In the earliest times, the Indian Ismailis had been sending collection of voluntary contributions periodically to the Imam in Iran through the special messenger, called the rais. On those days, a certain Danidina was a rai, the native of Okhamandal and lived mostly in Bhuj, Kutchh . He used to collect religious dues from different villages in Kutchh and delivered to Imam Abul Hasan Ali (1730-1792) in Iran. Nothing is known about his children except younger one, whose name was given by Imam Khalilullah Ali II (1792-1817) as Assa.
On June 16, 1819, an earthquake of uncommon severity for hardly two minutes, rocked the whole western India, the force of which most violently affected Kutchh and the tracts to the north of it. In Bhuj, nearly 7000 houses were overturned, and 1150 people buried in the ruins in twinkle of eyes. Most of the survived Ismaili families moved to safe places. Among them a caravan of Assa, trekked down through Lakhpat to Ramki Bazar in Sind. They further moved towards the lower Sind on horses and bullock carts and reached Hyderabad. He cemented his cordial relation with the princes of the ruling family of the Talpur Mirs. The ruler granted him a fief near Fulailee River, about a mile from the fort of Hyderabad. He professed in the farming and exported butter, milk and leather to other parts of India via Ramki Bazar in Badin, Sind.
Assa had six sons, the most famous were Alidina, Datardina and Baledina. His other three sons, whose informations are inaccessible had been killed in Jerruk on March 23, 1843. Nothing virtually is known about Datardina.
The tradition has it that Vesso, Vali and Mukhi Datoo, the sons of Merali had sent a message to Assa most possibly in the second week of March, 1843, inviting him in Jerruk during the programme of Imam's didar. He could not come and sent his five sons on horses with bags of gold coins to be presented to the Imam.
It is related that the five sons of Assa fought with dauntless and flinching courage and three of them are said to have been killed in the battle. The tradition further attests that during the thick of fighting, the Imam summoned the two surviving brothers, and ordered them to abandon the battlefield and return to the town. When the Imam arrived in Jerruk from Hyderabad, he told them, "You go to Karachi or elsewhere. I pray for your prosperity with more male issues in your future generations." These two brothers were Alidina (1793-1881) and Baledina (1802-1896). Both of them were also called in Sind as Allino Asar and Balino Asar respectively, and their family is known as the Asani family, whose family chart is given below:-
It appears fragmentarily that the British collected large stores of provisions in the godowns at Gidu Bandar, near Hyderabad before their operations against the Mirs in 1842. Leckie, the Second Assistant to Col. Pottinger, the supervisor of the godowns, resided on the banks of the Indus in the immediate vicinity of Gidu Bandar. All of a sudden, Mir Shah Muhammad of Mirpur, having mustered his forces, marched down to Hyderabad and, in consultation with the Mirs of Hyderabad, he attacked, plundered and burnt the British godowns and carried off a large booty. Nothing of the stores was left, and it was necessary for Leckie to arrange the provisions for the soldiers at once. It is said that Assa and few other Hindu merchants made every arrangement and supplied them provisions. When the British defeated the Mirs and occupied Sind, the supporters of the Mirs crowded near the fort of Hyderabad at the end of March, 1843 and agitated against the British. Their procession moved from the fort to the Fulailee river under the vehement agitation, where they set on fire all the godowns of the grains of Assa and three Hindu merchants. They devastated their properties and razed their buildings to the ground. In this civilian action, Assa and his family members were killed. It implies that the death of Assa took place most possibly at the end of March, 1843 in this appalling tragedy,
The Aga Khan left Jerruk in September, 1844 for Karachi. Meanwhile, both Alidina and Baledina also arrived in Karachi.
