Bhaishree Ratanshibhai Shivjibhai Nakarani was a skilled carpenter born in AD 1896 in Rawapar village, Kutch. Despite being from a middle-class family, he was professionally independent and self-sufficient. His punctuality and interest in reading and writing made him a prominent figure in the community, and he gained special fame in Karachi. Ratan Shibhai played a crucial role in establishing the Karachi Yuvak Mandal and organizing community conferences held in Karachi. He is also credited as the architect of our night school in Karachi and was the brains behind the publication of “Patidar Uday,” which aimed to raise public awareness about our community and was perhaps the first educational initiative of its kind.

During the community-dominated era in Kutch, the Gedheras who resided there did not tolerate any challenges to their authority. Education and training related to the community system were considered taboo. Our brother Ratanshi, who lived in Karachi for a long time, personally experienced this reality. Being a scholar himself and adept at education and initiation, had never encountered anything like this before with the Gedheras. 

Ratanshibhai, who admired the Gedheras for their role model qualities and protection, realized that it led to the community lagging behind in education and conduct. As a result, he decided to write a book on community awareness. However, when the leaders of our community living in Kutch found out about his plan, they became angry. They summoned Ratanshibhai’s father, Shivjibhai, and despite the fact that the book was harmless and intended for the betterment of the community, they fined him 25 rupees and threatened him with severe consequences if he continued to write such books in the future. During his studies of a particular incident, Ratanshibhai discovered that the leaders he once believed to be advocates for the betterment of his community had become too consumed with power. Drunk with power, they abused their power to extort money from the community members in the name of welfare. This humiliating realization prompted Ratanshibhai to make a firm commitment towards promoting education and advancing the community organization. (Source: Report of a public meeting held in Mumbai by Piranapanthi Kadwa Kanbi of Kutch country, Page 23)

The community community residing in Karachi was in urgent need of reformist leaders and forums that could bring them together and lead them towards religious awareness and education. They were being exploited by the Ghederas and living like slaves, regardless of what the leaders of Kutch had to say about it. The people of the community in Karachi shared similar sentiments and were inspired by the efforts made by the reformist brothers in Ghatkopar and Kutch, who had already started Yuvak Mandals and held regular meetings. This situation proved to be the perfect wind under Ratanshibhai’s wings.

Establishment of the Karachi Yuvak Mandal

In the year 1918 AD, Ratanshi Shivjibhai Nakrani, along with his companions Bhaishree Nanji Pachanbhai Nakrani of Nakhtrana, Shri Shivaji Kanjibhai Parsia and Shri Kheta Dosabhai Pokar, founded the Shri Kutch Kadwa Patidar Jatishadharak Yuvaka Mandal in Karachi. Their aim was to bring together all the enthusiastic brothers of our community. Ratan Shibhai was appointed to a ministerial role in recognition of his merit and contribution to the organization.

In the early twentieth century, about a hundred years ago, the second-largest concentration of our community, after Kutch, was in Sindh around Karachi. Our community in that region was almost four times larger than in Mumbai. However, even the economically capable and industrial classes living in Karachi were not immune to the tyranny of Ghederas. It wasn’t just the economically weak and ignorant who were victims of these oppressors. 

The people who were financially strong and had a sound background also had to suffer the injustice served by the Ghederas. When those people traveled to their hometown, Kutch, with their women wearing jewelry and boys dressed in fine clothes, upon reaching the Mandvi port, they would take everything off due to the fear of Ghederas residing in Kutch. Ghederas of Kutch didn’t stand anyone who wore good ornaments and decent clothes. It would further oppress the people and even leave them vulnerable to the threats of outcasting them. In conclusion, both the economically disadvantaged and the self-sufficient would suffer the same fate. (Source: Report of a public meeting held in Mumbai by Piranapanthi Kadwa Kanbi of Kutch country, Page 11)

The establishment of Yuvak Mandal put a higher burden of responsibility on the office bearers of Karachi Yuvak Mandal due to the community’s resentment towards the Ghederas and expectations of new reforms from the Yuvak Mandal. Ratanshibhai and his team of educated writers initiated public awareness campaigns by printing pamphlets for religious awareness and educational literature. They also organized small and large meetings to achieve their goals. 

