Begum and left Delhi without informing the emperor and came to Ahmedabad.
When Shantidas Jhaveri came to know about this, he welcomed the Begum and vacated his mansion for her.
He deployed people for the protection of the Begum. Pleased with this, the Begum made Shantidas Jauhari her brother and in return Shantidas gifted the jeweled bracelets of Veer Pasli to the Begum.
A month or two later, when Emperor Akbar sent his son Salim (Jahangir) from Delhi to meet Begum Saheba, Begum identified Shantilal Seth as ‘Zaverimama’.
The Begum reached Delhi. On learning that Shantidas had treated the Begum with great hospitality, Emperor Akbar ordered Suba Azam Khan of Ahmedabad to appoint Shantidas as a first class Amir in his court and Nagarsheth of Ahmedabad.
Thus Shantidas became the Nagarsheth of Ahmedabad.
A province where a woman could neither speak nor write her name
As a businessman, Shantidas was famous not only in India but abroad to Iran, Arab countries, Antwerp and Paris. He used to send his goods abroad through the port of Surat and earn good foreign exchange.
One of his friends Tavernier wrote about him thus: “My friend Shantidas earns a lot of money by exporting diamonds and jewels to the markets of Europe.”
In 1618 when English ambassador Sir Thomas Roe visited Ahmedabad he bought colourful and precious diamonds from Shantidas.
It is surprising that Shantidas used to go to Golkonda, Ravalkonda, Mysore, Kullur for diamond mining in those days when there was no transport facility and mostly bullocks were used for mining diamonds.
Carts, horses or camels were used.
To visit and trade.
They also monopolized mining in these areas.
Shantidas also entered into an agreement with Dutch merchants so that he would give the precious stones from the Golconda mines to the Dutch merchants and bring the raw material to Ahmedabad to make various products from the rest of the diamonds. Shantilal was not only a businessman but also a good entrepreneur or sponsor.
Dungarshibhai Sampat has written about the splendor and grandeur of Shantidas that:
“Nagarsheth had a large mansion. It had three parties, the first party was guarded by armed Arabs, the second party was guarded by brothers and the third party was guarded by Rajputs.”
Seths had royal permission to carry spices as well as sticks. Seth’s family lived in great pomp and splendor. Seth had five hundred horses, as many cows and buffaloes. Apart from this they also kept Mafa, Sigram, chariot, palanquin.
When the procession of Jains passed, carts decorated with gold and silver came from there to the Seth. Seths had shops and carts in many parts of India. Jewellery trade and banks of the nobles were run by Seths.”
Shantidas Osawal was a disciple of Acharya Rajasagarsuri of Jain and Sagargachh.
He built a grand temple of Chintamani Parshvanath in Ahmedabad in 1625. German traveller Albert Mandelsloe came to Ahmedabad especially to see it.
He studied it very closely and found that “This marble temple is magnificent. It is spread over a large patangan. It has gardens and fountains. Since the temple and patangan are open to all people, many men and women gather to have darshan and enjoy conversation.” ”
Shantidas Seth used to donate generously. When there was a famine during the reign of Shahjahan Satyasya (Samvat 1689-AD 1631-32), Shantidas provided food to the poor and also started fasting and relief in the villages around Ahmedabad.
Shantidas was the Nagar Sheth of Ahmedabad. The institution of Nagar Sheth was not established overnight. This institution came into existence according to tradition in accordance with the business culture of Ahmedabad.
Seth Shantidas had a good name. So that people would go to Shantidas instead of going to the state for the solution of their problems.
When there was some talk between the public and the bureaucrats, people used the institution of Nagar Sheth. Thus, as Nagar Seth, Seth Shantidas was the link between the king and the people.
Once Nagar Sheth Shantidas returned to Ahmedabad from Delhi, Aurangzeb issued an order.
In this he wrote, “Since Shantidas Jhaveri is the richest of the rich, I give him this decree After returning to Ahmedabad, he should help spread peace and security in the city. Under his guidance, the Panchayats of merchants, guilds, artisans and common people should do their work without any fear.”
Aurangzeb also promised not to interfere in the affairs of the Derasars of Palitana, Girnar and Abu.
Shantidas Seth was the head of the merchant association and his business association included associations trading in cotton, silk cloth, thread, grain, tea, sugar, sweets and paper.
Shantidas Jhaveri was also the elder of the Mahajan institution. He used to perform duties ranging from managing festivals, holidays, to overseeing Panjrapur.
The influence of the Mahajan institution as a joint union power was good at that time.
Once in 1618, a ship of Ahmedabad merchants and Shantidas Seth going to Muscat was looted by a gang of British pirates.
Then Shantidas asked the Suba to call a meeting of merchant associations and British Kothi merchants.
At that time, Noor Jahan’s father Itimad-ud-Daulah was the governor of Ahmedabad. But Itimad did not count. But when Shantidas threatened to complain about this to Emperor Jahangir, he got nervous.
At that time, British ambassador Sir Thomas Rowe had come to Ahmedabad. A meeting was held between the moneylenders and the British in the fort of Bhadra. Sir Thomas Rowe cleverly put forward a proposal. This proposal was:
“For maritime security, Gujarati merchants take licenses from us or load goods in our British ships. We are obliged to protect the goods of Gujaratis.”
Itimad-ud-Daulah and other Mughal rulers were happy to hear this, but Shantidas Jhaveri, representing the merchant associations, tested Itimad’s confidence:
“Do you think our shipping is useless for people like you? We will not break the tradition of free shipping by sending goods in British ships under any circumstances. This is an axe on your own foot.”
Hearing this, the Mughal governor became silent knowing Shantidas’s mood. Shantidas complained to Jahangir and imprisoned the English in the Kothi of Ahmedabad and released them only after paying full compensation for the looted goods.
One such incident happened in 1636 in which Shantidas imprisoned the Kothi chief of Ahmedabad Benjamin Robinson and his associates and released them from the prison after paying compensation.
In this regard, Robinson wrote to the ‘London Court of Directors’, “The Mahajans, the whole population of Ahmedabad became enraged and fell upon the hated ones. Shantidas and the Mahajans have a strong influence over the state government.” (Courtesy-BBC Gujarati) (Google translation from Gujarati)
