Calling for support for publication of material on Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani
Dear Proud Members of Parsi Community,
I am reaching out to you, for a request to be part of an iconic coffee table book project that is one-of-its-kind in publishing history on the twin-hill-station of Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani. We seek your magnanimous support by funding this book project in a modest way.
We are curating a coffee table book: ‘Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani’ – Story of Maharashtra’s Twin Hill Station,’ under the guidance of Mr Jayasinh Mariwala and others who are fond patrons to this twin hill station. The book is half-way through!
There is hardly any published book which chronicles the saga of Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani. The publishing of this book will further preservation efforts by chronicling a well-researched story of twin hill station in public domain.
We have dedicated a full chapter running into eight pages, talking about Parsis’ contribution to Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani in this coffee table book.
Chapter 7 – ‘Role of Parsis in Influencing the Twin Hill Station’ – in the coffee table book – BEAUTIFUL MAHABALESHWAR & PANCHGANI.
The following Parsis have been discussed in this chapter:
Seth Nanabhoy Bezonji Choksi, donor to fire temple in Panchgani; Dr Rustomji Bomanji Billimoria founder of Dr RBB Billimoria Bel-Air Sanitorium Hospitalin Panchgani; Jamsetjee ‘Jimmy’ Kavasjee Dubash who built the Babington House in Mahabaleshwar; Sir Bomanji Dinshaw Petit who built the ‘Petit Library and Gymkhana’ in Mahabaleshwar; Jehangirjee Mahabaleshwarvala built ‘Dina Hotel’ in Mahabaleshwar; Rustam Irani who started ‘Imperial Stores’ in Mahabaleshwar; Behram Irani, once owned ‘The Panchgani Stores; Nowroji Billimoria founded Billimoria High School in Panchgani; Hirabai & Shavaksha Batha founded Bath High School in Panchgani; Satarawala started ‘Hotel Mount View’ in Panchgani; Perin Davierwalla, started ‘Il Palazzo’ in Panchgani; Pestonji Kanga who once owned land around Parsi Point in Panchgani; Pestonji Virjee of Maidstone House in Panchgani; Merwan Sheriar Irani (Meher Baba) spent considerable time in Panchgani.
FYI, there is hardly any published book which chronicles the saga of Mahabaleshwar & Panchgani at a single point of reference in popular format. The publishing of this book will further accelerate preservation efforts by chronicling a well-researched story of twin hill station in public domain.
This coffee table book shall be circulated to readers worldwide and book lovers, thereby giving exposure to a supporter in terms of visibility and attention. Your Parsi legacy of being enterprising and generous will get etched in this timeless book.
I am a print media publisher based in Mumbai and have done quite a few such coffee table books. I actively publish a weekly community print newspaper (PLANET POWAI) since 2002 and a print national magazine (FAUJI INDIA) for the Armed Forces since 2014.
I can be reached at my WhatsApp Number +91 98200 01918. Patrons desirous of meeting in Mumbai, is possible.
To understand our quality of work, view our second edition of coffee table on Powai, check this link https://beautifulpowai.blogspot.com/
Jai Hind!
Capt Prasoon Srivastava, Veteran
CEO/Publisher
Allegro Infomedia Pvt Ltd
(CIN: U74900MH2012PTC233236)
601, Glen Heights, Hiranandani Powai
MUMBAI 400 076
Mob: 98200 01918
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Dear Sir,
I was delighted to see a publication on Mahableshwar/Panchgani in the works. I was really pleased to see my great-grandfather Jehangirji Mahableshwarvala’s name mentioned as the builder/founder of Dina Hotel. Dina was his wife. After Jehangirji, his son Jalejar took over the running of the hotel. The first five years of my life were at Dina Hotel and then for the next 16 years all my vacations were spent there with my grandmother Alamai (Jalejar’s wife) and uncle Firoze. (I am fighting back tears as I write this).
I would like to share with you a little bit of history which you may not be fully aware of.
Mahableshwar was discovered by Cavasji Hormasji Merchant who was my great-great-great grandfather (Jehngirji’s grandfather). Cavasji was born in Surat, but later moved to Poona. From Poona, with a couple of Englishmen, he rode into the mountainous/hilly region south of Poona on horseback and discovered Mahableshwar. Cavasji was also a hunter and he once shot an elephant and purportedly ate its flesh and so was given the name “Hathikhao”. Being one of the discoverers of Mahableshwar earned him the name “Mahableshwarvala” which became the family name. There is a street in Mahableshwar now called Cavasji Street—I believe it is off the main street.
Cavasji had two children: Cooverji and Jerbai. Cooverji married his cousin (on his mother’s side) Soonabai Kharas. He passed away in Satara and was laid to rest in a Tower of Silence which existed, at one time, in Satara. Cavasji had developed several properties in Mahableshwar and Satara. He gave everything to Cooverji except for one bungalow in Satara and one in Mahableshwar to Jerbai.
Cooverji built Fountain Hotel. Yes, it was once my family property. It started as a small bungalow which expanded into a hotel. Cooverji died of a paralytic attack at the young age of 45. Cooverji had about 8 children. One son Kaikobad died in World War I on a ship that was torpedoed. Two of his other notable children were the eldest Behramji and then Jehangirji. Behramji was the eldest and got control of everything, at the age of 16, that Cooverji had. Behramji got involved with some unscrupulous people who had him sign over everything, including Fountain Hotel, to them. (Behramji is buried at the Aramgarh in Mahableshwar as is Cooverji and my grandmother Alamai). The family lost Fountain Hotel in 1910.
Soonabai gave each son Rs. 25 and sent them packing to fend for themselves. Jehangirji bought Central Hotel which belonged to the Satarawallas and later bought land to build Dina Hotel.
Yes, you have rightly stated that Mahableshwar/Panchgani is the brainchild of several Parsis. My mother Hilla (nee Mahableshwarvala) studied under Savaksha and Hirabai Batha at that prestigious school they founded.
I will end with one sad note. While your book is a great welcome, Mahableshwar is not what it once used to be.
Meheryar N. Rivetna Ma’am, please get in touch with me on my email – prasoon1960@gmail.com or WhatsApp +91 9820001918