Upon the request of Swami Shri Revanandji, the first reformer of our society, Bhaishree Narayanjibhai Ramjibhai and Shri Ratanshibhai Khimjibhai Khetani, the minister of Ghatkopar Yuva Mandal, were invited from Mumbai to provide guidance on the norms and rules of the congregation. At that time, Narayanjibhai expressed his opinion that we could do good work with scattered activities, but our work would be more effective if we called a special Mahasabha of all our Katchi bitter Patidar brothers to discuss the interests of our community and Swadharma, and make strong resolutions with consensus. The enthusiastic youth group of Karachi accepted the responsibility of organizing the first ‘Jnani Parishad’ in Karachi itself, agreeing with Narayanjibhai’s advice.

First community Conference – Karachi

Hon’ble Rajarambhai Shamjibhai Dholo (Mankuwa) became the chairman after one and a half years of preparation. On August 8th, 1920, the first conference of Kutch Patidars was held with the presence of specially invited saints and distinguished guests, and there was great cheer. During the conference, Chief Minister Ratanshibhai Nakrani spoke about a resolution that had been passed regarding the education of children. He expressed that our current situation is pitiful, and we are responsible for it ourselves. 

In the past, we were oppressed by ignorance and selfish individuals, but now, in the era of education, the extent of oppression has become incalculable. As farmers, we work hard to grow crops, yet our families struggle to have enough food and clothing. Despite being aware of these issues, we have failed to take action. When will things change for the better? Our vision has been clouded by darkness, preventing us from seeing the good and bad. If we can lift this veil of darkness and focus on learning, prudence, and diligence, we can bring about positive change.

In modern times, ignorance and lack of education are often used as a way to conceal poverty. Due to our lack of knowledge, traders take advantage of us. If you are unable to study, focus on educating your children and building a successful business. This will help improve our current situation. (Source: Report, Page 28 of the first conference held in Karachi by the bitter Patidar community of Kutch country)

The youth organizations were being established and preparations for the first conference were underway when the support for the movement started to decline. Many brothers who had previously supported the Satpanth joined the Sanat and were ostracized by the Gedheras and Kutch leaders. This resulted in the innocent relatives of these individuals suffering. 

Despite facing oppression from the Gedheras and being forced by family members to stay with the old sect of Pirana, most people chose to adopt the rituals and manners of Sanat. This was due to the insistence of reformist brothers who refused to accept those who did not undergo body cleansing and Janoi in their congregations. As a result, public awareness began to move in the same direction along two parallel tracks, like railway tracks. 

The conference witnessed strong outcries against Pirana’s sin and the leaders’ oppression. However, the organizers, being aware of the situation, had to provide timely clarifications for these two decisions that were related to religious extremism. The objective was to maintain national unity, given that this was the first conference. There were several reasons that prevented even passionate individuals like Ratanshibhai from playing a visible role. Family pressure forced him to work behind the scenes. In the subsequent community conference held two years later, he openly acknowledged the compulsion that led to his absence from the forefront.

The first conference was a challenging test for our community, but it provided valuable experience for the youth group leaders, teaching them the importance of working together to achieve our common interests. The conference helped our community understand the value of mutual trust and harmony. Despite adverse circumstances and the fear of defection, the unity and energy demonstrated at the First Conference was unprecedented. Encouraged by this success and having learned from the mistakes of the first conference, the enthusiastic workers of Yuva Mandal took the initiative to plan another conference for our community in Karachi, just two years later. (Source: From Paul Part 1 of Pirana Satpanth)

Second community Conference – Karachi 

On October 7th, 1922, the Karachi Yuvak Mandal held another conference. This time, it was chaired by Shriman Mavjibhai Punjabbhai Jabuani, and Ratanshibhai Shivjibhai Nakarani served as the general secretary. During the conference, they discussed the poor state of the second community in front of esteemed saints and guests. The large number of people present in the assembly hall demonstrated the confidence and self-assurance that had developed in the innocent Pareva community, who had been enslaved by the Gedheras for years, since the first conference.

During the conference, General Secretary of the Parishad, Mr. Ratanshi Shivji Nakrani, presented an important historical resolution about the oppression of Gedheras. He spoke about the misguided belief of our Gedheras and leaders who consider themselves as the leaders of the community, while those who follow the path of Hindu customs are considered part of the ungodly sect of Pirana. This belief seeks to maintain control over the entire community, and those who oppose it are communityd out of the community and their families are destroyed. The community Panch’s money is being misused by inciting people like Dashond in ways that do not benefit Hinduism, without accounting for it.

