Diwan Bahadur Jiwandas

Diwan Bahadur Seth Jiwandas, son of Raja Gokuldas, was a man of great tastes. Born with a silver spoon, he was brought up in royal surroundings, which in a greater sense, contributed towards his great taste.

Childhood and Education:

The overpowering grief of losing his first son Vitthal Das had stunned Raja Gokuldas, popularly known as Raja Sahib. Raja Sahib and his family were followers of the Vallabhi sect and had close relations with the gurus of the sect. At the time of Vitthal Das’s death, Shayama Betiji, the daughter of Girdharji was at the gaddi in Benaras. When she learnt about the news of Raja Sahib’s grief, she left for Jubbulpore and graced Raja Sahib’s house with her sacred presence. She pronounced that Raja Sahib would have a second son after a year.

Shayama Beti was unique in her devotion to God and her utterance proved true. So by the grace of God, Raja Sahib had a son in 1871. He was named Jiwan Das, at the instance of Shyama beti, for the name of the child whom she had recently adopted was Jiwanlal.

Greater part of Jiwan Dasji’s childhood was spent at his mother’s house at Jaipur. He remained with his maternal grand parents. Raja Sahib also bought a haveli at Jaipur so that his son would be comfortable and has his own house. Jiwan Das received some formal education while he was with his maternal grand parents. But as he came back to his real parents in Jubbulpore, at the age of 12, Raja Sahib made proper arrangements for his education. A middle school was also established by Raja Sahib for Jiwan Das’s education. The public too benefited by the opening of the school. Here, students received free education from the first preparatory section in the vernacular to the fourth standard in English. The school kept working for some years but at last seeing no great need for it, Raja Sahib closed it down in later years.

Marriage and Children:

Jiwandasji was first married to daughter of Seth Mori Ram Kabra, a rich merchant of Gadarwara in the Narsinghpur district of Central Province. The marriage party went by road although the place could be reached by rail, this was due to the fact that the marriage party consisted of some 15,000 to 20,000 people. The market of Gadarwara could not supply the needs of such large party. So telegraphic messages were sent to Jubbulpore, to make all the necessary purchase for the marriage of Raja Sahib’s only son. Everything was purchased, regardless of the cost involved. However, Jiwandasji’s first wife from Gadarwara died the following year without any children.

As a result, Raja Sahib had to get his only son, Jiwandas, married for the second time to Shrimati Parwati Bai, the daughter of Seth Raghunath Das, a famous banker of Khandwa.  A son was born to Jiwandas and Parwati Bai in the year 1896. He was named Govinddas. Raja Gokuldas became a proud grandfather and he loved the child so much that he could not bear to be away from him even for a moment. Jiwandas also had a daughter and she was named Raj Kumari Bai.

Govinddas son of D.B. Jiwandas	Rajkumari Bai daughter of D.B. Jiwandas