On October 7, 1844, the Imam left Karachi for Kutchh and a day before departure, he deputed Baledina (1802-1896) as his Estate Agent in Muscat, located on the Gulf of Oman coast and isolated by a hill range. Baledina knew Arabic and Persian and said to have also visited Iran, Iraq and Oman. The old records reveal that the Ismailis in Iraq, Iran and Gulf deposited the accumulated funds of religious due to Baledina Asani in Muscat. In those days, the commercial facilities had increased, therefore, he used to remit the religious dues in Bombay by means of hoondis or bill of exchange. It must be remembered that the Aga Khan had to face periodical troubles from certain dissent members of his community since 1827 while he had been in Iran. It finally resulted a suit against him in 1866, known as The Aga Khan Case or The Khoja Case. In 1850, a group of Jagan Hajiani, one of the dissents rose and stole important old records of the jamatkhana and threw away in the sea with other ten persons. The Aga Khan sent Aga Jafar Khan in Muscat to remove the differences. With the help of Baledina Asani, Aga Jafar Khan tried hard to negotiate with the sceders but of no avail. When the opponents took arms against the Ismailis, the local authority came into action and arrested them.
On October 20, 1861, when such elements abandoned the Ismaili community publicly in Bombay, the Aga Khan issued a decree in which he expressed his desire to bring the Ismailis to conform to the practices of the Shia Imami Ismaili faith of his ancestors. The decree ended thus, "He who may be willing to obey my orders shall write his name in this book that I may know him." The copies of the decree were circulated in Sind, Kutchh, Kathiawar, Gujrat, Zanzibar and Muscat. Except a handful persons, an almost unanimous acceptance was received from the followers. On that juncture, Baledina Asani is said to have played prominent role in Muscat, where the mainstream of the community stood steadfast in their faith and demonstrated their loyalty with the Imam. In 1874, the Aga Khan however succeeded to settle the disputes in Bombay in presence of eminent leaders of both sides.
Baledina's son Murad Ali married to Daulat, the daughter of Alidina Asani. Karmali was the son of Murad Ali and the son of Karmali was Rai Hasan, the father of Varas Akbar Ali, the 9th and the present Estate Agent of the Imam in Pakistan. Baledina Asani served for 52 years and died most probably in 1896 in Muscat. His family chart is given below:-
Alidina on the other hand, purchased some fertile tracks in the area of Malir in Karachi. He carried on a flourishing business and opened his office in Kharadhar, Karachi where his family also shifted. When the local jamat grew, the Imam consigned him the office the Mukhi in 1855 for Kharadhar Jamatkhana, situated at Kagzi Bazar, lying on the plot no. G.T. 9/83 at Old Town. It is learnt from the old records that the local Ismailis had purchased the premises in 1825 for religious service. In those days, the elder group of the jamat chose the head or the Mukhi of the Jamatkhana, and the prominent among them were Mukhi Datoo Chandu Varind, Mukhi Alarakhia Sajan and Mukhi Mohabally Jiand. This tradition remained in force between 1825 and 1855.
The Imam also appointed Mukhi Alidina Asani as his first Estate Agent for Karachi with some assistants for Lasbela, Sind and Tando Bagho. It will be interesting to learn that Varas Abbas, the grandson of Mukhi Alidina had humbly submitted his services to Hazar Imam, Prince Karim Aga Khan, during the completion of hundred years service of the Asani family. The Imam sent the following message through the Ismailia City Council, Kharadhar, Karachi on May 9, 1962 that:-
My dear President, Kindly convey my best loving paternal maternal blessings for services to Aitmadi Abbasbhai Alimahomed Asani, occasion completion of 100 years service by house of Asanis.
Mukhi Alidina Asani was a leading merchant, exporting rice in different parts of India. His sons also ventured into the business of hides and skins. In 1864, he is said to have purchased a big plot in Lyari quarter for the Ismaili graveyard.
