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FROM EMIGRATION TO IMMIGRATION

24^th December 1961 on ward

Taza khwahi dashton gar dagh hayae sina ra

Gahae gahae baz khwan ein qissaa-e parinah ra

If you want to keep fresh the wounds of your chest, you read old events now and then

 

After getting independent people from commonwealth countries were emigrating from their respective countries to United Kingdom in search of their livelihood. Their aim was to earn good money and go back to their respective countries. But that was not happened; instead we called our families and settled in this country. Who knew by this way Islam will spread in Europe? The very first hansoti to England was Brother Mustafa Dadabhai who came in 1952/53 with other fellows from Surat District. Living with them for long time he used to speak in Gujarati even with our fellows from Hansot. When I first met him he was conversing with me in Gujarati and later on when he realised he said sorry this is because of his other Room Partners his talk has been changed...

 

The immigration law came in to force from June 1962, before that people were allowed to enter in U.K without any problems. On arrival at the Airport supervisors from Factories of Lancashire, Yorkshire or Midland were waiting for recruiting them as a cheap labour for their factories. Also people who were arriving by Ship at Liverpool they were heading towards Preston, Blackburn, Bradford, Dewsbury, Batley or Birmingham. Most of them were working in Nylon and Cotton/Wool factories.

 

On my arrival I got straight away my job with Habib Bank Ltd. 6 Grace Church Street London EC3 from 27^th December 1961 at the weekly wages of £10.00. After deduction I was getting £9.00. Out of this I have to pay Rent, Transport and Food Still I used to save about £5.00 per month for sending to my father in Dungra. Masha’Allah oos kamaee mae Barkat thi. We used to cook ourselves. We were buying Indian Grocery from Hassle Street London E1 and Meat from a Bengali Shop at Euston Square. For making chapatti we were using a Milk Bottle in place of Belon and making chapattis in whole sale for three people. One was expert in making curry, one was making chapatti and I was washing dishes. A wonderful time and we enjoy our week end by visiting in Sunday Market, Where I met Usman Ghani Memon he was selling Brassware and then he provided the address of Bilal Memon, Rashid Madari and C.K.Qazi our Head Master of Anglo Urdu. At week end we used to go Scala Theatre for Indian Movie.

                                            

First Indian Movie we saw was Chote Nawab of Mahmud. Here I met one of my friends Wazir who was with me at Hussein Textile Mills Karachi and he was living in Khudadad Colony exactly opposite of Dr.Usman Surgery. There was only Black and White TV available with two channels BBC and ITV. On Saturday we always watch Wrestling of Jacky Palo and McManus and Rodger Moor episodes. To hear programme of Binaca Geet Mala from Radio Ceylon we bought a Radio with short wave bands. That Philip Radio from 1962 is still with me. Which I was using for listening Cricket commentry.It is so powerful that some time I used to take it in the Bank keeping in a separate room where other colleague come and listen. Even the General Manager was very fond of cricket. In Habib Bank H.R.Pirbhai put red light on and watch cricket on TV,

 

In Feb/March 1962 it was very cold night and I was coming from Golders Green Tube Station after visiting my friend Wazir. I was hardly in UK for 2/3 months and I did not know much about the live current on Railway Track. It is an open station and I was on wrong platform. I tried to cross the line to go on opposite platform and as soon as put my foot down on live track I fall down. Luckily I had a thick overcoat which saved me from the live current and I jumped on other side of platform it was 10PM. No body was at the station and if something happened to me there was no body to know my whereabouts. I was shocked and trembling in a snowing cold night. Thanks to Allah for saving my life .Ameen

 

In those days very few Asian were living and most of them where at Bayswater, Queensway or Golders Green. I moved from Camden Town to 730 Holloway Road, Archway N19,then to 67 Cambridge Garden Ladbroke Grove London E10, then to 41 Coleridge Avenue East Ham London E12. Then my job as a Manager of Habib Bank transferred to Birmingham, Bradford, and Manchester and for expansion of business I had to travel to Midland, Lancashire and Yorkshire. My first car was maroon colour Mini 1000cc Registration No. DOE .519 C. I passed my driving Test on 7^th April 1967.

 

Our people were not used to the cold climate and food and had a hard time in getting accommodation as well. The most difficult was to communicate in English and to understand their Cockney accent. One single bed was occupied by two persons sharing for their day and night shift work. There was no TV no Central Heating but a Gas Heater with a penny meter. Poor people were so much occupied with their work and Room and had no knowledge of Geography of England. Once a Prem Bhai Patel from Navsari was telling that a person from England went to India who had not seen any other parts except the Airport. Some body asked him “How is Piccadilly Circus “He replied when he was in London it was travelling to Paris. Even still people in India ask how far London from England is?. Like how far sanfrancisco is from Los Angels...

