THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh

Aror

(or

Alor(c) near Rohri in Sind was the capital

of

the

Rai

dynasty and Brahmin rulers till 615 A.D. Between 638 A.D. and 711
A.D.,
were

the Arabs launched as many as 15 attacks against Sind

consistently defeated.

and

Finally in 711 A. D., Mohammed

Bin

Qasim started for Sind, and defeated Dahir, who ruled Upper
at

Aror.

north

to

Punjab -- and are still known as Aroras. Other Hindus shifted

to

Multan,

Thus

many families left Aror and

Jaisalmer

migrated

Sind

and Kutch for safety. A good number

of

them

returned to Sind during the Kalhora rule in the 1700's.

The Advani family is named after Diwan Adoomal who was the son of
Kilumal

and

grandson of Jasoomal. They were

residents

of

village of Luha (or also called as Lahpur near Multan(c) in

in

the late 1600's. Their Nukha (or tribe name or

Maghu

Khatri (a warrior caste(c) and are

Rajputs.

Their

village(c)

Gotra

is

(meaning

Bhardwaj.

Ved

is

village

Shukla

Yajur

Punjab

identity(c)

originally

a family

the

is

Arora-Vanshi
or

and

caste

Shakha

is

Madhyandini.

Adoomal

was

succeeded

swordsman with Mian

Nur

Mohamad

as the ruler in Sind on the death of his

Mohamad

Kalhoro, in 1719. It appears that in 1736,

Kalhoro

visited

Multan

and brought Adoomal

and

Kalhoro,

who

father,

Yar

Nur

Mohamad

also

Gidumal

Belomal (a great great grandson of Adiomal Shahwani from whom are

descendent

the families of Ajwani's, Bhavnani's, Gidwani's,

and

Jagtiani's(c) to Sind with himself.

Thus

Adoomal

along

with his father

Kilumal

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***Unrestricted copying permitted by one and all***

and

his

brother

Page 1

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
Askarandas
Punjab

must have moved from his original village of Luha

to Multan some years earlier, perhaps due to

in

persecution

of Hindus by Aurangzeb or for the sake of service. This migration

probably started after 1670.

Adoomal settled down first in Naushahro Firoz. Later he moved

Khuda-abad,
left
of
from

which had been established in 1701 near Dadu on

bank of the Indus River. Khuda-abad had become the

whole Sind, as the rule of Nur Mohamad Kalhoro

now

to
the

capital
extended

Thatta (in Lower Sind(c) to Multan (in Upper Sind, which

was

then part of Greater Sind).

ADOOMAL'S 1ST MARRIAGE

Adoomal married his first wife in Punjab. From her, he had

three

sons - Chandumal, Ditomal, and Lakhumal.

Adoomal
|
------------------------------------------|
|
First Wife (Punjab)
Second Wife (Sind)
Chandumal, Ditomal & Lakhumal
Baharmal, Sunderdas, Wasaiomal
& Tharumal

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Page 2

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
DESCENDANTS OF 1ST SON -- CHANDUMAL

Chandumal

had two sons, Chatomal and Jethmal. A

partial

family

tree of Chandumal's 2nd son, Jethmal, is given below:

Chandumal Adoomal
|
Jethmal
|
Ajumal
|
---------------------------------------------|
|
Ailmal
Kishinchand
|
|
Mahirchand
----------------------------|
|
|
|
-------------Sachanand
Kewalram
Teckchand
|
|
|
|
Bherumal
Thanverdas
Gidumal
---------|
|
|
|
Pribhdas
Jhamrai Bulchand Santdas
|
Nebhraj
|
Narain
Bherumal, son of Munshi Mahirchand, traveled widely in Punjab and
Sind

on

official

business as

Distillery

Inspector.

Thus

he

gathered considerable information about the "The Origins of Amis

of

Sind" and wrote the book in 1919, which was

English

by

Narain

immortality,
Sindhi

per

Nebhraj

Advani.

But

his

Lalsing H. Ajwani's book

Literature",

translated
chief

titled

into

claim

to

"History

of

is "in Sindhi literature arising

from

the

fact that beginning with his treatise on Sindhi Language in

1925

he

1941

was

which,

able
in

to write his History of Sindhi

Pakistan

as well as in India, is

Language
taken

in

to

be

the

standard work on the subject".

