Shree Vanza Gnati Mandal

Since some of our ancestors landed in East Africa as in 1920’s, the Vanzas were on move between Tanganyika, Zanzibar, Mozambique and Comoro Islands. On 28th May 1942, Late Keshavji Ramji Borkhataria and Late Naranji Trikamji Tank took the initiative to call a meeting of the entire Vanzas of Dar es salaam at late Harji Karsan Solanki’s shop and formed Shree Vanza Gnati Mandal. In the year 1945, the committee decided to have a building for the mandal and looked for a freehold plot in the vicinity of the Hindu temples on Kisutu Street. For the ownership of the plot, the mandal and the trustees were registered with the registrar of societies.

The Yuvak decided to publish a quarterly magazine through which all the community members would be informed about the activities and all other social events related to the mandal. The main committee gave their blessings. Yuvak gave their free time for collection of donations and dispatching the circulars of the meetings of the mandal by going from shop to shop on Sundays. But in the year 1948, the Yuvak protested to carry out such activities. The building committee’ decided to buy the plot from the Chavda family in 1952. The formalities for procurement of the plot from the administration general were finalized. Transfer registrations of the plot in the name of Shree Vanza Gnati Mandal with the title deed were received on 27th July 1953. Late Velji Valji Chohan volunteered for the design of the building. The foundation stone for the building was laid by Keshavji Daya Jethwa of Madagascar on 19th August, 1956. The Opening Ceremony of the building was performed by Shrimati Liruben Harji Solanki, grandmother of Mohanlal Virji Solanki on 2nd May, 1957. In early 1968, it

was decided by the Mandal to host the Parisad of Vanzas of East Africa in Dar es Salaam. A few sub committees were formed for the implementation of the Parisad. The Parisad was held on 4th April, 1969 and the Chairman of the Mandal, Shree Mohanlal Virji Solanki welcomed the delegation from various centers. A Prayer Hall and a small Temple of Shree Hingraj Mata and Guru Gopallal were built on top of the existing Building in 1974. The Pranprathistha of Higraj Mata and Guru Gopallal were performed on 13th September 1975. The present Shed in steel structure and corrugated galvanized Iron sheets in the back yard was constructed in 1983. The latest structure of Kitchen Complex was built in 1994.

Special thanks and appreciation to the following Vanza Gnati Team for creating a beautiful beginning: -

Naranji Trikamji Tank, Savji Ramji Borkhataria, Tulsidas Karsan Parmar, Savji Hirji Dodia, Visram Kanji Sonigra, Keshavji Ramji Borkhataria, Valji Sunderji Chohan¸Harji Karsan Solanki, Nanji Khimji Parmar, Maganlal Lalji Borkhataria, Bachubhai D. Rathod, Mohanlal Virji Solanki¸ Purshottam Ramji Jethwa, Ramji Valji Chohan, Morarji Karsan Parmar, Parmanand Ramji Bhadreswara, Vanravan Maganlal Borkhataria, Jeram Mulji Chavda, Velji Valji Chohan, Anand Kara Solanki, Valji Trikamji Tank.