 

In factories a person who knew English was the spoke person for all others and if some body was absent he conveyed the message through him to tell the supervisor “If well t-o come to morrow varna more morrow” (if he is well he will come to morrow otherwise he will come day after to morrow). Even the educated people were unable to speak or understand the accent, because the English is not their mother tongue.

 

How lucky our youngsters are while living in this country over three decades they can communicate better then us. They are our assets (May Allah bless them all and guide them to straight path Ameen). Even their polished and high fly English is some times beyond our understanding, and it is obvious, no matter how we try to make them understand the way of explaining, they feel we are shouting.

 

Here I will give you a true example. Once a person named Adam Patel was in court for some reason. The judge was speaking to lawyers. Adam wanted to explain his point to the court that if judge cut short his talking then he will explain the truth. But poor Adam told the judge “you shut up me speak “(tu apni bat bund kare to me kuch bolu) the judge was so much annoyed and dismissed the case. On seeing this Adam’s solicitor told him in Urdu oh Adam tu kiyon dunya main aaya, jannat main hi raha hota to kitna achcha hota...

 

Period of early sixties were very cheap. We were earning £10.00 per week. After paying our travelling fares, Rents, Foods we were still manage to save £2/3, which we used to remit to our families back at home. At that time the official rate was Rs.13.00 and by hundi it was Rs, 17/18. One way Airfare was Rs.1200.00 from Karachi to London. It was difficult to get passport in those days. Even people from East Punjab mostly Sikh used to come via Karachi. In 1959/60 if you deposit Rs 2500.00 you will get your international passport very easily. The agents were earning good commission for obtaining passports for them. They write their birth place Chittagong or Dacca (East Pakistan)  In life they had never been to those places Any way they were getting their travel documents and passport office was getting a deposit of Rs.2,500.00 refundable with in 3 or 5 years time. God knows better what happened to that money. I managed to obtain my passport in Rs.200 paid to a person working in Passport office and used to come to Habib Bank for Foreign Exchange purposes. One of my Agha Khani friends had an Oil Shop on Lawrence Road, who provided me a sponsorship letter to be produced to Passport office. In this way I got my Passport. I booked the Air Ticket by SAS Airline and arrived at London Airport on 23^rd December 1961.It was terrible cold and was snowing. I had £5, 00 with me. I came to Central London by coach and then by Taxi to 55 Princess Road, Camden Town, where Ismail Munshi and Moosa Patel had rented a Room. Prem Bhai opened the door for me as Munshi and Patel was not in the Room. Prem Bhai offered me Daal and Roti which I had eaten with pleasure as I was hungry due to long journey. Room was very cold and went to sleep on an empty bed. Godra odh kar so gaya. Sali thandi aitni thi kae soch mae parh gaya tha kae k’han chala aaya..

 

I was visiting Dungra in December 1960 where I met Abdul Rashid Patel who came to see his Khala and to meet his mamoo Abdul Hamid (Mawaj) who was also visiting from Karachi. Abdul Rashid Patel then said he was also planning to immigrate to UK and he arrived by ship on 4^th April 1961. Mustafa Dadabhai came to receive him at St.Pancras Railway Station and gave him some guidance for new jobs as usual in Gujarati instead of our Hansoti Zuban. He shifted to Gloucester. Mohammad Malek and other Boys came from Hansot.latter on.

 

Our first aim was to earn money and go back to our country but that was not happened. We all had called our families and established ourselves in local environment. Yusuf Fazal, Nazir Dudhwala, Abdul Khaliq Digaswala, and Siddiq Ibrahim all these brothers were trading as shopkeepers others were in Banks or in other services. Mashallah our families are grown up and are now settled down permanently as citizens of UK.

I remember those seniors’ names that passed away and had given their best support to our community’s welfare and we are missing especially whose names are marked in Green. Those brothers are:

(1) Abdul Majid Chandarwa (2) Abdul Majid who used to live in Chingford (3) Abdul Samad Hamdu (4) Abdul Khaliq Digaswala (5) Nazir Dudhwala (6) Moyuddin Ismail Dudhwala (6) Iqbal Peria (7) Nizamuddin Gulam Ali.(8) Mustafa Dadabhai (9) Mohammad Ali Malek

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon

May Allah have mercy on their soul, forgive them and reward them with Jannah, Ameen

You can remember them and only that they gone or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

 

YOU CAN SHED TEARS THAT THEY HAVE GONE

OR YOU CAN SMILE BECAUSE THEY HAVE LIVED

 

YOU CAN CLOSE YOUR EYES AND PRAY THAT THEY’LL COME BACK

OR YOU CAN OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE ALL THEY HAVE LEFT.

