Cutchi Memon Digest April 2015

APRIL 2015

E- Books on Cutchi Memon Culture and Language
available on this Book Case
Forgotten Cutchi Memon Customs
of Bygone Years
Power Point Presentation
Full volume Flip Book
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Cutchi Memon Digest
Volumes I to IV
Special Features :
I: January 2015 : Introductory Issue
II. February 2015 : Earthquakes in Cutch
III March 2015 : Legal Issues - Waqf
IV April 2015 : Special Kochi Edition

1

CUTCHI MEMON DIGEST
APRIL 2015

SPECIAL EDITION
DEDICATED TO
THE BRETHREN OF
CUTCHI MEMON JAMATH, KOCHI

2

CUTCHI MEMON DIGEST

APRIL 2015
NO. 3/1

© COPYRIGHT
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

DR. J.M.I.SAIT
AND

YOUNG MEN’S CUTCHI MUSLIM ASSOCIATION
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Editor:
Dr. J.M.I.Sait
KRA 50, Kamaleswaram
Manacaud

Thiruvananthapuram 695009

3

4

CMD No.4/1 April 2015
PREVIEW

EDITORIAL

Kochi is the largest Cutchi Memon settlemet in
India after Mumbai. It has a well recorded history
of stalwarts in the community exemplified by their
successs in business and leadership in
philantropy. This edition is dedicated to the
memory of those who made us proud in the yester
years and to recognize those who continue to
carry the flag now. Most of the information on
these pages have been culled from various
published documents, the principal source being
the Jubllee Souvenir of the Cutchi Memon Jamat

5

and Cutchi Memon Association of Kochi. The
information will be updated as and when more
information is obtained. .....................................

CUTCHI MEMON ASSOCIATION , KOCHI

Kochi is the largest Cutchi Memon settlemet in
India after Mumbai. It has a well recorded history
of stalwarts in the community exemplified by their
successs in business and leadership in
philantropy. This edition is dedicated to the
memory of those who made us proud in the yester
years and to recognize those who continue to
carry the flag now. Most of the information on
these pages have been culled from various
published documents, the principal source being
the Jubllee Souvenir of the Cutchi Memon Jamat
and Cutchi Memon Association of Kochi. The
information will be updated as and when more

6

information is obtained. The
condition of the poor was even more pitiable. One
of the gravest problems confronting the
underprivileged section of the community was the
burial of the dead. Whenever death struck the
house of a poor brother, he had to approach a
number of his more privileged brethren to raise
the amount required for a decent burial. With the
objectives of overcoming these and several other
proble-ms and to raise the community from its
long slumber and decay a band of youngsters
under the leadership of Azeez Zackaria Sait
formed the „Cutchi Memon Association‟……………

7

KOCHI MEMONS AND RELIGION

Kochi Memons have been extremely religious both
in belief and obser-vance, without being fanatic
about it. A number of masjids were erected by
them and many others received their support.
Many Auqaf were established for various
purposes. Taking the divine call to propagate
education many schools and madrasas were also
begun and are being successfully maintained.

8

Cutchi Memons had always been a synonym for
philanthropy. When their commerce flourished and
they made money, they recognized the rights of
the poorer of Allah's creation to share in the
blessings bestowed on them. The discharge of the
emanating duty found the form of short term
charity of zakat and sadqah and the long term
charity of auqaf - establishment of mosques,
burial grounds and funds for the maintenance of
the assets thus created and to provide for
uninterrupted flow of resources.

KOCHI MEMON LEADERS

In this column we give brief life-sketches of our
community leaders among Kochi Memons.
Currently available information relates to and
limited mainly to the contents of the CMJ &CMA
Jubilee Souvenirs of 1998-99; and scanty updates
from other sources. we have already presented the

9

brief on Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait in the February
issue.
Abdul Azeez Zackeria Sait

Born in 1913 in Mattancherry as son of Zakria Sait
and Ammi Bai (Moonnam Maliga). Married in 1938.
He had his education at the Santa Cruz High
School at Fort Kochi.
Though the Cutchi Memons represented an elite
and prosperous community with affluent men at
the crest, by 1947 the plight of the common

10

Memons had deteriorated to a pitiable trough
where living had become so difficult …………

Abdulla Adam Sait
A name Kochi Memons cannot recall but with
pious regards. Though much of his biographical
data is not readily available he is well remembered
for the charitable Trust established by him, though
formalised by his children, posthumous. He was a
leading textile merchant of Cochin. He was a co-
founder of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and
its President for 12 years during 1905-
1917……………

and many more...