He retired both from the posts of the Mukhi and Estate Agent in 1873. The next appointed Mukhi in his place was Alleno Jiand, who also retired in 1882. Mukhi Ramzan Ismail, whom Imam Aga Ali Shah had declared as the Mukhi in 1882 in the Jamatkhana, followed him. Mukhi Alidina Asani died in 1881 in Karachi at the age of 90 years. It is related that the Imam Aga Ali Shah had visited Karachi at the end of 1882 and offered Fatiha at his grave. The Imam enjoined the accompanying followers to do the same for forty consecutive days. He left behind five sons, Pir Muhammad, Ali Muhammad, Datoo, Suleman, Fazal and two daughters, Daulat and Sona.
Appreciating his great and noble services, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah, the Aga Khan III said to the jamat in presence of his grandson, Alijah Alidina Ali Muhammad Mukhi Alidina Asani on April 11, 1920 in Karachi that, "At present, Alijah Alidina serves me too much, his father Ali Muhammad had also served the Imam since childhood, and his grandfather Mukhi Alidina had also served the Imam to great extent. Both (father and grandfather) had served excellently from childhood to last breath of life." The Imam further said on April 20, 1920 during the Mehmani of Alijah Alidina Ali Muhammad that, "This Alijah has served me too much, also his father late Ali Muhammad had served me too much, even his grandfather Mukhi Alidina had rendered great services to the house of the Hazar Imam."
A certain devout Ismaili, called Remu Bhagat had migrated from Bhuj, Kutchh. He settled in Karachi with his son Vali. Vali married to Sona, the daughter of Mukhi Alidina Asani. He used to work with Mukhi Alidina as his Assistant and looked after the Imam's estates in Sind and Tando Bagho. Imam Hasan Ali Shah appointed him as the next Estate Agent for Karachi and Sind upon the retirement of Mukhi Alidina Asani in 1873. He served for eight years and was followed by Varas Basaria Fadhu as the next Estate Agent in 1881. The family chart of Varas Vali is given below:-
In those days, a certain person called, Basaria came from Bhuj, Kutchh and resided in Karachi. He and his son Fadhu were dedicated social workers. Varas Fadhu, the ancestor of the later Basaria family, was a devoted person in Bhuj, Kutchh. He had travelled to Iran on foot to see Imam Shah Khalilullah and died in Iran. He had three sons, Ghulam Ali, Basaria and Jafar. Among them, Varas Basaria, who was born in 1848 was appointed the third Estate Agent for Karachi and Sind by Imam Hasan Ali Shah in the beginning of 1881 in place of Varas Vali. In 1883, he married to Rani (d. 1923), the daughter of Varas Vali, who gave a birth of a son, Rahim.
He was famous for his generosity both inside and outside the community. His contribution in the first and second War Loan during the world war (1914-1919) was magnificent. The Ismailis celebrated with great pomp the 41st Birth Anniversary of the Imam on 3rd August, 1918 in Karachi. On that occasion, a grand function was organized with a dinner in Kharadhar jamatkhana. Mr. Martin, the Collector of Karachi was also invited with his wife. He was greeted by Dr. Haji and Alijah Alidina Ali Muhammad, who introduced him to Mukhi Rahmatullah Lutf Ali, Varas Basaria Fadhu, Varas Ibrahim Varas Vali and the members of the Council. Mr. Martin took an opportunity to speak the valuable services of the Imam, and thanked Varas Basaria Fadhu for investing Rs. 1,25,000/- in the first and second War Loan. He awarded him the Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of the Viceroy of India.
The works of Varas Basaria Fadhu increased so much that he had to request the Imam for an assistant. The Imam appointed his son, Rahim Basaria to assist him in Karachi.
Varas Basaria Fadhu served for 37 years and died in Karachi on Thursday, October 23, 1918 at the age of 70 years. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah appointed Varas Ibrahim, the son of Varas Vali (d. 1881) as his fourth Estate Agent for Karachi, Lasbela and Sind. The Imam made a tour of Karachi for 27 days from April 10, 1920 and performed the opening ceremony of the musafarkhana, adjoining the Kharadhar Jamatkhana, which was built by Varas Basaria Fadhu in 1918 and completed by his son at the cost of Rs. 50,000/- The family chart of Basaria is given below:-
He belonged to a Valliani family. He was an Estate Agent of Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in Karachi, Lasbela and Sind. He also dedicated his life in the service of the Imam and earned the title of Varas. He was also a generous and assisted the institutions of the community and other needy persons.