 

YOUR HEART CAN BE EMPTY BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THEM

OR YOU CAN BE FULL OF THE LOVE YOU SHARED.

 

YOU CAN TURN YOUR BACK ON TO MORROW AND LIVE YESTERDAY

OR BE HAPPY FOR TO MORROW BECAUSE OF YESTERDAY.

 

YOU CAN REMEMBER THEM AND ONLY THAT THEY HAVE GONE

OR YOU CAN CHERISH THEIR MEMORY AND LET IT LIVE ON.

 

YOU CAN CRY AND CLOSE YOU’RE MIND, BE EMPTY AND TURN YOUR BACK OR YOU CAN DO WHAT THEY HAD WANTED: SMILE, OPEN YOUR EYES, LOVE AND GO ON.

 

 In those days there were about seven mosques in UK. For us it was a great problem. Any how we manage to go to East London Mosque on Commercial Road, on every Friday by Bus at our Lunch time. The first mosques in UK were created in converted factories and cinemas. Many Mosques are highly decorated and contained beautiful calligraphy. According to Times on Line there are thousands of Churches face closures in ten years. First Mosque at the end of 19^th Century, but in 1961 it was just 7 Mosques, 3 Sikh Gurudawara and one Temple. In 1990 there were only 400 Mosques. In Brick Lane a Methodist Chapel in 1819, it becomes Synagogue at the end of 19^th Century and Mosques in 1976. Over the last 15 years the total Mosques listed were reached to 1689 and many small Masjid and Madressa are not yet listed. Now Masha’Allah Mosques are full with devotees and some time you won’t get place for your children in Madressa as most of them are full with children up to 100 to 300 according to the area.

 

Since I had my three by-pass surgery on 13.6.1990 I had left my Banking Job from May 1990. After that I had my spinal cord surgery on 28.4.1994 and having haemorrhage in right eye And Arthritis.

Eik dard ho to ooska madavwah bhi ho- Dard-e dil, Dard-e Jigar aur Dard-e Kamar tinon hain My doctor always refer to me hello Mr wounded soldier but Masha’Allah still you are going strong.

Faqat eik dil tha voh bhi lay gayae chahnaewalae

Raha na koi bhi jahan mae koi dost aisa

Na ro dil! Gar piyar mae manzil na milae

Hum khud piyar ko manzil bana kar hans langae

 

 

People, in India, are still thinking of going abroad as it is very difficult for them to earn good money. People who are earning about Rs.10, 000.00 in India and having their own home my suggestion to them to better stay in India with their families as the condition in other countries are not that rosy. If you are holding very good education and you think you will earn good amount after your all the expenses then you can try to proceed further.  Other people are trying their luck on marriages ground or on Student’s visa or on two years of working visa. The Agents in India are expert in this line and on charging their necessary fees people do get their two years of working visa.

 

Most of the Boys are now going to South Africa and working there and managing others shops are risking their lives.

Indians and Pakistanis are soft targets for local Black Negros.Our people living together at one place and these Blacks always looking soft targets.

Gun dikha kar loot kar chale jatain hain. One of my friend’s mobile shops in Durban had been looted recently. Agar maira kam Pan bana kar bechna hay to dusra apna Bhai pas aa kar thela laga dega, Mostly people are found in Chatsworth area of Durban or Blue Lagoon. This place is just like Chopati or Juhu of Mumbai.

There is no doubt as a country South Africa is very beautiful country. I had travel 5000 miles by Road from Durban via Garden Route to East London, Port Elizabeth Umtata to Cape Town then took other route via Bloemfontein and stayed at Kimberly then to Johannesburg, Pretoria to Sun City. From there we went to Gabron in Botswana where I met to my colleague in BCCI Bank and other Industrialists.

 

In Johannesburg I met with Jada brothers of Lajpur who were in Hansot Boarding House and the famous Mia’s Farm. Ishaq Mian came to receive us at Johannesburg Airport, One Mr Hassan Moosa was very helpful who took us every places. The advantage was that he was working as a Manager of Holiday Inn and also at Sun International Hotel. We had a complementary voucher to stay there. While we were at Petrol Station at Zeerust I went to buy some drink at the shop. One Indian was serving at the shop his name was Randeri. I said I know Fatima Randeri in Lanasia Johannesburg and we were staying at her place. He told me she is my mother what a co incident. One thing I had noted that the people were very friendly and always ready to invite you and entertain you. But it is better to stay far away from them and never give them your address otherwise your house will be full of guests in holidays. I am still having problems with the people whom I don’t know. They say we just want a shelter to pass a night and whole day we won’t bother you

 

After a gap of a year I am proceeding on latest (21.2.2007) news that many boys from Hansot Taluka are now settled in South Africa and still people are looking ways to get out of India. The locals by working as a slave in Asian’s houses they know the house situation well and they are involved in robbery and some time killing to their Land Lords. If you are going in a nice car, you will be stopped, throw you out and they will run away in your car. Recently a Maulana of 45 years of age from Stamford Hill London N16 married man with nine kids was killed in Car accident by a African Driver killing a pregnant lady as well. The driver ran away without a trace. Few passengers were rescued by Helicopter.