Therefore, this resolution is addressed to the leaders who are named in the second number of the previous resolution that “they themselves are the leaders of the community and they should not do any work of the community commission after this day considering that they are the leaders of the community and they are the only ones who can make justice and decisions. Also such a resolution. It is done that even after knowing this resolution, if they do not stop oppressing our ignorant and gullible brothers or make extraneous decisions and are found to be corrupt, then this Parishad strongly recommends to the members of every Mandal of the community to stop it legally”

Mentioning about the oppression of the Gedheras , Ratanshibhai gave the first conference of community with the incident mentioned at the beginning of the article and said that during this conference of community, my father said that “we are still in the Naat (community) and also if you come forward and participate in the conference and register your name in the committee, they willl try to financially ruin an ordinary family like ours by harassing and troubling us more”. 

I was unfortunate enough to actively serve in the first conference, against my own feelings. Unfortunately, the leaders of that conference made my grandmother and mother stay out of the country while my father and I were still in Karachi, and they even tried to harass both of them. Later on, when we went to the country for a marriage, the Gedheras of our village advised us to go to Karamashi Gedhera of Netra to seek an explanation. During a conversation with Naftai, we were informed that to join the night, we must consider Syed as our Guru and write on the stamp page what the Gedheras says, only if we believe in the Pirana religion. However, my father was vehemently against this and refused to convince the Syed. He also declared that he and his children would not make the Syed their Guru. He further stated that we would no longer stay outside. These incidents deepened my resentment towards the Gedheras and leaders, and I developed a strong urge to liberate the community from their oppressive practices.

After Ratanshi Shivji made a resolution about the oppression of Gedhera, Mr. Ratanshibhai Khimjibhai Khetani, the Minister of Ghatkopar Youth Mandal, stood up to approve it. Then, the names and crimes of each member of the Gedhera community were described with incidents. It is believed that the emotions and courage of everyone present in the assembly room were deeply affected by this account.

During the second conference held in Karachi by the bitter Patidar community of Kutch, the resolution passed against the Gedheras and the elders of Kutch was met with great enthusiasm. The members of Karachi and Ghatkopar were eager to express their support, and their passion was so intense that it ignited like a flame, causing the cries of shame and shame to echo all around. Speakers who had been suppressing their urge to speak out for years finally had the opportunity to express their opinions in support of the resolution. This conference instilled a ray of confidence and hope in the minds of the oppressed common man of our generation.

Launch of Patidar Uday Monthly – Ranchhod Line, Karachi

After the success of the second conference, the leaders of Kutch made attempts to disrupt Ratanshibhai’s efforts by dividing his son’s kinship in Nagviri. However, Ratanshibhai was undeterred and continued his work with even more determination. The first issue of Kutch Kadwa Patidar Samaj’s newsletter was printed in Karachi in July 1924 AD, aimed at appealing to the Ghedras. In the newsletter, Ratanshibhai explained that some foolish and selfish people had misled the society for a long time, and it was necessary to comprehend the true Hinduism from the Pirana sect of the Muslim religion to save ourselves from this. 

In addition to this, it is crucial for you to follow a path of just policies, even if it goes against outdated customs that have caused societal decline. There was no way to achieve such significant reform in our society before, and every member of the reforming community felt its absence for a long time. However, as such flaws can only be eliminated when circumstances are favorable, the work has not yet been done. 

A circular named ‘Patidar Uday’ was created to help overcome a deficit in our community. It received financial and other support from Mangawanala Khimjibhai Shivjibhai and Nakhtranawala Khetabhai Dosabhai Pokar. Mr. Narayan Ramjibhai, a community reformer, spoke about the importance of Patidar Udaya and how it will benefit the Kutch Kadwa Patidar community in the future. Bhaishri Ratanshi Shivji started this paper so that our community brothers and sisters living in different places could understand the truth and be freed from oppression. Bhaishree Ratanshi has filled this need multiple times and is truly deserving of praise for his hard work and dedication towards implementing the concept of community service at the cost of his body, mind, and money.

This monthly magazine features the thoughts and opinions of the reforming brothers in our community, updates on congregational orders, information on conferences and meetings, reports from saints and speakers on socially relevant topics such as education, public awareness, ignorance, idolatry, rituals, child marriage, health, and healing. It also publishes information on business and trade, as well as spoken poetry. The pamphlets were distributed to the communities by Har Post, as there were no devices such as televisions or telephones at that time. Ratanshibhai’s pamphlet proved to be an effective means of communication for the community.

‘Patidar Uday’ of Ratanshibhai deserves credit for disseminating information about the third conference and the resolutions passed during the event to our entire community community. Unfortunately, the self-proclaimed religious leaders of the Muslim Pirana sect were enraged by Patidar Uday’s articles promoting reformist religious awareness. They attempted to harass him at the court office, but their efforts were in vain as Patidar Uday emerged victorious.

