Fazal Manji Lalji

Partners

Children

Mohamed Fazal Manji 1947

Fazal Manji, my father, came to Tanganyika in 1927, at the age of sixteen, in the company of his uncle Walji Kassam Bharmal. Following their disembarkation in Mombasa they came to Moshi where Mr Walji Kassam had settled. Fazal Manji went to Tukuyu via Dodoma, and Iringa. He worked in Masoko for one year and then moved to Tukuyu to open his own shop.
He had a debt of Shs 25,000, money borrowed from his uncle Kanji Lalji and Suleman Pardhan. He used Shs 5000 for his marriage. He married my mother Rehmat Mohamed Hamir on 5th November 1931. She was the daughter of Alijah Mohamed Hamir who at that time built Iringa's Jamatkhana with his own money and donated to Sir Sultan Mohamed Shah. This marriage was arranged by my father's aunt Raibanu Sikinabai Kanji Lalji who had promised Alijah Mohamed Hamir that one of her Lalji Bharmal nephews will marry one of Mohamed Hamir's daughters. My father's best man was Mr Moloo Manji and guests were his uncle Mr Karim Lalji Bharmal & his wife Nurbanu (Saleh Haji), his brother Ladha Manji Lalji and his cousin Ladha Manji Haji who was working in Iringa with Mr Hassam Ladha.

My father did well in business in Tukuyu and went into partnership with his uncle Mr Hussein Lalji- Hussein Lalji & Company. His uncle had already moved to Mbeya at that time. They were dealing with purchasing of coffee, tea & beans. After the birth of their second child Kulsum, they had to wind up the business and parternership, as their new born daughter was frequently getting sick in damp Tukuyu weather; at the doctor’s advice, they moved to Mbeya.
In Mbeya, my father was quite successful in business and my mother played a major role in their success. In early 1940's, they got the Karimjee Jivanjee & Co Ltd's agency for Southern Highland region. Karimjee Jivanjee Family were well established business family of Dar es Salaam since mid 19th Century. The relation between our two families became close with time and lasted for many decades. During the Dar es Salaam Takht Nashini (His Highness the Aga Khan IV Ceremonial Installation) in October 1957, we were invited by the Karimjee family to be their guest and we stayed with Mr. & Mrs. Alibhai M A Karimjee (cousin of Mr AbdulKarim Y A Karimjee) at their residence in Oyster Bay, Dar es Salaam. The adults in our family were also invited at the dinner party for The Aga Khan, hosted by Mr AbdulKarim Y A Karimjee, the Mayor of Dar es Salaam and future Speaker of the Parliament in the Government of Tanganyika. This was one of the most memorable times for the whole of our family.
The Karimjee Agency made my father’s company the sole agents, in the region, for International Motor Mart Ltd, Caltex Oil Company, Michelin Tyres, All India Insurance Company etc. They also had large transport department becoming the 2nd largest transport company in Mbeya. They had both goods and passenger services; also had a Caltex gas station in Mbeya named Star Service Station He was also an agent for Bagwandas Bus Service of Arusha. Their bus service operated from Arusha to Mbeya via Dodoma & Iringa. We also developed close personal relationship with Bagwandas family My parents were also able to invest in properties in Mbeya, Dar es Salaam, Iringa Mbozi etc
My parents had total of six children- 3 sons Nurdin, Shamshudin (Shamshu) & youngest Mohamed (myself); 3 daughters Kulsum, Malek and the third daughter who died at birth.
My eldest brother Nurdin joined my father's business in 1951 and expanded the business in the name of Fazal Manji & Sons. My second brother Shamshudin joined the business in early 1958.
My father, my mother and I had the opportunity to visit Kutch in 1969. This was my father's first and the only visit back to Sinugra. My mother unfortunately could not accompany us to Kutch as she developed hepatitis on this Indian trip and had to recover which she did in Mumbai staying at our relations Mohamed Korji family at Aga Hall, Mumbai. Our visit to Sinugra Kutch was pleasant and very rewarding for me as I was fortunate to see where my forefathers lived; where my great grandfather (Lalji Bharmal) and my grandfather (Manji Lalji Bharmal) earned their living by farming on Gundhi Wadi in Sinugra Kutch; saw the house where my father and his siblings were born and also saw the nearby 3 adjoining houses where the other Lalji Bharmal's sons lived.
Nationalization of properties, belonging to mostly Indian and Arab Tanzanians (who were 3rd or 4th generation Tanzanians), a very discriminating and racist policy of the then Tanzanian government of Nyerere, occurred in April of 1971. There was no compensation paid. At the time of getting independence, Nyerere had indicated that people of all races will be treated with equality. This did not happen and with the implementation of this policy (the Acquisition Act of 1971), there was severe negative impact on whole of the Indian community. They felt very insecure and suppressed. They took the option of another migration. Large number of Indians, with their reputation of being a successful business community, were openly welcomed by the Western countries and thus left the country of Tanzania for good (I am sure Nyerere did not expect this). They ended up settling in Canada, USA, UK, Europe and Australia where they have been quite successful. Nyerere and latter Presidents of Tanzania, in the 1980s and 90s, wanted these Indians to return and reinvest but were not successful.
We unfortunately were one of the victims. Our family then moved to Canada to start a new life in the West. I left in May 1971 to take a position as an intern at San Fernando Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies and then came to Toronto in early summer of 1972; the rest of the family came to Canada in the late summer of 1972. There were only few Ismailis (less than fifty). My parents, my brother Nurdin and his family and my family (Anar & Mohamed) settled in Toronto, while my brother Shmshu`s and my two sister's (Kulsum (Manji)Assar, her husband Fateh Bhimji Assar & Malek (Manji) Dewshi, her husband Sadrudin Mohamed Dewshi) settled in Vancouver Richmond) where they bought an IRLY Bird Building & Hardware Store in 1972.
My parents served the Ismaili Jamat as well becoming Kamadia in 1942-1943; served as Mukhi in 1953-1954 with Mr Shamshudin Kassam Kachara as Kamadia.
Note: my father Fazal and my uncle Walji dropped their surname "Lalji" at request of the British administrating officer, to avoid confusion, as all their children's last names were registered as "Manji".

