Cutchi Memon Digest
Kerala
ﮐﮁﻲ ﻤﻴﻤﻦ ﮢ ﺍﯿﺠﺴﭧ - ﮐﻴﺮﻻ
The origins of Cutchi Memons of Mysore City are not entirely known. It is believed that a century or so ago some Cutchi Memon families migrated to Mysore city from Bangalore, and started involving themselves in business and agriculture. They cultivated paddy fields, which they acquired on lease. There were twelve families initially; five more followed from Bangalore, Nilgiris, Cochin and Bombay. Division among these families has resulted in forty sub-families. Most Cutchi Memons of Mysore speak Urdu at home; only a few families have retained Cutchi as their mother tongue. They are well educated. "Purdah" was observed strictly in some families. Most Cutchi Memons in Mysore City are found to be in business: furniture hire and sale, optical goods, real estate, electrical appliances, carets and furnishings, textiles, etc. There are engineers, computer professionals, etc. Some have migrated to distant lands.
Prominent Cutchi Memons of Mysore City loved and respected by their fellow Cutchi Memons for their business prosperity and social work and who departed this earth during the last 40 years, were Saleh Mohammed Ismail, Jan Mohammed Ebrahim, Fakir Mohammed, Elyas Ebrahim, Ebrahim Abdulla, Hassan Abdul Rahman, Mohammed Abba Sait, Aboobakar Ismail, Sattar Abba Sait and Mohammed Khasim Abdulla Sait. Mention must also be made of two important Cutchi Memons: Janab Mohammed Abba Sait and Janab Abdul Sattar Abba Sait. They were great social workers who rendered yeoman service to the community, specially the poor and needy. Janab Mohammed Abba Sait was a Municipal Councillor, and obtained a big plot of land in the busy area of Ashoka Road (Mysore-Bangalore highway) for Muslims of Mysore City to celebrate the birthday of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH). This is called Meelad Bagh where a huge congregation gathers every year on the occasion of Meelad-e-Nabi. An important road is also named after Janab Mohammed Abba Sait. He expired in 1967 at the age of 85 years after a life full of social service to the community. Janab Sattar Abba Sait was responsible for founding orphanages for Muslim boys and girls, and was the President of the institutions for several years. He was also the President of several masjids in the city. He expired in 1981 at the age of 90 years. We are proud that Janab Azeez Sait, a leading member of the Abba family, has followed in his father's footsteps, and has built an image of his own in the minds of Muslims and non-Muslims alike. He started as a labor leader of beedi workers, and struggled for their benefit. His popularity took him to politics, and ultimately he became a cabinet minister in the Karnataka government. He had held several important portfolios such as Transport and Tourism, Wakfs, Industries and Commerce under several Chief Ministers. He was a Member of the Indian Parliament for a full term. A new extension in the City has been named "Azeez Sait Nagar", where the needy and deserving as well as member of the laboring sections of society live.
Mrs. Saira Mohammed, daughter of late Mohammed Abba Sait who conducts a craft institute for Muslims women had been a Municipal Councilor.The following Cutchi Memons were long time residents of Mysore city but left it to migrate to other places:Janab Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, MP, to Ernakulam in KeralaMalik Sait, son of late Sattar Abba Sait to Karachi, PakistanMohammed Ishaq, son of Abubaker Khasim, to Cochin in KeralaMohammed Saleem, son of late Saleh Mohammed Ismail to BangaloreMohammed Younus, son of Aboobakar Khasim to BangaloreKhalid Hassan, son of Hassan Abdul Rahman, to Bangalore
CUTCHI MEMON JAMAT
MYSORE
Juma Masjid, Mysore
ECONOMIC CONDITIONS:About 20 Cutchi Memon families have moderate source of income, and their standard of living is fair. Others can be said to be in the middle class, and live a happy and contented life. No family is dependent on charity. So far, 26 families including women have performed Hajj.(1993)AFFAIRS OF THE JAMATH:Until 1972, there was no regular body or Managing Committee to look after the interests of the Jamath members. In 1972, the need to organize the Jamath was felt as the All India Cutchi Memon Federation, which was being formed, needed a Jamath for affiliation. Janab Azeez Sait took the initiative, and convened some prominent persons. A committee of eleven members was formed, and a set of rules and regulations was formulated in 1972. The first elected President was Janab Sattar Abba Sait with Mohammed Khasim as the Hon. Secretary. After the President's demise in 1981, Janab Mohammed Abid Saleh Mohammed was elected Presdient. When the Hon. Secretary expired in October 1982, Janab Hajee Yousuf Elyas was elected in his place but he held office for a brief period of time. Unfortunately, the Jamath had no building, no Jamath Khana, trusts or any other asset; consequently, there was no source of income. Only activity during 1972-1982 was to raise funds to undertake construction of a shopping complex for the Cutchi Memon Masjid. The dilapidated shops fetched low rents. Funds were collected from Cutchi Memons in Bangalore, Nilgiris. Bombay, etc., for the shopping complex. This complex was completed in 1980 at a cost of Rs. Three Lakhs. This is a valuable asset for the Masjid, and is the main source of meeting all of its expenses. The Cutchi Memons of Mysore are proud of the following contributions:1. Out patient dispensary attached to the Government K.R. Hospital, Mysore. It was built in 1927 by late Hajee Sir Ismail Sait of Bangalore to commemorate the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the then Maharaja of Mysore, Sri Krishnaraja Wodiyar.2. Cutchi Memon Masjid. Hajee Sir Ismail Sait of Bangalore in the Hijri built this year 1939. On his demise, he was buried in the open space adjoining the masjid's main prayer hall. His family does not exist now. Hajee Sir Ismail Sait of Bangalore also gifted two buildings and a vacant site to the Masjid. This Masjid, located in the heart of the city at Ashoka Road, can accommodate about 650 worshippers. Many improvements have been made but the main hall has been left untouched. This Masjid is being managed by a Board comprising of five Cutchi Memons under a scheme framed by the District Judge in 1942. Many prominent Cutchi Memons of Mysore have been nominated to the Board from time to time; notable among them were Hajee Saleh Mohammed Ismail, Elyas Ebrahim, Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait, MP, Mohammed Saleem Hajee Saleh Mohammed, Hassan Abdul Rahman, Aboobakar Ismail, Sattar Abba Sait, Yousuf Elyas, Ali Mohammed Ismail, and Khasim Abdulla. The following had been Board members.:
1. Hajee Mohsin Abdul Kareem (President)2. Mohammed Azam (Hon. Secretary)3. Mahmood Hassan4. Abdul Khader, and5. Sulaiman Gul Mohammed.
The Masjid's expenses are met from the rents of its properties. The total value of the buildings exceeds Rs. 35 Lakhs.3. Khasim Sarai. This is located at Ashoka Road, and was built 75 years ago by Late Rasoo Bai, wife of late Elyas Haji Khasim Sait. She dedicated it to the memory of her father-in-law, Ladda Khasim Sait. It was used as a lodge. Marriages of Jamath members were held there until 1955. After that year, it has not been used, and remains locked. It is under the control of Janab Hajee Abdulla Sait of Bangalore, who is the donor's successor. (Present condition is not known)