The third conference of our community was held in Ghatkopar in 1924, thanks to Ratanshibhai who informed the entire community community through Patidar Udaya. Ratanshibhai, a core member of the subject committee of the conference, participated with other brothers from Karachi and pledged to remove the stigma of the Pirana sect from our community forever. In today’s conference, the learned brothers and pundits shared a heartbreaking story that deeply touched my heart. I assure this assembly that I will soon call my family members who are currently in the country and perform penance to atone for the wrongdoing of our family.

After attending the third conference, where important resolutions and approvals were discussed, he returned to Karachi with his friends from the congregation. Laljibhai Somjibhai Nakrani, who was like a brother to him, accompanied him through both happiness and sorrow. They, along with other friends from the co-family congregation, participated in a body cleansing ceremony in the month of Vaishakh in the presence of Brahmins. This information was published in the monthly issue of ‘Patidar Uday’.

The Karachi congregation, which organized the initial conferences on community and raised public awareness, has gained significant attention. However, the congregation has experienced a series of unfortunate events, which left even the enthusiastic young members like Ratanshibhai and Shivjibhai in the dark. Bhaishree Kheta Dosa, one of the founding pillars of the Karachi Yuvak Mandal, passed away after the second conference, followed by Bhaishree Nanji Pachan after the third conference. 

The loss of close support had a profound impact on the congregation and its two passionate ministers. Another upsetting incident occurred, which shattered the sense of brotherhood among the slow-moving congregation. Ratanshibhai and other friends made an effort to revive the congregation, which had been struggling for five years. The arrival of Bhai Shri Narayanjibhai, the first reformer, brought peace to some disillusioned members of the congregation. They began to work towards reform under the banner of the Sri Kutch Kadwa Patidar community Reform Society with renewed enthusiasm and zeal.

Start of Night School – Karachi 

The law of spreading knowledge has been formulated in our community communities for many years, but none of the community bodies have implemented it properly yet. Amey Ratanshibhai was passionate about education and training. Unfortunately, there were very few people with equal education in our communities. Ratanshibhai knew that the lack of education and ignorance was the root cause of our community’s downfall. He believed that if the community wants to truly progress, they need to emphasize more on community literacy. However, during that time, his congregation was not in a condition to incur any expenses such as school fees. 

During that time, the majority of our community was in a weak condition. A group of enthusiastic Karachi youths, who had a desire to serve the community, caught the attention of Nath’s brother, Mr. Laljibhai Pethabhai. In October 1938 AD, Mr. Laljibhai expressed his willingness to serve as a paid teacher without any remuneration. This led to the establishment of a night school, which can be considered as the first of its kind for our community, thanks to this group of enthusiastic youth from Karachi. The school provided an opportunity for not only children but also employed members of our community to learn during the night. As the number of students gradually increased, a nominal fee of four annas was charged for the services provided, which were initially free. 

To avoid reducing attendance during cold weather and to ensure that studies were not disrupted, the congregation organized clothes for students and shawls for teachers. Funds were collected from donors to make this possible. With the increasing number of students, an additional teacher was required. Shri Narayanji Pethabhai, younger brother of Bhaishree Laljibhai, offered to contribute as a teacher, allowing for more classes to be held. At the annual meeting, students who passed their exams were given a book of the next standard and a parcel of fruit, while teachers were given gifts such as a wristwatch or traditional clothing. One revered guest, Dr. Popatlal,  having run a few night schools himself, expressed his surprise at the school’s ability to educate students at such a low cost. Bhaishree Ratanshi Shivji, who read the school’s accounts in the presence of Popatlal, thanked the school administrators for their hard work.

In a report from the night school, Ratanshibhai expressed helplessness as he observed that members of our community were wasting their money on charity while forgetting our eternal religion. Compared to other cultivated communities, our community has spent a lot of money on the luxuries of other communities. As the saying goes, “Ghar na chokra o ghanti chaate ne upadhyay ne aato.” (Source: Night School Report of Kutch Kadwa Patidar community Reformed Youth Society)

Today, a talented young brother who serves as the General Minister of the largest congregation in our community, and who has been at the forefront of various reform initiatives aimed at uplifting the rank and ignorant communities living around Karachi, has earned a well-deserved place in our community history book. The article, which draws upon sources from the Real Patidar Library, provides a complimentary account of his contributions. We are grateful to the entire team for their assistance. Here’s the link to the Real Patidar Library: www.realpatidar.com/library.