Abdulla Haji Ahmed Sait
Abdul Sathar Haji Moosa Sait
Aboobaker Ahmed Patel
Adam Aboobacker Sait

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Ahmed Usman Sait
Dawood Mohamed Sait
Esmail Haji Essa Sait
Essa Ahmed Sait
Haji Essa Haji Abdul Sathar Sait
Haji Joonus Ommar SaIt
Haji Usman Mohamed Hasham Sait
H.E. Abdul Kareem Sait
H.E. Mohamed Babu Sait
J.M. Usman Sait
Mahmood Ebrahim Sait
Mohamed Usman Haji Hussain Sait
M.J.Zackria Sait
Saley Mohamed Ebrahim Sait
Yusuf Ismail Sait
Adam Ayub Sait and
Nasser Latif Sait

12

IQBAL LIBRARY AND READING ROOM,
MATTANCHERRY

Iqbal Library and Reading Room in Mattancherry
was established in 1936 by the Cutchi Memon
community, first as a school and then appended
with a reading room. It was started on 14th June
1936 as independent Muslim Reading Room and
rechristened as Iqbal Library and Reading Room on

13

January 11, 1938 at a function presided over by
Mahakavi G. Sankarakurup. Abdul Rahman Haji
Kassam Sait was the President and Essa Ahmed
Sait Secretary of the Library management
committee. A Manuscript magazine “Vignanalatha”
(Knowlege-plant) published by Ahmed Usman Sait,
under the auspices of the Library was highly
appreci-ated by readers. It is still housed in the
Cutchi Memon Association building. In the picture
above, Khan Sahib Ismail Hajee Essa Sait (second
from left) the library‟s president, stands with the
Diwan of Cochin from 1943-44, Sir George
Townsend Boag (centre), who visited the library
often.

MUSLIM LADIES ASSOCIATION

Muslim Ladies Association was established in
1975 by a group of dedicated and service minded
Cutchi Memon ladies to bring together the
womenfolk of their community on a common

14

platform so that they can often meet each other
and solve their problems collectively, The
enthusiasm and dedication of ladies behind this
organization was so inspiring that more than a
hundred women registered themselves as its
members from the very beginning. The
Association has been registered under the
Charitable Societies Act. and has rendered various
services for the benefit and betterment of the
women and chilren of the community as a whole.

15

KOCHI MEMONS AND
KERALA CULTURAL SCENARIO

The earliest cultural interaction had been on a
family level. Some of the forefathers married from
the local Muslim communities as they did not
consider it fair or Islamic to discriminate between

different sections of Muslims, although they
refrained from giving their girls in marriage to
local men, possibly fearing peer reaction. As time
passed, more inter-marriages took place thus
accelerating local assimilation, still partial though.
This, was augmented by the greater access to
educational facilities thereby opening up larger

16

avenues of local culture, art and literature. In
addition to direct contribution made by individuals
many artists and sports persons were patronised
by Cutchi Memons of Kochi.

N.K.A. Latheef, a renowned artist and close
associate of the Cutchi Memon Community in
Kochi relates the story of many artists who were
patronised by Cutchi Memons. Here are a few of
his illustrations:

GLIMPSES OF INDIAN LAW

This column derives its interest
in the context of Kochi because
there are many Cutchi Memon
trusts and waqfs in Kochi. Many
waqfs in India, particularly the
larger ones among them, have
had a series of litigations
against them both by the
Income and Wealth Tax

17

authorities as well as by the beneficiaries and
tenanats or other occupants of waqf properties.
Though it is not the intention here to reiterate the
various cases an attempt is made to submit the
salient points coming out of them, particularly the
principles which should have been followed by the
drafters of trust deeds and which the future
bequeathers would better keep in mind.

