Comtemporary Jain Legends

Author(s): Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

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01.
(J.P.)
Arch-donor Jain KulBhushan Sheth Shri Manikchand
A pre-dot: The people, who keep busy in doing good to others and use all their might in doing good earn respect and they are really great.
There have been many Jain millionaires in our days that have used their money for the uplift of society and lived a life, which became an ideal for others. Shri Manikchand Hirachand Zaveri of Bombay is one of such personalities. He did great things to the Jain society by his truthfully earned wealth. Ordinarily, millionaires are proud of their wealth and remain attached with the enjoyment of worldly pleasures, but Sheth Manikchand was an ardent exception. He has humble virtuous benevolent, always active to work and deeply religious.
Family Birth andChildhood:
Shri Gumanji, the grandfather of Sheth Manikchand was resident of Bhinder in District Udaipur of Rajasthan. He was trading in opium and shifted to Surat, in Gujarat in 1783 AD for the development of his business. Here he made a good progress and earned good wealth. He belonged to Visa Humad Caste and borne in the Gotra of Mantreshvar. Shri Hirachand, the father of Manikchand was born and brought up in Surat. He joined the business with his father. He married at the age of 20 with a Surat-based girl, Vijalibai, of his own caste. The couple was pious.
Vijaliben gave birth to Manikchand in 1852 A.D. and it was seen from the horoscope of the child that he will not only be very famous but also a great millionaire. The child was bright and charming. Hirachand always used to take the child with him to temple and brought him up with the knowledge of god and religion. The child was thoughtful and peace loving from the beginning. He had two elder brothers, Motichand and Panachand and one younger brother Navalchand in addition to two sister's Hemkumari and Manchhakumari. Manikchand lost his mother when he was only eight years of age and with her death, Sheth Hirachand had to look after homely work in addition to his working for trade. This did affect his business and he had to send his sons Motichand and Panachand with his daughter Hemkumari to a jewellery merchant of Bombay to learn the business.
Arrival at Bombay: inthe Business ofJewellery:
Manikchand studied upto standard five in Surat and at the age of twelve, he came to Bombay with his father in 1864 A.D., leaving. Hirachand himself cooked food for the four brothers: Manikchand learnt accounts for one year with a shroff of Bombay. He was very hard working and had keen desire to learn. He took up the work of testing pearls and diamonds. His sister Hemkumari helped him very much in this task. He turned out to be a good expert in testing of diamonds and pearls very shortly. He earned a name in diamond market. By the time, all the four brothers were exceptionally good in this work. They got very good business from all sides. The people knew these four brothers by the loving name of RAMA. Among the four brothers, Panachand and Manikchand were more industrious, skillful and with deep understanding. They
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