Another

descendant of Chandumal was Sitaldas and now from

Recompiled with trees by Harish J. Jagtiani, Sept 1990

***Unrestricted copying permitted by one and all***

Diwan

Page 3

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
Belomal's

time call themselves as Sitlani's. And

Jhamatmal, father

of

Barrister

Hotchand

Advani

also
who

Gopaldas
still

practices in Bombay High Court.

Chandumal Adoomal
|
-----------------------------|
|
Chatomal
Jethmal
|
|
------------|
|
|
|
Devanimal
Balchand
Lalchand
|
|
|
Sidhumal
Sitaldas
Kouromal
(Sidhwani)
|
|
Belomal (Sitlani's)
Jhamatmal
|
Gopaldas
|
-------------------|
|
Thakurdas
Hotchand
Sidhumal's descendants include Pribhdas Shewakram who founded the
Nav Kanya Vidyalaya in Hyderabad, Master Dharamdas Khubchand
his

grandson Lal Kishin Advani, who is the current President

and
of

the Bharatiya Janata Party. A partial family tree is as follows:

Sidhumal
|
--------------------------------------------------|
|
|
|
|
Khanchand
Baharmal
Jhuromal
Asardas Bhavandas
|
|
Tilokchand
Ailmal
|
|
Shewakram
Khubchand
|
|
Pribhdas
Dharamdas
|
Kishinchand
|
Lal

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Page 4

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
DESCENDANTS OF 2ND SON -- DITOMAL

From
of

Adoomal's second son, Ditomal, are descendent the

Diwan

Nandiram, Mukhi Khubchand, Sadhu

Hiranand.

Navalrai

families
and

Sadhu

partial family tree is as below:

Ditomal Adoomal
|
-----------------------------------------------------|
|
|
|
Varakhmal
Kandharimal
Nihalsing
Maherchand
|
------------------------------|
|
|
Mayaram
Mansharam
Kirparam
|
|
--------------------|
|
|
|
Valiram
Hirdaram Mustakram
|
-------------------------|
|
|
Nandiram
Chandiram
Tuljaram
|
|
---------------------|
|
|
|
Showkiram
Khubchand
Santokram
|
|
---------|
|
|
|
Navalrai Hiranand
Chatomal
It

appears

Ditomal

that

Munshi Valiram Mayaram, a

Adoomal,

was

a Chief Minister of

great
Mir

grandson

Nasirkhan.

of
The

descendants of Munshi Valiram changed their surname to Manshani's

or Munshani's based on the word Munshi.

Sadhu Navalrai
a

lot

of

particularly
social

and Sadhu Hiranand, sons of Mukhi Showkiram,

impact

on

the

Sindhi

community

in

Hyderabad,

in bringing the Brahmo Samaj movement coupled

reforms

and education. The N. H.

Academy

had

in

with

Hyderabad

bears their name.

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Page 5

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
BRANCH OF KANDHARIMAL DITOMAL

The

branch of Kandharimal Ditomal started calling themselves

Kandharani's,

and

became

Akali

Khalsas.

Khalsa

Maniksing

Kishinchand and his brother Khalsa Manghirsing Kishinchand,

of

Diwan

Chandoomal,

Kishinchand
son

Diwan

Ramsing,

along

Chandoomal

with

Khalsa

Nihalchand,

as

were

sons

Jethsing
chiefly

responsible for bringing Sihkism into the family. They built

the

family Gurdwara, Akal Bunga Sahib, in Hyderabad, Sind, about

the

year

1843. The first Guru Granth Sahib was sent by

Raja

Ranjit

Sing from Lahore. A partial family tree is as follows:

Kandharimal Ditomal
|
--------------------------------------------------|
|
|
Lakhmichand
Ambatrai
Assanand
|
|
Nihalchand
Sachanand
|
|
------------------------------------------|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Manjimal Chandoomal Dandoomal
Aidas Bhopatrai Ramsing
|
|
|
Jethsing
Tiloksing
Kishinchand
|
|
|
-----------|
|
|
Khushalsing
Maniksing Manghirsing
|
|
Tolasing
Achalsing
|
----------------------------------|
|
|
|
Bhagsing Jotsing
Mohansing
Gobindsing