Read the full text at the end of the book

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PANJO CUTCHI RASODO

Kochi specialities

Cutchi cuisine resembles in many ways the
Gujarati, Sindhi, Punjabi and Rajasthani food yet
maintains its own special qualities. While these
others use compli-cated methods or elaborate
inputs, Cutchi items use limited number of
ingredients and less extensive processes, at the
same time excelling in quality. The same items
made in Kochi are further simplified with the use
of locally available materials and to suit the local
tastes, significantly different from the others
which have lost the original simplicity and
acquired the processes modified by external
influences. Kochi still keeps the tradition.

19

In this issue we will see four traditional items
made in Kochi, and in other centres in Kerala to a
lesser extent, and which you cannot find in today's
Cutch!

1. Roat

2. Gud papdi

3. Nankhattai and

4. Gond ja laddu.

There are many other items like

Soniyenji Biryani, Sheero, Mutthiya

etc. which are shared by cutchi and other memons

in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and elsewhere. They will

be carried in the future issues of the Digest.

20

UMMIJAN

The Cutchi Memon Digest, Special Kochi Edition
will be incomplete without a note on the legendary
photographer Halima Bai. Her photographic
marvels were exhibited at Aasia Bai Trust Hall,
Mattancherry, Kochi from 24th December 2014 to
29th March 2015 as part of the Musiris Biennial
Kochi. The following is an excerpt from the Hindu,
December 18, 2014, reproduced with immense
thanks to the Hindu for projecting the personality
which would have otherwise gone behind curtains
as has happened with many a similar talent over
the past

21

Cutchi Memon Marriages Then and Now

Grand mothers used to take pleasure in narrating
marriages in their days. The girls used to be
married away when they were too young to
understand their rights and liabilities in the homes
they were consigned to live. The range used to be
7 to 14 years, occasionally going beyond for
reasons of poverty or bad connections. The
marriage ceremony used to be a long process
running upto a month of celebration. Every day
there would be some function or other …

Memon Youth Forum

Constituted in 1967 under the presidentship of
Iqbal Zackaria Sait, the Memon Youth Forum
celebrated its silver Jubilee in 1999. Iqbal Zackaria
Sait was succeeded by Anwar Sait, Mansoor Sait,
Riyaz Ahmed Sait, Gaffar Essa Sait, and Sadiq Essa
Sait. The MYF originally acted as a wing of the

22

Cutchi Memon Association charged withe duty of
helping the poor with cash and kind during
Ramadhan. It was inactive for a long time and was
revived in 1996 with Rasheed Usman Sait as
President and Salim Shakoor Sait as Secretary. In
their term, besides………

The World Cutchi Memon Conference
April 1993 = A FLASH BACK

22 years ago, this day in 1993, a World Cutchi
Memon Conference became a reality. It was
originally arranged by the All India Cutchi Memon
Federation to be held in Bombay on January 15th,
16th and 17th. Alas, because of communal strife
in India that followed Hindu-Muslim riots and the
bomb blasts in Bombay, the Conference was
postponed! It was held later at Udhagamandalam
(Ooty), after the climate was normalized, on April
19, 1993.

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EDITORIAL

‫ﺒﺴﻢ ﷲ ﺍﻠﺮﺤﻣݧ ﺍﻠﺮﺤﻴﻢ‬

Dear Brethren,

‫ﺁﻠﺴﻶﻡ ﻋﻠﻳﻜﻡ ﺮﺤﻣﺔ ﷲ ﻭ ﺒﺮﮐﺁﺗﮥ‬

Kochi is the largest Cutchi Memon settlement in
India after Mumbai. It has a well recorded history
of stalwarts in the community exemplified by their
success in business and leadership in philantropy.
This edition is dedicated to the memory of those
who made us proud in the yester years and to
recognize those who continue to carry the flag
now. Most of the information on these pages have

24

been culled from various published documents,
the principal source being the Jubllee Souvenir of
the Cutchi Memon Jamath and Cutchi Memon
Association of Kochi. The information will be
updated on receipt of the comments of the Jamath
and Association or their members.