He always travelled by his own expenses, riding on horse and visited different villages of Sind. He used to suggest the jamat, who prepared delicious dish for him that, "I am eating daily, because the Imam has given me much more. Pay tithe to the Imam, so that you may be rewarded, but will never get paradise to feed me."
During the visit of the Imam in Karachi in 1920, he asked for his retirement. The Imam appointed Wazir Rahim Basaria in his place. He died on April 23, 1924 at the age of 55 years.
Wazir Rahim Basaria, the son of Varas Basaria Fadhu was born in Karachi in 1885. His parent asked for his name in a Mehmani in Karachi before Imam Aga Ali Shah, who said, "You both have served me with whole hearts, and as a reward, God has graced blessings upon you in the form of a son. This son is a symbol of a divine blessing in your family. I give his name Rahim." His father had arranged all kinds of facility for his education, but he studied upto 7th class. He joined his father's business as well as in the services of the community. He was a leading importer of sugar in Karachi, and was known in the market as a "Lion of Sugar." He was also the director of the Karachi Khoja Ismaili Trading Co. in 1919. In this year, he was also appointed as an Honorary Second Class Magistrate in Karachi.
The British India also invested him the title of First Class Honorary Magistrate through a Gazette issued on March, 1919. On April 13, 1920, he was bestowed with the title of Wazir in Karachi and was appointed as an Estate Agent after Varas Ibrahim.
He renovated the Honeymoon Lodge, the birth place of the Imam with his own expenses of Rs. 60,000/= The Imam visited for the first time after renovation on April 10, 1920 and gave it a new name of Highland.
In 1921, he became the President of Ismaili Council in Karachi. He was also made the Chief Estate Manager of the Imam in 1922 at Bombay after the death of Juma Kamu. In sum, he was the Estate Agent in Karachi, Lasbela, Tando Muhammad Khan, Mirpur Sakaro and other parts of Sind.
He had been also in East Africa during the visit of the Imam in 1925. He left Bombay on January 7, 1925 with Pir Sabzali, Hussaini Pir Muhammad and Hamir Lakha. The Imam arrived in Zanzibar on February 9, 1925, and appointed him as the head of the Estate Agents for East Africa. He also remained over a month with the Imam, and visited Mombasa, Moshi, Nairobi etc. and worked for 18 hours per day as a Chief Wazir and the Private Secretary of the Imam. He was also made the head of the Ismaili Councils for East Africa, and all the reports of the Councils were sent through him.
Wazir Rahim Basaria was one of the greatest commercial magnates, but took special pride in calling himself a servant of the Imam and the jamats. He was a millionaire, but his life was a saga of selfless service to the Imam, to the exclusion of any other thought, consideration or benefit. He travelled many times with the Imam in Kutchh, Kathiawar, Sind, Burma, Africa, etc. with a staff of servants and workers on his own expenses. His staff worked 12 hours in a day, while he worked for 18 hours without any break.
He was to stay in Bombay for four to six months to complete the works of jamats assigned to him by the Imam in 1927. He resided in the bungalow at the Aga Hall with his mother and family members. He worked till late hours at night, and became a victim of Malaria disease. He however continued to work and fell into an inflammation of the lungs, or pneumonia. His illness increased and the famous doctors of Bombay eventually left all hopes of recovery.
Wazir Rahim Basaria thus, died at the age of 42 years on Monday, February 15, 1927 at 12.30 a.m. He was buried at the underground chamber of the mausoleum of Imam Hasan Ali Shah at Hasanabad, where no Ismaili had been ever buried.