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Page 6

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
DESCENDANTS OF 3RD SON -- LAKHUMAL

From

his

third son, Lakhumal, are descendent

the

families

of

surveyor Gopumal (aka Gopaldas(c) as shown below:

Lakhumal Adoomal
|
Rochiram
|
Kiratrai
|
Gopaldas
|
Kushiram

ADOOMAL'S 2ND MARRIAGE

After the death of his first wife, Adoomal remarried. His
wife,

second

daughter of Bhai Adumal, was from the village of Thatt

Navabshah

district

of

Sind. From her, he had

four

sons

in
....

Baharmal ( aka Biharimal), Tharumal, Wasaiomal and Sunderdas.

Thatta
and

was originally one village. In 1825, Indus

submerged

villages.

Thatt

Thatt,

Mithiani,

Tagar,

river

Kamalderah

was rebuilt but again Indus

flooded

and

submerged

other
it

and

other villages in 1870. Though Thatt was rebuilt a third time, by

1903

the inhabitants had scattered and built three new

villages

namely Thatt Bhojraj, Thatt Goraho and Thatt Hotchand. The

two

were close to each other and at a distance of a mile

quarter
miles

first
and

from the town of Mithiani. Thatt Hotchand was about

from the first two Thatts, adjacent to Dalipotan and

a
two

five

miles from Navabshah.

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Page 7

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
DESCENDANTS OF THE 4TH SON -- BAHARMAL
Baharmal's
Hiranand

descendants
Khemsing

are

and

the family

of

Diwan Himmatsing

Rai

Bahadur

Khemsing.

Diwan
partial

family tree is as follows:

Baharmal Adoomal
|
Gurmukhdas
|
Dhulumal
|
Gulabrai
|
Khemsing
|
-------------------------------|
|
Hiranand
Himmatsing
|
------------------------------------------|
|
|
|
Harising
Tahilram
Bhagwandas
Dharamdas
|
|
|
-----------------|
--------|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kishu Mithu Sunder Indu
Lalit
Indursen
Suren
Rai Bahadur Diwan Hiranand Khemsing was a lawyer who took up
cases

the

of the Mirs and went to Great Britain to represent them

few times. He was thrice the President of Hyderabad Municipality,

probably

between

developed

new

1900

to 1910. It was

township

as

an

he

extension

who
to

conceived
the

and

town

of

Hyderabad. This township was named after him as Hirabad Quarters.

He was reputed to be the brainiest man produced by Sind in
days.
the

He also became an Advisor to the Governor of

British

rule when dyarchy was introduced in

Sind
India

those
during
at

the

centre and in the provinces.

Diwan

Himatsing

Khemsing was a prominent Zamidar

of

Badin

in

Lower Sind.

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Page 8

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
ADOOMAL'S OTHER SONS

Tharumal
called

was

blind from birth and did not marry. Hence

"Tharu

the Celibate". Though Tharumal

did

he

not

was

possess

outward sight, he possessed considerable inner intelligence. Once

Adoomal expressed his feelings of sorrow regarding his blind

son

to Mian Nur Mohamad Kalhoro and beseeched him, as the story goes

"Sire, you are a Royal Being blessed by God Almighty. You may
kindly be pleased to put your hand of mercy on Tharu".

Nur

Mohamad was taking meals at that moment. Immediately

called

Tharu

and asked him in the presence of

his

he

father,

Adoomal, " Tharu, what am I eating?"

After

asking him, Nur Mohamad put a piece of bread

his mouth and took curds over it. Tharu said

Curds over bread".

Nur

Mohamad

outward

loaf

in

immediately

told Diwan Adoomal "See! Your son has

sight but has inner light so much so that

not
he

"

got
could

say at once that I was taking bread with curds."