When the Cutchi Memon Federation was launched
in the 80s there was a high expectation that the
Federation would serve as a common platform for
the Cutchi Memons all over India and a hub of
coordinat-ion among various Cutchi Memon
settlements elsew-here in the world. I am not
certain to what extent this ideal has been realized.
One thing is obvious that the benefits, if any, has
not percolated down to the common Cutchi
Memon. The very fact that even after more tna 30
years the write-ups about various Jamats in the
Federation Souvenir has not been updated
anywhere even in the websites of various Jamats

25

proves this: see the website of North American
Cutchi Memon Jamat which is live on the net today
yet carries the same old stories. The Cutchi
Memon Digest, Kerala too could not obtain any
further information and is compelled to limit itself
to the readily available data. It is hoped that this
digest will be seen by the scores of brethren who
browse the net, particularly via social sites like
facebook, twitter etc and feel the need to keep the
community knit well and to know each other
instead of living alone in isolated groups and
clusters.

This takes us to another aspect of the community
network. At least in Kerala there is an overall
interac-tive pattern among the Cutchi Memons
living in Kochi, Alappuzha, Kayamkulam, Kollam
and Thiruvananthapuram. Most of them know each
other and are connected by blood or marriage.

26

The convergence migration towards Kochi from
other population centres is also one other reason.

We have excellent talents and expertise spread
among the members of the Jamats and
Associations in these areas. Yet there is no formal
arrangement for bringing together these resources
for the general benefit of the community.

It is time that we seriously consider establishing of
a common platform and a common agenda for
community development for Cutchi Memons in
Kerala. This may include organizing a quarterly
dialogue among the Presidents, Secretaries and
senior members of all the Jamaths, Associations
and unorganized clusters in Kerala. This Forum
can consider common issues and programmes,
while Cutchi Memon Digest can provide the
required communication space. One suggestion is
that it may be styled "Kerala Cutchi Memon Forum"

27

Brethren may please send me their comments and
suggestions so that we can formulate a scheme for
inter-jamath cooperation. You may respond to :

[email protected] or
[email protected] or
WhatsApp +919445427933

Brethren having internet access may send me their
email address so that copies of the Digest can be
mailed to them directly.
‫ﻮﺍﻠﺴﻼﻡ‬
J.M.I. Sait
Editor

28

CUTCHI MEMON ASSOCIATION,
KOCHI

The Cutchi Memon Association was established in
1948. The prospects of the Cutchi Memon
community in Kochi at that time were bleak. In the
absence of proper leadership and owing to lack of
unity the community was in a doldrums, the
Jamath had become dysfunctional. The Community

29

which was predominantly business – oriented had
not been farsighted enough to realize the
importance of academic education for the younger
generation, and so the community was much
backward. Very few boys completed school
education while girls seldom saw the gates of
schools; they were content with Madrassa
education, terminating at the tender age of six or
seven.

The condition of the poor was pitiable. One of the
gravest problems confronting the underprivileged
section of the community was the burial of the
dead. Whenever death struck the house of a poor
brother, he had to approach a number of his more
privileged brethren to raise the amount required
for a decent burial. He had also to struggle to
gather the funeral materials within the usually
inadequate amount so collected. With the
objectives of overcoming these and several other

30

problems and to raise the community from its
long slumber and decay a band of youngsters
under the leadership of Mr. Abdul Azeez Zackaria
Sait formed the „Cutchi Memon Association‟.

In the history of the Cutchi Memons in Cochin,
many associations had been formed earlier but all
of them became extinct in a short time owing to
clash of opinion among members. But this
Association has survived for decades.

Since the formation of the Association the

situation has changed. The Association stocks

necessary funeral materials and as soon as

information of a death arrives, the required

materials are sent to the bereaved house and the

burial ground. Whatever the member of family

concerned can afford to pay is collected, otherwise

it is treated as a charitable expense of the

Association.

31

The Cutchi Memon Association attaches great
importance to education. It has given aid in the
form of stipends, scholarships, books, etc. to all
deserving school and college going boys and girls.
The number of doctors, engineers and other
graduates who have come up with its help provide
living testimony to the services rendered by the
Association in the field of education. The
beneficiaries, in turn, liberally and voluntarily
contribute towards similar needs, once they start
earning.

The office of the Association is situated at the
premi-ses of „Shadi Mahal‟, Kappalandimukku,
Kochi which is managed by the Association. The
Cutchi Memon Association has been instrumental
in the reconstitution of Cutchi Memon Jamat,
formation of Memon Youth Forum and Muslim
Ladies Association and the „Shadi Mahal‟ is

32

allotted free of rent for holding the meetings and
functions of these associate organisations.

