Cutchi Memon Jamath, Kochi (Cochin), Kerala, India

In 1815, a large number of   Cutchi Memons migrated from their homeland, Cutch to places such as Bombay (now Mumbai), Calcutta (now Kolkata), Madras (now Chennai), Alleppey (now Alappuzha) and Cochin (now Kochi).  Those days, these places were considered important ports and commercial centers.  The Cutchi Memons desired to expand their businesses by settling in these cities.  Having learnt that Cutchi Memons were honest, hardworking and trustworthy businessmen, gave permission to them to settle down in Cochin.  He wanted them to live permanently in his kingdom so that it would become prosperous y means of foreign trace and commerce.

Cutchi Memon Jamath, Quilon, Kerala, India

Though we have no authentic information about early Cutchi Memon settlers in Quilon, we gather from some elders that, during their initial years of migration here, they were aware of five or six Cutchi Memon families settling in this city and neighboring areas such as Nadayara (near Varkala) and Anjengo, which were then both developing ports. This was when Raja Kesava Dasa was the Dewan of Travancore State.  He was magnanimous in granting them all facilities to conduct their business of import and export of rice, coconut products and hill produces.   Anjengo was, at that time, a British colony; the Cutchi Memon settlers had great contacts with Europeans who frequented the colony.  These Cutchi Memons were sincere, honest, kind-hearted and deeply religious, earning them the respect and honor of other peoples of the area as well as the ruling Maharajah.