Many

had faith in Tharumal. His Samadhi was made in the

mohalla

of Rai Bahadur Diwan Hiranand Khemsing. A light would burn at the

Samadhi every evening. Among the dwellers in the mohalla, he
referred to as Dado Tharu, and his spirit made his presence
by

several

these

unusual happenings. It was

not

understandable

unusual phenomenon occurred, perhaps indicating

Recompiled with trees by Harish J. Jagtiani, Sept 1990

***Unrestricted copying permitted by one and all***

that

was
felt
why
the

Page 9

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
spirit of this Sanyasi was not at peace. The manner of his death,
of which there is no record, might explain it. At last there
a

written note from him which appeared in one of the

the

mohalla. The note stated that "if Brahmins in

Kutch

were fed in his name, his spirit would find

was

houses

in

Naraimsir

in

peace".

This

was done immediately and thereafter his soul was at rest.

The other two sons, Sunderdas and Wasaiomal, were killed in a war
with

the

sword

Mughals, along with their father

Diwan

Adoomal.

of Adoomal found its way into the hands of Diwan

Khemsing,

The

Hiranand

who may have got it from the Mirs of Sind for whom

he

took a case to the Privy Council.

MOVE FROM KHUDA-ABAD TO HYDERABAD

Earlier Diwan Adoomal had moved from Naushahro to Khuda-abad

later

to

Adoomal

Hyderabad, which had become the new capital

and

Hyderabad.
Gulrajani's
moved

to

settled
off

his

lived

in

in

While in Khuda-abad, Adoomal had taken Punwani's

and

his proteges. Thus when

the

the

Advani

Sind.

lane

as

descendants

of

and

Khuda-abadi

Hyderabad, Adoomal took these two families

them close by. Hence the Punwani's lived on

the Advani Lane and the Gulrajani's live on

Amils

along

and

one

street

another

street

off the Advani Lane.

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Page 10

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
BRANCHES OF ADVANI'S

As

the

number and size of the Advani clan grew,

separated

out

as

Sitlani's,

some

Shamdasani's,

of

Manshani's

Munshani's, Sidhwani's and Kandharani's as mentioned above.

separated

out

them

as Akali's. There were Advani's

in

or
Some

Larkhana

and

Naushahro also. Many persons of Nukha Maghu Khatri (same Nukha of

Advani's(c) are also found in Amritsar and Multan to this day.

REFERENCES:
1.

"The

Origins

of Amils of Sindh"

Advani, Hyderabad, 1919, published in

by

Bherumal

Mahirchand

Sindhi. Reprinted in

1989

by The Khudabadi Amil Panchayat of Bombay.

2.

Translation in English of

Narain

"The Origins of Amils of Sindh" by

Nebhraj Advanie, Bombay, 1975. Cyclostyled and issued

by

Nardev Book Stall, R. D. National College, Bandra, Bombay.

3.

"Family

Tree

of

Advanis"

prepared

by

S.

D.

Vaswani,

Proprietor, Jai Hind College Book Stall, Churchgate, Bombay,

and

distributed by Gobind Kotumal Advani around 1975.

4.

"Family Tree of Kandharani Khalsas and Sikhs"

prepared

by

Hassasing Hukumatsing Advani, Adipur, Kutch, around 1965.

5.

"History of Sindhi Literature" by Lalsing Hazarising Ajwani,

published by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 1970.

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Page 11

THE "A D V A N I" FAMILY HISTORY

Khudabadi Amils Of Sindh
6.

"Sindhis

Through

The Ages, Volume I

&

II"

by

Prakash

Bharadwaj, published by Worldwide Publishing Co., Hong Kong, 1988

7.

"The Sindh Story" by Kewlaram Rattanmal Malkani,

published

by Allied Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1984.

8.

"Sadhu

Navalrai

& Sadhu Hiranand" by

Sita

C.

Samtani,

1",

by

Bherumal

Volume 2",

by

Bherumal

published by Sind Brahma Sikhya Samelan, 1986.

9.

"Sindh

Je

Hindun Jo Tarrickh,

Volume

Mahirchand, 1946.

10.

"Sindh

Je

Hindun Jo Tarrickh,

Mahirchand, 1947.
=================================================================
Comments, corrections, additions are welcome. Please do send with
any anecdotes or documents available to:

The Khudabadi Amil Panchayat of Bombay

ATTENTION:

1-A, Sindhu House

Nanabhai Lane

Mr. B. T. Advani or

Flora Fountain

Mr. B. M. Advani

Bombay 400 001

==================================================================

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Page 12