The Association is also taking keen interest and
participation in all activities of the community.
Under the auspices of the Association sendoff
parties are arranged every year in honour of the
Cutchi Memons who go for the Haj pilgrimage
from Cochin. During the month of Ramzan the
distribution of „Zakath‟ to deserving members etc.
is coordinated by the Association. A fund has been
set apart each year for rendering financial
assistance for the marriage requirements of poor
girls of the community. Free medical camps were
also conducted under the auspices of the
Association.

At the Merit Evenings held every year variety
entertainment shows are staged by Cutchi Memon
students from Playschool to institutions of higher

33

learning. Meritorious students are honoured with
prizes and cash awards. .

Iqbal Library and Reading Room was established in
1936 and was being managed by an elected
managing committee. However, its management
has been taken over by the Association by 1984 as
its functioning was deteriorating in quality.

In 1976 the Association celebrated its silver
jubilee, though belated. To commemorate the
event facilities were expanded by constructing the
'Jubilee Hall' in the front portion of the Shadi
Mahal.

In 1998 the Association celebrated the Golden
Jubilee. The Souvenir released on the occasion
stands as a best compiled document on Cutchi
Memons of Kochi.

34

CUTCHI MEMON ASSOCIATION was registered as a
charitable trust on 30th May 2008 .

During the last 61 years, the Association had the
honour of having the following eminent persons as
its Presidents:

1. 1948-51 Hasham Osman Sait

2. 1951-53 Abdul Azeez Zakaria Sait

3. 1953-54 Y.M. Eliyas Sait

4. 1954-55 Zackeria Abdul Latheef Sait

5. 1955-57 Hajee Essa Hajee Abdul Sathar Sait

6. 1957-59 Saley Mohamed Ebrahim Sait

7. 1959-64 Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait

8. 1964-71 Saley Mohamed Ebrahim Sait

9. 1971-79 Ahmed Usman Sait

10. 1979-83 Abdulla Haji Ahmed Sait

11. 1983-86 H.E. Gulmohamed Sait

12. 1986-90 Mahmood Ebrahim Sait

13. 1990-94 Zackeria Usman Sait

35

14 1994-96 Riaz Ahmed Sait
15. 1996-98 Abdul Gaffar Essa Sait
16. 1998-00 H.E. Mohamed Babu Sait
17 2000-04 H.H. Abdu Azeez Sait
18. 2004-06 Mohamed Aslam Haji Hassan Sait
19. 2006-10 Rasheed Usman Sait
20. 2010- J. Noor Mohamed Sait

KOCHI MEMONS AND RELIGION

Cutchi Memon
Hanafi Masjid
Mattancherry
Kochi

36

Cutchi Memons had always been a synonym for
philanthropy. When their commerce flourished and
they made money, they recognized the rights of
the poorer of Allah's creation to share in the
blessings bestowed on them. The discharge of the
emanating duty found the form of short term
charity of zakat and sadqah and the lon term
charity of auqaf - establishment of mosques,
burial grounds and funds for the maintenance of
the assets thus created and to provide for
continuous flow of resources.

Kochi Memons have been extremely religious both
in belief and observance, without being fanatic
about it. A number of masjids were erected by
them and many others received their support.
Many Auqaf were established for various
purposes. Taking the divine call to propagate
education many schools and madrasas were also
begun and are being successfully maintained.

37

Cutchi Memon Hanafi Mosque was perhaps the
first to be established by Cutchi Memons in Kochi.
It is situate in Bazaar Road, Mattancherry which is
a very busy area - once the nerve centre of the
Cochin State. This two storeyed building was
constructed by Hajee Dosal Kadwani Sait in 1825
and handed over to the Cutchi Memon Jamath. The
Masjid has been constructed on a plot in Survey
No. 54/1 of Mattancherry Village. The burial
ground on the adjacent survey no. 55 also belongs
to the masjid. This is used exclusively for the
burial of Cutchi Memons. The Maloth Parambu
housing colony on the nearby Survey no. 57 is part
of the Masjid property. The income from the
shops and buildings is used for the maintenance
of the mosque and the kabarstan.

