KOCHI: Sumati Bai D B Khona, 87, remembers how the Azadi Beej, the New Year of the Kutchi Dasa Oswal community, was a more livelier affair in Kochi in the 1940s and 50s.
“Celebrations continued for many days. The women were also actively involved. We used to plait shawls on a pillar to usher in the New Year. Everyone, from the youngest to the eldest used to participate in the procession, which began from Mattanchery and moved on across Gujarati street,” says Sumati who is one of the eldest members of the community in Kochi.
Now, there are no more processions. “Of course, times have changed and people in our community have dwindled. But, we still have our annual celebrations at our Jain temple in Mattanchery,” said Dilip Khona, Sumati’s son.
Incidentally, Sumati and her husband Babu Seth came to Kochi when she was only 14 years old. Today, she has welcomed her fifth generation at their sprawling family home in Mattanchery.
The migration
Kishore Shamji Kuruwa, who is the president of the community, which has over 130 families, says the Kutch-Malayali connection began a long time ago. “We had initially moved out of Kutch to escape the drought that had hit our villages.”
The Oswals, who were originally from Rajasthan, then moved to Mumbai. They entered the shipping, transport and cotton businesses. A connecting ship to Kozhikode brought the Oswals further south, to the Malabar coast.
Though the community began trading in coir and coconut initially, they shifted to spices, the most viable business in those times.“We take pride in the fact that we have always been good in business and accounts. It was this factor that took us to the top echelons of trade in Kerala, especially Kochi,” said Kishore, the director of Kishore Spices in Mattanchery.
Kishore says that the Malayalees always had a welcoming attitude. “They have made us comfortable over the years. You will be surprised to know there are a lot of Malayalees who have migrated to Kutch in the past few years,” he said. He gives an example. “Last time I visited Kutch, I went to repair a punctured tyre. The person, who was a Malayali, was very glad to know I was from Kerala,” he said.
Following Jainism
The Kutchi Dasa Oswal community, unlike the Kutchi Memons who migrated to Kerala at the same time, are Jains. They hold their annual celebrations at the Swethambar Moorthy Poojak Jainsangh temple located on Gujarati Road in Mattanchery.
“Every new year day, the community members remember Seth Narshi Natha. He was a philanthropist who helped the migrants,” said Manish, another member of the community.
For Azadi Beej, the community prepares the sumptous vegetable Oondiya which is eaten along with poori on khanja vessels. Sweets such as seera and lapsi are also prepared and served.