Hashu Tharuani

Children

The Iranian Ismailis in Lasbela however maintained their own Iranian cultural traditions and customs. With the passage of time, they absorbed the local traditions, which richly sounded in their names, such as Nim, Foto, Laung, Aachar, Jaffer, Karami, Ibn, Ibu, Hashu, Shalu, etc. When the Ismaili merchants of Kutchh came into their contact in Lasbela, they however retained their own cultural tendency, which sounded in their names, such as Angaro, Sumar, Araba, Jumo, Khamiso, Chhanchhar, etc. The most prominent family among them was Aloo or Alwani family. Later on, the original Iranian Ismailis in Lasbela immersed in Indian culture through the learning of the religious education from the Ismailis of Kutchh.

The Ismailis, who later on migrated to Karachi and flourished the Lassi jamat, mastered the study of the ginans. How did they know the ginans when they were originally Iranians and had nothing to do with the tradition of ginans? In fact, they learnt the ginans from the Satpanthi Khojas of Kutchh. The Ismailis in Lasbela thus emerged as a new generation of the mixed blood of Iran and India, who began to assume the names henceforward as Bhalu (Baledina), Jafu (Jaffer), Gulu (Ghulam Hussain), Mamu (Muhammad), etc.

The province of Las or Lasbela in Baluchistan is about 100 miles long and 80 miles wide. It is bounded to the south by the sea, to the north by the Jahlawan Hills, and to the east and west by ranges of high mountains, which descend from the great mass occupying Baluchistan, and separate it from Sind and Makran. Lasbela was divided into seven towns (niabats): Welpat, Shehr Lyari, Miani, Hab, Kanrach, Ormada and Uthal.

The Ismailis in Lasbela prospered and spread in different villages. In 1796, a terrible famine in Lasbela forced the local people including few Ismaili families to move towards Karachi, but their information are inaccessible. They, however, said to have built few cottages, and raised a Jamatkhana on the site, presently known as Inayat Ali Mohammad Bachlani Building. Later on, a caravan from Uthal is reported to have proceeded towards Sonmiani, and then to Karachi in 1843. Varas Khatau hailed originally from Kutchh and was a rich merchant in Sonmiani, exporting wool, ghee, gum and oil of different kinds.

In search of a peaceful land when a severe famine broke out in Uthal, few Ismaili families resolved to seek harbour in Karachi. In the form of a caravan of camels, they trekked down to tedious passages of 116 miles in the mountains and reached Karachi after three days. They alighted at the bank of Lyari River. The most prominent among them were the families of Hashu and Shalu. These wretchedly poor Ismailis built some cottages of mud and straw. They had also brought some cattle with them from their native land and entered into the business of hides and skins on small scale. Some also professed in matting, goat-hairs, etc. They made rapid progress and formed the Lassi jamat in Karachi.

Among the predecessors of Mukhi Hashu Tharuani, a certain Kanju deserves special attention. He came from a Persian stock, originally settled in Makran and Persian Baluchistan to the south of Kirman. He had two sons, Khaku and Ghulam Mohammad or Gulu. Beju (or Bijjar) was the only son of Gulu, who left behind three sons, viz. Amir Baksh, Khuda Baksh and Ali Baksh. The son of Ali Baksh was Khamiso, who, owing to draught and scarcity of food grains and fodder, is said to have wandered throughout the Persian Baluchistan in search of bread and butter, and finally settled down in Uthal, which is situated on the Karachi-Bela highway, about 74 miles from Karachi and 38 miles from Bela. It was originally a small quarter, but then became the district quarter.

Khamiso is said to have worked with a Hindu gold merchant to weigh the gold in Lasbela. He had been also in Ormada and Gwadar for several times. He had two sons, Tar Muhammad and Jan Muhammad, who were the local peasants.

Hashim or Hashu, the most prominent figure among the Lassi jamat was the son of Tar Muhammad, who used to recite the ginans in the prayer-hall. The name Tar Muhammad gradually began to be pronounced as Taru, Tharu or Tharuani. The name of his son, Hashim changed also in the same usage as Hashu or Hashuani. Presently, the name 'Hashu' is also spelt as 'Hashoo' and 'Hashuani' as 'Hashwani' in the descendants of Mukhi Hashu.

Hashim the son of Tar Muhammad, became known as Hashu the son of Tharu. Hashu was born most probably in 1820 in the village of Shaikh Raj, between Uthal and Bela in Lasbela. The local people generally called the Ismailis as the Shaikhs, who lived thickly in a village between Uthal and Bela, which also became known as the Shaikh Raj (abode of the Shaikhs or Ismailis). Nothing is known about his formal education. It however infers from old records that he was not absolutely unlettered. It is said that he worked as a peasant with his father in Uthal, and his grandfather took him several times in the villages of Lasbela.