Hajee Dosal Kadwani himself was the first
Mutawalli of the mosque. Later when he went for
Hajj the mosque and the propertis were entrusted

38

to Joonus Khameesa Sait, the Jamath Seth, who
held the mutawalliship until 1899, when on his
demise, his eldest son Hajee Ismail Joonus Sait
took over as Jamath Seth and Mutawalli. On his
death, his son Abdul Rahman Hajee Ismail Sait
should have succeeded him as both Seth and
Mutawalli. But he declined to take over the
positions and the members of the Jamath decided
to divide the leadership and Mutawalliship. Thus
Haji Salay Mohamed Joonus Sait was elected
President and his younger brother Abdulla Joonus
Sait was entrusted with the office of Mutawalli.
After the death of Abdulla Joonus Sait, his son
Hajee Thayyab Abdulla Sait became the Mutaw-
ally. He was succeeded by his eldest son Mohamed
Hajee Thayyab Sait. On his death his younger
brother Haji Abdulla Haji Thayyab Sait took over
the office and continued to hold it until 1996.
Since then the mosque is being managed by a
Board of Trustees. The President and the Vice

39

President of the Jamath are ex-oficio President
and Vice President respectively of the Board. The
Mutawally, Joint Mutawally and executive members
are elected by the Jamath General Body every two
years.

The other Masjids constructed by Kochi Memons

are the following:

1. Cutchi Musalman Masjid,

Mattancherry(Puthiyapalli)

2. Mahlara Masjid Mattancherry

3. Mohideen Masjid, Mattancherry

4. Ismaliya Masjid, Wellindon Island

5. Puthirikadu Masjid, Thoppumpadi

6. Chandana Masjid, Kochangadi

7. Mohideen Masjid, Kochangadi

8. Broadway Masjid, Ernakulam

9. Pullepady Masjid, Ernakulam

10.Musafari Masjid, Ernakulam

11.Kadavanthra Masjid, Ernakulam

40

12.Kadathukadavu Hanafi JUma Masjid, Aluva
13.Mathilakam Masjid, Aluva
14.Abdul Sathar Haji Moosa Sait Juma Masjid,
Aluva
15.Masjid Tharbiyah, Palluruthy
16.Masjid Mariyam, Panayappalli
17.Zackeriya Masjid & Madrasssa, Chullikkal
18.Asia Bai Juma Masjid, Chalai,
Thiruvananthapuram

Cutchi Memons have been keen to set aside part
of their wealth for the continued benefit of the
brethren as well as others. The main charitable
trusts created by the Kochi Memons are:

1. Haji Usman Haji Allarakhiya & Ayub haji Abdul
Rahman Sait Trust

2. Haji Essa Haji Moosa Sait Trust
3. Abdul Sathar Haji Moosa Sait
4. Jan Mohammed Haji Essa Sait Trust

41

5. Ismail Haji Essa Sait Charitable Trust
6. Haji Abdulla Haji Adam Sait Trust
7. Zulekha Bai Trust
8. Hawa Bai Trust
9. Asia Bai Trust
10. Khadeeja Bai Charities
11. Zanana Madrasa Islamiya Trust
12. Haji abdull Latheef Haji Essa Sait Trust
13. Abdul Shakoor Haji Essa Sait Trust
14. Haji Ahmed Ebrahim Sait Trust
15. Haji Essa Saley Mohamed Trust
16. Mohamed Kassam Haji Essa Trust
17. Moosa Mohamed Kassam Trust
18. Kassam Moosa Sait Wakf Alal Aulad
19. Ebrahim Mohamed Hasham Sait Trust
20. Abad Charitable Trust
21. Haji Essa Haji Abdul Sathar Sait
22. Cutchi Memon Trust
23. Osman Ahmed Sait Trust

42

24. Esmail Abdul Sathar Sait & Fatima Bai
Charitable Trust

25. Hawa Bai and Zainab Bai Charitable Trust

43

CUTCHI MEMON LEADERS OF KOCHI

In this column we give brief life-sketches of our
community leaders among Kochi Memons.
Currently available information relates to and
limited mainly to the contents of the CMJ &CMA
Jubilee Souvenir of 1998-99; and scanty updates
from other sources.

