Calling Dadachanjis

A meticulous and detailed account of all Dadachanjis exists in a book published by Sohrab Pallonji Dadachanji in 1920 titled Dadachanji Kutumbni Vanshavali ané Tavarikh.

The book traces the Dadachanji families for more than 250 years in the form of family trees beginning with Ervad Darab (Dada) Ervad Chanji. It also highlights prominent Dadachanjis of those times with details of their contributions along with their photographs. It is amazing that such a detailed book was compiled at a time when no proper systems of communication (telephone/e-mail/computers) existed.

It took 27 years to compile this book as Ervad Jamaspji Edulji Dadachanji, who originally started the work, died while the book was half done and there was some delay before the work was finally taken up and completed by Sohrab Pallonji Dadachanji.

Unfortunately, today there is no computerized record available of all Parsis (birth, death, etc) that could be used to compile a vanshavali (family tree). Our present generation also does not maintain proper records of the date of birth and the death of near and dear ones. It is nearly 87 years since the book was compiled and the older generation who could have provided the required details, is no more.

An effort is now being made to update this Vanshavali. We began to contact Dadachanji families whose names were listed in the telephone directory. With the help of these Dadachanjis many more names of those who did not feature in the telephone directory were traced. Most of the details have been obtained over the phone. To establish the link with the old book it was critical to ascertain the names of the grandfather and sometimes the great grandfather of the respective families and then proceed with the current generation.

Most of the Dadachanjis in Bombay have already been contacted. A database of Dadachanjis has been compiled and family trees are under preparation. It is now time to contact Dadachanjis spread all over India and abroad. Dadachanjis who have not been so far contacted whether in Bombay or elsewhere are requested to contact Viraf S. Dadachanji at H-21, RH-4, Sector-6, Vashi, Navi Mumbai or on telephone: 27823262.

VIRAF DADACHANJI