History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CHAP. II.] THE DADISETH FAMILY. WU,

history of the Parsis of Western India. Its founder was Dadibhai Nasarvanji. His grandfather, Homji Beramji, came from Surat and settled in Bombay early in the eighteenth century. His father, Nasarvanji Homji, did business as freight-broker in partnership with his brother Beramji Homji, of whom we have spoken before. Dadibhai Nasarvanji soon raised himself to the position of a wealthy merchant, shipowner, and “jaghirdar.” He traded extensively with Europe and China. He had five ships of his own—the Shah Ardeshir, King George, Friendship, and the brigs William and David Scott. He was the first enterprising native who established at Bombay a serew for pressing cotton bales. He was a man of great simplicity of character, remarkable good nature, and unbounded benevolence. In company with Pestanji Bamanji Wadia and Nasarvanji Manakji Wadia he caused, during the great famine of 1790, hundreds of Parsis to be fed, in addition to a very large number of people belonging to other races. In the year 1783 he built in Bombay the chief fire-temple, which bears his name. His will, after giving some valuable advice to his son, concluded with this characteristic passage—“If any one did you harm, you should repay evil with good.” Dadibhai had a son named Ardeshir who was as good and benevolent as his father. In the Indian famine of 1805-6 he fed for several months at his own