We have already presented a brief on Haji Ebrahim
Sulaiman Sait in the February issue

Abdul Azeez Zakeria Sait

Born in 1913 in Mattancherry as son of Zakria Sait
and Ammi Bai (Moonnam Maliga). Married in

44

1938. He had his education at the Santa Cruz High

School at Fort Kochi. Though the Cutchi Memons

represented an elite and prosperous community

with affluent men at the crest, by 1947 the plight

of the common Memons had deteriorated to a

pitiable trough where living had become so

difficult that for each and everything like burying

the dead or marrying off the daughters they had to

beg the kindness of individual rich men of the

community as the Jamath and collective support

mechanism had failed totally. Pained by this

condition of the Cutchi Memons Abdul Azeez Sait

convened a dinner meeting at his Fort Kochi

house, in May 1948, which “became the nucleus to

form the Cutchi Memon Association”, recalls Haji

Ahmed Usman Sait, who was a participant at that

meeting. There itself he was nominated as founder

President. The CMA officially came into being on

June, 1948. He continued as President till his

death in 1951.

45

In October 1951 he went for Hajj together with
his maternal uncle H.D. Yunus Sait of
Thiruvananthapuram (incidentally, father - in- law
of his brother Abdul Kader Zackeria Sait). He
expired at the Holy Mecca on 24th October 1951,
due to severe sunstroke, just after compl-eting
the Hajj, and was buried in Mecca. He was survived
by his only son Abdul Rasheed, now in Chennai.

Haji Abdullah Adam Sait

A name Kochi Memons cannot recall but with
pious regards. Though much of his biographical
data is not readily available he is well remembered
for the charitable Trust established by him, though
formalised by his children, posthumous. He was a
leading textile merchant of Kochi. He was a co-
founder of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and
its President for 12 years during 1905-1917. He
was a close friend of the Maharajah of Kochi. He is

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on record to have built the first Ahle Hadith
Mosque in Kerala, the Cutchi Musalman Juma
Masjid, a.k.a. Puthiya Palli. (See picture on Kochi
Memons and Religion page) He had set apart a
sizable portion of his wealth for charitable
purposes under a very comprehensive and
thoughtful wasiyath (Will) which provided that the
income from the properties shall be divided into
four parts. One for the benefits of the Cutchi
Memon Community, one for the Muslims at
large, the third for the upkeep of Mosques and
Madrasas and the fourth part for development of
the Trust properties for further income generation.
The first managing Trustee was Abdul Latheef Haji
Essa Sait, son-in-law of Haji Abdulla Adam Sait.
Apart from this three trusts were established by
his wife Hawa Bai and daughters Zulekha Bai and
Asia Bai by their own names.

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Haji AbdullahHajiAhmedSait

Abdulla Haji Ahmed Sait was yet
another senior political figure from
among the Cutchi Memons of Kochi.
He was a secretariat member and
President of the District Muslim
League Committee, Erna-kulam
District till June 2006 when he was made
Vice President of the party which position he held
till death. He was the General Secretary of
Kerala Muslim Educational Association. The KMEA
Al Manaar Higher Secondary School at Edathala,
Kuzhivel-ipady, Aluva of which he was Manager
for long, is dedicated to him in memorium. He had
been the Managing Trustee for Haji Abdulla haji
Adam Sait Trust which is one of the biggest Trusts
in Kerala and Mutawalli of Puthiya Palli,
Mattancherry, Thuruthy Masjid, Masjidul
Musafiriyat Ernakulam, and Kadavanthra Masjid,

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Ernakulam. He also served s the Treasurer of
Cochin Yatheem Khana of Ernakulam, President of
Cochin Cutchi Memon Associat-ion, President of
Iqbal Library and Reading Room and as General
Secretary of Cutchi Memon Jamath. He was also a
member of governing bodies of SSM Polytexhnic,
Tirur, Broadway Masjid, and Trustee of Hawa Bai
Trust, Asiya Bai Trust and Zulkha Bai Trust.

Haji Abdul Sathar Haji Moosa Sait

Abdul Sathar Haji Moosa Sait is renowned as the
pioneer in the mechanised water transport system
in Kerala. The imperfect communication between
numerous places in the Malabar Coast in the latter
part of the nineteenth century had prevented the
industrial and commercial development of the
area. The development activities were enabled and
the foundation of many industries and commercial
houses were laid with the commencement of

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