 

However it has been observed that the Asians were also responsible for their treatments with the locals and we should not call them as a black but call them as Africans. African is a proper word to be used. Poor people have long been suffered because of their color and now they got a chance and all credit goes to Nelson Mandela.

 

The Asians shop keepers as it has been said were not honest in their trading business as well.

 

Our people who has gone their recently for their livelihood should try to adjust themselves with friendly and in respectable way as per our Islamic Tradition and give good impression with every body and I am sure Insha'Allah they will get success.

 

Be honest and respectful. If you give respect you will get respect after all we are all human beings descended from Adam (AS)

 

 

The early part of my life I spent very poorly in India and I had a through knowledge of what poverty is.

Dard-e dil ke vastay paida kiya insane ko

Varna ita-at ke liye kuch kam na they karro bayan

 

 Therefore to bear in mind those less fortunate days we had established a Charitable Organisation by the name of Zaynab Charitable Trust in memory of my mother Zaynab Bibi.To make it strong we have established a charitable organisation in London by the name of Al Safa Trust.in memory of my grant daughter and a daughter of my son Mohammad Irfaan who died on 25.4.2004..To run this charitable trust our children have supported very much by providing computer service specially by my grand daughters. Allah SWT blesses them all with His bounties Ameen.

 

In western atmosphere it is observed that every young and old are busy in their day to day daily routine. In this hustle bustle I took myself away to compile my nazams and gazals written over the years and with the help of my friend Sharafuddin Patel, who is also a poet with title Sharaf, I have forwarded my complete file to Masood son in law of Kader Mama who then passed on this complete file to Naseema Rafiq daughter of Kader Mama and now the printer Sadiq Malek son of Abdullah Kothiwala is busy in printing this Book with the title KAINAT TERE HAZAR HAIN RUNG. This will be ready any time.

 

With the Grace of Allah (SWT) we have three son and six grand daughters and three grand son and Alhamdolillah they are happy and content with all blessings of Allah SWT.

 

Du’aa’

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from anxiety and grief, I seek refuge in You from incapacity and laziness; and I seek refuge in You from overcoming of debts and over power of people

 

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from poverty except to You, from humiliation except for You, and from fear except from You

 

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from false testimony, or committing immorality, or provoking You; and I seek refuge in You from malice of the enemies, and from enigmatic disease, and from the despair of hope.

 

O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the wicked people, from the worries of the livelihood, and from the ill-nature.

 

O Allah! You are the Mercy of the mercies, and You are the Lord of the universe.

Bandae ki duaa hae kae Allahtaala eisae qabool farmaen aur maqbooliyat naseeb farmayain. Vaakhir daawana analhamdolillahi rabbual-aalaimeen

Ya Allah

Allahumma Ameen

Valvalah khidmat ka jis kae dil mae ho oos kae liyae Yeh Moamma hi koee hae aur na Mazmoon adaq

Dae Khuda taufiq to kafi yahi hae eik baat

Shoq-e khidmat hae to lae tarikh-e mazi sae sabaq

 

 Bas’ad khulus va aqeedat minjanib

Abdus Samad Shaikh

 

Now the Hansot Ancestry has been written and every body has enjoyed reading the Guzra Zamana. During the last 60 years we have witnessed immigration of Hansoties to foreign countries in search of settlement and for their livelihood. First immigration began in 1947 after partition of India and majority of Hansoties had made their Watan after leaving their Madar-e Watan. Since 1960 the trend of immigration increased to Middle East for finding their jobs in Financial Sector especially on opening of Pakistani Banks in UAE. As per the details of Hansoties available on Hansoti Directory, their numbers in different countries are 1700 settled down with their families. Figures are as under:

Pakistan 1,146, Middle East 135, UK & Europe 104, USA 183, Canada 102, other overseas countries 30 Total 1700. If you take an average of 5 people per household it comes to say 6000 and may be many more as there are many whose names and addresses are still not in the list of Directory.

Perhaps somebody from individual country can write brief history of our community from Emigration to Immigration, from Guzra Zamana to Present Zamana

Allah Hafiz 

 

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