Book Title: Comtemporary Jain Legends
Author(s): Atmanandji Maharaj
Publisher: Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram

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Page 16
________________ He donated rupees one Lac and twenty-five thousand for construction of a big inn Sheth Hirachand Gumanchand Dharmashala- (Hirabaug) in the memory of his father and this inn was inaugurated on December, 9th, 1905 in the presence of top Government officials and a very large number of Jains and Jains-loving people. He donated Rs. 20,000/- for Chandawadi inn in Surat. • He donated Rs. 19,000/- for the temple and inn at Palitana. • He donated Rs. 1,500/- for the Directory and Digambar Jains. He donated Rs. 25,000/- for Boarding at Allahabad. • He donated Rs. 15,000/- for Boarding and Dispensary of Ahmedabad. • He donated Rs. 10,000/- for renovation of Palitana temples. • He donated Rs. 5,000/- for draught vicitms 1900 A.D. He donated Rs. 22,000/- for Hirachand Gumanji Vidya Mandir at Kolhapur and this study place was inaugurated by the king of Kolhapur in 1905 AD • He donated Rs. 24,000/- for Boarding at Jabalpur. • He donated Rs. 5,000/- for Girls' school at Surat. • He donated Rs. 4,000/- for Boarding at Agra. • He donated Rs. 4,000/- for Chaturbhai Auditorium at Kolhapur. • He donated Rs. 1,000/- for Boarding at Hubli. • He donated Rs. 25,000/- for Boarding at Ratlam. • He donated Rs. 1,000/- for the temple of MoodBadri and so on. Family Life: He married to Chaturmati at the age of twenty-two. He could not stay much with his family because he kept himself busy in social affairs and business. He had two daughters named Maganbai and Foolkumari, but had one son by another marriage. His father had died in 1881 A.D. and after a few years his daughter was widowed. His first wife also died shortly. Since he had no son by the first wife, he had married for the second time because of the family pressure. Sheth Manikchand built a large palace named "Ratnakar Palace" for his residence on Chaupatti at Bombay when he was only forty. He had a chapel also in this large building. The British Government was also attracted to him when he had donated Rs. 1,25,000/-. He was, therefore, honored with a title of "J.P." on March 14, 1906 AD in a special function. The Jain community also awarded him by a title of "Jain KulBhushan" on February 10th, 1910. He turned Myanmar (then Brahmdesh) for about two months from December 1911 AD. Last Two Years: Sheth Manikchand had to face a painful shock in last years of his life. The famous Speshi Bank of Bombay went bankrupt and he had to suffer a big loss thereby. He could not bear this strain and died shortly.

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