In his memory, Imam proposed to build two Boardings in Karachi and Vankaner, Kathiawar for the benefits of the orphans. Accordingly, the Supreme Council for Kathiawar passed a revolution on April 7, 1927 to build a Boarding. The similar resolution was also passed in Karachi for the Boarding and an erection of a garden with a bungalow, called Wazir Rahim Bagh. The Boarding in Karachi had been built and inaugurated on Sunday, October 7, 1928 by Mukhi Megji Mulji of Darkhana Jamatkhana of Bombay.
He was the son of Varas Ibrahim Varas Vali. He served for 10 years as a member and Honorary Secretary of Piru Khalikdina Dispensary, Karachi. He was also a member of the Supreme Council in 1920 and became its President in 1935. He also served as the Mukhi of Kharadhar Jamatkhana between 1934 and 1937. He continued to serve as an Estate Agent for Lasbela and Sind and died in Karachi on February 4, 1938.
The seventh Estate Agent was Currim, the son of Varas Ibrahim. He was born in 1881. He assisted Varas Ibrahim Varas Vali, Wazir Rahim Basaria and Itmadi Ghulam Hussain since 1924. In sum, he rendered services for 28 years. He retired in 1952 and in view of his valuable services since 1924, the Imam invested him in 1954 the title of Senior Wazir, and this kind of conferment was unparalleled in the Ismaili world. He died on October 23, 1968 at the age of 87 years.
Senior Wazir Currim was followed by his son Captain Amir Ali as the next Estate Agent of the Imam. He was born in 1910 and completed his education in 1929. He proceeded on his first trip and met the Imam in London in 1935. He brought Imam's messages in India for Sir Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah and Sir Abdullah Haroon, insisting to keep up the pressure through the columns of the press for the separation of Sind from Bombay Presidency. This message inflamed in Amir Ali to desire to start an English weekly paper, "Sind Sentinel" with Dr. Ghulam Ali Allana and himself as co-editors. It played a vital role for the cause till 1936 when the ultimate object of Sind separation was achieved.
In 1936, the Imam appointed him the member of the Council. In 1941, he joined the Indian army during the second world war as a King's Emergency Commissioned Officer and rose from 2nd Lieutenant to Temporary Major's rank. When the war ended in 1945, he was given an option for release in 1946 and granted the rank of Honorary Captain.
His father retired in 1952, therefore, the Imam appointed him his Estate Agent for Pakistan with a title of Varas. He also served as an Estate Agent in Afghanistan, Iran, Persian Gulf and other Middle East states and South East Asia.
He died on December 21, 1978 at Karachi. The Imam sent the following message on December 22, 1978 through the Ismailia Federal Council for Pakistan:-
I have learnt with the deepest sorrow of the passing away of one of my senior most jamati leaders in Pakistan, Vazir Amirali Currim. I send my most affectionate warmest special loving blessings for the soul of late Vazir Amirali Currim and I pray that his soul may rest in eternal peace.
The late Vazir Amirali Currim's long and devoted and able services since the time of my late grandfather will always be remembered by jamat and by myself and he will be greatly missed by us all. His passing away is profound loss to my jamat and to me personally for Vazir Amirali had set an example of dedication and hard work, for the jamat in Pakistan and elsewhere, and I had many occasions to know how deeply the late Vazir cared about the jamat's unity and spiritual and worldly happiness. Late Vazir Amirali Currim had succeeded his father as Estate Agent to the Imam, that is to one of the highest offices in the jamat and in doing so he was continuing an admirable tradition of service to the house of the Imam, that his father had begun before him.
Her Highness the Begum joins me in sending our heartfelt sympathies to the family of the late Vazir Amirali Currim and at this time of sorrow and bereavement they are all particularly in my heart, thoughts and prayers.