Photo Gallery For Fazal Manji(Lalji) & Family

Standing– Fazal Manji (Lalji) , Uncle Karim Lalji and brother Ladha Manji Lalji.Sitting- Rehmat Fazal Manji and Nurbanu Karim Lalji with her sons Fateh & Shamshu. Circa 1931 wedding.Iringa. Photos: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Fazal and Rehmat Manji and Mohamed and Fatma Ladha Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Fazal & Rehmat Manji with family circa 1936 & 1946 Photos Dr Moh'd Manji collection

Fazal Manji Family 1946 Mbeya Tanganyika Sitting Left to daughter Malek, Rhemat Fazal Manji & Fazal Manji, son Shamshudin Standing: daughter Kulsum and eldest son Nurdin. Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Manji Lalji with his 3 sons Ladha, Fazal & Walji and grandsons Nurdin (Fazal) & Sadrudin (Ladha) Manji circa late 1930's Photo: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Fazal Manji Stalls Mbeya Business Expositions circa early and mid 1950’s respectively Photos Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Fazal Manji Stalls Mbeya Business Expositions circa early and mid 1950’s respectively Photos Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Flag raising ceremony on Imamat Day at Mbeya Jamatkhana by Mukhi Fazal Manji & Kamadia Shamshudun Kassam Kachara 1953: Photo: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

Aga Khan Supreme Council of Tanganyika Mid/late 1950's: Member Fazal Manji (standing 3rd from the left) Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

One of the last images of Rai Fazal Manji Lalji

Family Visit to Sinugra, Kutch 1969

Kutch Map- Sinugra is located 6 km outside of Anjar in Eastern Kutch.

Mohamed Fazal Manji at Gundhi Wadi belonged to Lalji Bharmal family Sinugra Kutch India 1969 Photo Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

The Lalji Bharmal Homestead There were 4 adjoining houses for his sons, where they lived with their nuclear families - Sinugra Kutch 1969. Photo: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

The Lalji Bharmal House where my father Fazal Manji Lalji was born. Sinugra, Kutch 1969. Photo: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

On the verandah of the Manji Lalji home. My father, Fazal Manji Lalji (sitting Left) and I, Mohamed Fazal Manji (standing left) with Mrs Manji Bandali (sitting Right) & her family & with Mr & Mrs Dhalu Master (Standing Right and sitting 2nd from right) Sinugra Kutch 1969. Photo: Dr Moh'd Manji collection.

The recounted narrative above originates from the comprehensive biography titled My Lalji Bharmal Clan-a Khoja Kutchi Family:their settlement and triumph in Tanganyika & Beyond, accumulated and penned by Dr. Mohamed (Mo) Fazal Manji (Lalji) MD, DMRT, DABRT, FRCPC. This extensive account delves into the lives of more than a hundred individuals within this prominent extended family from Tanzania. Detailed life stories of each member can be explored through the provided links on every page.

Laljibhai Bharmal-Oldest member of the family in Tanganyika, circa 1920's.

Dr. Mohamed Manji, Vancouver, Canada.