DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4646#0088
88
lie was a nobleman and a Syud, is quite insufficient to account for the
fact, which is patent in the books of the Jamats which I am now read-
ing from, that for many years the Khojas were in the habit of sending
a Jholce (purse or bag) by Rais, or envoys, to the Pir Salamut at the
" Durkhana ;" which custom is proved to have been established for
some time by the fact that in the letter he claims his " usual" clues.
In the book for 1826, there is an account of certain goods sent to the
Atra. and the Jamat is here called the " Janiat of the Pir Sahib".
Then in the cash book for 1831, there is an account opened in the
name of Sha Hussein Ali (Aga Khan). From 1 S31 there is an in-
terval in the accounts with the Aga, of about four years. In one
book there is an entry, relating to Es. 48 overpaid to the Aga,
and at all events that shows that the Jamat were free agents and ex-
ercised the right of examining and correcting the accounts with their
Pir. There are many other entries similar to those I have already
read, but I do not know whether the Court requires me to go into
them?
The Judge : Do I understand you to say thatfrom this time, until
recently, no entries appear of the transactions between the Bombay
Khojas and the Aga.
Mr. Howard : Yes my Lord, there are no entries from 1835 or
183G until a comparatively recent period, but large sums were still
sent to the Durkhana : the money was paid as a cess. The cash was
handed over by the Jamat to the agents of the Aga, (Mr. Howard
then read some more items in the account).
The Judge : In the face of all this evidence, it appears very diffi-
cult to contend that no payments lfcive been made to the Aga as the
religious Pir of the Khojas.
Mr. Howard : Undoubtedly my Lord, I cannot see how my
learned friends can get out of their difficulty.
The Judge : Who are these Momens spoken of 1
Mr. Howard : They are a sect of Guzerati Hindoos partially con-
verted to Islam.
The Judge ; Who, and what are they 1
Mr. Howard : They are a humble community of shoemakers;
or cobblers, not Khojas, but adherents of Aga Khan.
The Judge : Is theirs an hereditary trade ?
Mr. Howard : Yes my Lord, and you will remember these people
lie was a nobleman and a Syud, is quite insufficient to account for the
fact, which is patent in the books of the Jamats which I am now read-
ing from, that for many years the Khojas were in the habit of sending
a Jholce (purse or bag) by Rais, or envoys, to the Pir Salamut at the
" Durkhana ;" which custom is proved to have been established for
some time by the fact that in the letter he claims his " usual" clues.
In the book for 1826, there is an account of certain goods sent to the
Atra. and the Jamat is here called the " Janiat of the Pir Sahib".
Then in the cash book for 1831, there is an account opened in the
name of Sha Hussein Ali (Aga Khan). From 1 S31 there is an in-
terval in the accounts with the Aga, of about four years. In one
book there is an entry, relating to Es. 48 overpaid to the Aga,
and at all events that shows that the Jamat were free agents and ex-
ercised the right of examining and correcting the accounts with their
Pir. There are many other entries similar to those I have already
read, but I do not know whether the Court requires me to go into
them?
The Judge : Do I understand you to say thatfrom this time, until
recently, no entries appear of the transactions between the Bombay
Khojas and the Aga.
Mr. Howard : Yes my Lord, there are no entries from 1835 or
183G until a comparatively recent period, but large sums were still
sent to the Durkhana : the money was paid as a cess. The cash was
handed over by the Jamat to the agents of the Aga, (Mr. Howard
then read some more items in the account).
The Judge : In the face of all this evidence, it appears very diffi-
cult to contend that no payments lfcive been made to the Aga as the
religious Pir of the Khojas.
Mr. Howard : Undoubtedly my Lord, I cannot see how my
learned friends can get out of their difficulty.
The Judge : Who are these Momens spoken of 1
Mr. Howard : They are a sect of Guzerati Hindoos partially con-
verted to Islam.
The Judge ; Who, and what are they 1
Mr. Howard : They are a humble community of shoemakers;
or cobblers, not Khojas, but adherents of Aga Khan.
The Judge : Is theirs an hereditary trade ?
Mr. Howard : Yes my Lord, and you will remember these people