He is hailed from the illustrious descent of the Asani family through Baledina (1802-1896), the Estate Agent of the Imam in Muscat. Baledina had three sons, Murad Ali, Abdul Karim, Jafar and eight daughters. The sons of Murad Ali were Karmali, Abdul Hussain and Khalfan. And the sons of Karmali were Rai Hasan, Abdullah, Muhammad, Kamaruddin and Jafar. Rai Hasan is the father of Varas Akbar and six other sons. Rai Hasan had served as the Mukhi of Baitul Khiyal Majalis for 15 years in Muscat. He was also the Mukhi of Baitul Khiyal Majalis in Garden Jamatkhana in 1969. His wife, that is the mother of Varas Akbar is Mukhiani Khadija, the daughter of Mukhiani Hira. After the death of Hira's husband, Haji Hasan in 1925, she was forced to abandon Ismailism, but she remained unwavering in her faith. She gave away her claims of property and wealth and quitted Muscat in secrecy for Basra with her two daughters, Khadija, Rabab and a son, Juma. She managed to reach Karachi and lodged in the musafarkhana of Kharadhar, Karachi. After a passage of time, the marriage of Khadija was solemnized with Rai Hasan in 1933 at Muscat. Their first child was Varas Akbar, who was born in Karachi on December 29, 1936.
Varas Akbar was educated in Bombay and then returned to Muscat. In 1964, his family came to Karachi during the auspicious visit of the Imam in Pakistan. The Imam had said to Varas Noorali, the younger brother of Varas Akbar in an audience that they should settle in Karachi. In sum, they came in Karachi for ever, where in a short time they became prosperous business magnates. Varas Akbar had served as a religious teacher in Muscat and in Karachi, he was appointed the Chairman of Garden Religious School Committee. He was also appointed the Kamadia of Garden Jamatkhana between 1972 and 1976 and the Mukhi between 1976 and 1979. The Imam consigned the office of the Estate Agent to Varas Akbar through the following message of January 12, 1979:-
ST. Moritz, 12.1.1979
My dear President and Members,
Only a few weeks ago, the Federal Council for Pakistan, the Pakistani jamat and I learnt with deep sorrow of the passing away of my estate agent, the late Vazir Amirali Currim. In view of the death of this hard working, loyal spiritual child, it has become necessary for me to appoint a new estate agent.
I am sending you this letter to inform you that I have decided to appoint with immediate effect Mukhi Akbarali Hasan Karmali as my estate agent. I send him my most affectionate special paternal maternal loving blessings for success in his new duties.
Mukhi Akbarali is well known of my jamat in Pakistan as he has been Mukhi of the Garden Jamat for 3 years and previous to that he was Kamadia for 4 years.
On the occasion of his appointment, I give him the title of Itmadi. Mukhi Akbarali will hold the same office as the late Vazir Amirali Currim and he will therefore have the same responsibilities and duties and the same authority. I would like that all my Mukhis, Kamadias and Joint Kamadias should extend to Mukhi Akbarali in his new office as estate agent their fullest support, cooperation and confidence as they have done in the past with the late Vazir Amirali Currim, because my estate agent is required to travel extensively in Pakistan, and occasionally abroad, I relieve him, with immediate effect of his present office of Mukhi of the Garden Jamat in Karachi. I give Mukhi Akbarali and Mukhiani Nabat Akbarali my most affectionate paternal maternal loving blessings for their outstanding and devoted service."
Varas Akbar is the 9th Estate Agent of the Imam in Pakistan. His illustrious ancestor in the 5th line was Assa and Varas Amir Ali's grandfather, Ibrahim's mother, Sona's grandfather was also the same Assa. Daulat, the granddaughter of Assa had married to Murad Ali, the grandson of Assa. In sum, all the nine Estate Agents have been from the same family tree during last 145 years, who claim blood relation with the great martyrs of Jerruk.
Swift in thought and action, Varas Akbar took over the responsibilities and formulated his plans on the spur of the moment with his subtle thoughts, sublime works and specific deeds. His personality is dressed in glorious manner and politeness with long sighted prudence. In short, he is an indefatigable worker and one of those who combine theory with practice.