Hashu arrived in Karachi at the age of 33 years in 1852. According to the census report of 1852-3, the Karachi town contained 13,769 inhabitants, and the suburbs 8.459, making a total of 22,227. It was the period of Sir H. Bartle E. Frere, who was the Commissioner of Sind between 1851 and 1857. Mukhi Hashu had no grain left for camels and little or no forage for them. Nothing left but a few bags of rice and three or four of flour. This was the only reported capital of Mukhi Hashu in Karachi. He worked for few months in a shop near Nigar Cinema, and then started his own petty business of hides and skins. He would purchase and sell to the retailers. In the first week of April, 1878, the heavy fluctuations in the leather market cost him a substantial loss, resulting his business bankrupt. It depleted him day after day till his economical condition absolutely deteriorated. A sad, shrunken figure, nearly overwhelmed with the calamity, but cool and courageous still.

On October 20, 1878, the wheel of fortune turned to his favour. On that day, he was sitting outside his shop, waiting for the customers. He suddenly saw one European approaching him and asked, 'Who is Mr. Hasoo. I am looking for Mr. Hasoo.' The stranger was an agent of M/S Ralli Bros. Ltd., a leading British firm based at 25, Finsbury Circus, London, E.C.2., who heard many feats of his honesty. He needed an honest broker for the business of hides and bones and offered him its agency unconditionally. Hashu discussed with him through an interpreter and accepted the deal. Henceforward, he entered into a new business field, where he worked hard. Later on, he also got the agency of cotton and grains. He spent his years ahead working as hard as ever, despite a constant decline in health. His efforts brought him slowly and slowly to the summit of fame till 1882, when his business flourished to a steady progress, and became an eminent and affluent merchant in Karachi. It is said that he was also offered by other commercial firms, such as David Sasson, Mackinon Mackenzie, Forbes Campbell, etc., but he continued his association with the Ralli Bros. Ltd.

His thought now turned to wider spheres of human interest. His contact with people during the course of his business was not confined to business alone. He built many water tanks and installed several taps in the poorer quarter of Lyari, Karachi for the poor residents. Many stipends to widows flowed from his generous and capacious pocket. His personality was genial, optimistic, helpful, simple and noble that is truly philanthropic.

He would loosened his purse strings to almost all appeals for funds needed by the destitute.

In 1873, Imam Aga Ali Shah, when officiating as a Pir, visited Karachi and appointed him the Mukhi of the Lassi Jamatkhana with Talib Haji as the Kamadia, and granted him a traditional shawl. He was the third Mukhi of Lassi Jamatkhana (1873-1912). The first Mukhi was Sukhio Thavarani (1843-1853) and the second Mukhi was Alarakhia Talib (1853-1873). didar programme in Karachi.

He loved having people over for meals. What distinguished him was his attitude of brotherhood towards everyone, was the respect for elders, affection for kith and kin, and consideration for the neighbours. He fed the hungry, clothed the needy, housed the destitute and helped the ailing persons regardless of cast and creed. His generosity surpassed all charity. In 1902, the torrential rains raged Karachi, followed by a fierce flood. All over, there were deluge and inundation, and the Lyari quarter was submerged in water. The pitiable plight moved his heart. He hurled himself in the field as a warrior for a week and rescued over a hundred fishermen, and provided them shelter and foods. The people had by now became accustomed to look upon him as one who could always be trusted in the hour of emergency.

His speech clearly sounded the Indo-Persic stock. He had full black expressive Persian eyes, the regular sharp-cut Iranian features and the long, thick and flowing beard. He had a natural talent in solving the disputes of the community members. They had such abiding trust on him that they would rather approach him for adjudication than resort to the Council. He took in hand no work without reconciling the issue.

It must be known that there was a house of Mukhi Hashu in Uthal, Lasbela. Chief Missionary Hussaini Pir Muhammad (1878-1951) seems to have visited Baluchistan for the first time. He left Karachi for Sonmiani on August 23, 1912 and proceeded towards Uthal and stayed in the house of Mukhi Hashu. He returned to Karachi via Sonmiani on October 7, 1912. The last few years of his life was marred by illness and physical affliction, which he bore with tranquility and peace of mind. It was about 7.45 a.m. of December 21, 1915 when a Hindu Dr. Pritamdas examined him at his residence and said that he was quite well. No soon did the doctor leave the residence than Mukhi Hashu came down, saying, 'I feel little pain.' He lowered down himself on the wooden cot, asking his daughter, 'Give me a wrapper (chadar).' He covered his face down to his feet and uttered his last word, 'My time to depart from this mundane world has come' and expired in this state at 8.30 a.m. after a long span of 95 years. Mukhi Hashu married twice and had four sons, viz. Baledina, Jaffer, Ghulam Hussain, Muhammad and two daughters, Hira and Bhanari from his first wife, called Ha'ansi. His other children from his second wife, called Thari were Abdullah, Kassim, Bana, Hussain, Nazar Ali, Ali Muhammad and Ismail; and four daughters, viz. Sharafi, Jena, Chhati and Mariam.

In 1952, when Rai Suleman Hoodbhoy, the Chief Honorary Secretary of the Supreme Council for Pakistan, had an audience with Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in London, the Imam asked him whether the jamat of Lassi remembered late Mukhi Hashu. To this, he replied affirmatively. The Imam said, 'Be it known that he was a Mukhi in this world and the world hereafter.'