Melinda, the leader of the Brahmakumari, Jakarta branch, was seeking some old photographs from Hyderabad Sindh. Alongside is one of the photographs I shared with her, clicked during the 40s.
See me as a child and my goodlooking wonderful parents!

I shall be updating 1940s photographs that I own from time to time...
Do save the link and keep visiting:

http://s220.photobucket.com/albums/dd169/shacune/HyderabadSindh40s/



Melinda and myself at my residence during her visit.




I met Melinda whose name now is Mala, a short for Vijayantimala, through the Internet...She is a Brahmakumari, and belongs to a Spiritual Organization, which has spread world wide but whose founder was a Sindhi gentleman who belonged to the Sindhi Bhaibund community that I belong to. The Brahmakumari organization was initially called Om Mandli.

My family and I, all hail from Hyderabad Sindh which now is in Pakistan.
But at that time it was Undivided India.
The Spiritual Founder of the Brahmakumaris,is now known as Brahma Baba but I have always, since I was a child heard him being addressed as Dada Lekhraj.
Melinda was drawn into my life through the Origin of Sindhi Surnames which is up on my website: www.dalsabzi.com

Some interesting points that we discovered:

Dada Lekhraj had worked in Calcutta before he returned to Hyderabad Sindh and started his jewellery business...

Sadguru Sadan, right opposite the Babulnath Temple in Bombay was originally called Gangaram Building.
My Masi used to live there so I would visit often as a young girl...I was surprised to learn that Dada Lekhraj, Brahma Baba had a vision on the 5th floor of the building...

I am going to let Mala tell you what she is seeking through the note that she wrote to me:


Dear Shakun,

Om shanti and greetings from Jakarta.
I just wanted to thank you for all the time and attention you gave when I was there in Bombay. The discussions that I had with you and your husband gave me a good background. Thank you also for introducing or rather reintroducing Kamla Assoomull to me. She is a great story-teller and I thoroughly enjoyed the meeting. The whole visit was a series of coincidences that were all linked together. Meeting the family of the former owners of Tarachand Parsram and Sons of Calcutta was completely unexpected as was meeting someone that I met 26 years ago in Bombay in connection with the same purpose!
Thanks of course to you for your persistance and interest.


In the context of seeking further information regarding the origins of Om Mandli for the purposes of producing a film I would like to hear from anyone who can tell me more information about the founder Dada Lekhraj Khubchand Kripalani and his jewelry business in Calcutta which was called Lakhiraj Shewakram and Sons, in Hogg Market, otherwise known as New Market. This business was in operation during the 1920s and 30s. The building where the store was still exists and I have seen photographs of the store. I am less interested in what happened in Hyderabad Sindh and Karachi as I am well aware of that, but am more interested in his business and his clients. Prior to opening his own business he worked for Tarachand Parsram and Sons also in Calcutta. I am also interested in making contact with anyone who has old photographs (pre-partition) of Hyderabad Sindh in particular the buildings, streets and public places, modes of transportation and style of dress. I can be contacted at vijayantimala@gmail.com

Would you direct any Sindhi who could help on to this link?
Thanks,
Shakun