Ganeriwals

Ganeriwala family are a Marwari family, connected with the financial, social and cultural history of Rajasthan. Rising in dominance in the late 1800s, as treasurers, traders and financiers, they held close ties to the royal family of Rajasthan. A common trait among the traditional banking families of Rajasthan, members of the Ganeriwala family have been credited for the construction of various Hindu temples and opulent haveli’s in Rajasthan.

Courtyard inside of Char Chowk Ki Haveli
Aerial view of Char Chowk Ki Haveli
Rangji temple, Pushkar

Shobharam Birla, the grandfather of Raja Baldeo Das Birla, worked with the Ganeriwala family, before the Birlas emerged as the leading industrialists of India.[1][2][3]

Shivaji was known to be a frequent visitor of the Ganeriwala haveli holding close ties with their family patriarch. In the 1800s, Seth Puranmal Ganeriwala’s branch of the family separated from the rest to become treasurers and bankers of the Nizams of Hyderabad, namely Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII, the worlds richest man at a point. This was not acceptable to the rest of the family who believed their family duties lied in serving a Hindu ruler. However Seth Puranmal Ganeriwala stuck to his Hindu roots and built one of Hyderabad’s most famous Hindu temples - Sitaram Bagh Temple.

The Great prefix was the result of the Great firm theory applied to the Marwari family businesses like the Geat Ganeriwala firm, Great Tarachand (promoted by Neotia's, patriarchs of Ambuja Cement Ltd) and Great Sevaram Ramnikhdas[3][4][5] Neotia's became leading agents of Burma Shell before forming Ambuja Cements Ltd.

Ganeriwala family trusts consist of temples, schools, wells and dharmashalas since the 1800s. The Sitaram Bagh temple[6][7] at Hyderabad was built by Seth Puranmal Ganeriwala, in 1830s who had also built the noted Rangji temple in Pushkar in 1850.[8] Mody University of Laxhmangarh is built on land donated by the Ganeriwala family. Sitaram Bagh temple is spread over 25 acres and classified as a heritage property. Shree Raghunathji Mandir in Nashik was donated by mother of Seth Ram Dutt Ganeriwala over a 120-acre land. Geeta Vatika also known as Geeta Garden in Gorkahpur was built on the land donated by Seth Jaydayal Ganeriwala. Haveli's belonging to the descendants include ones in Fatehpur, Mukundgarh, Lakshmangarh, Ratnagarh.The Char Chawk Ki Haveli is the largest haveli of Shekhawati, owned by several branches of the Ganeriwala family previously and now managed and lead by Shri Girdharilalji Ganeriwala. Other temples near Jaipur include ones in Ratnagarth, Mukundgarh, Fatehpur, Sirsa, Ganeri etc.

References
  1. Brushes With History, Krishna Kumar Birla, Penguin UK, 2009
  2. A man of our times Hindustan Times, May 21, 2012
  3. Timberg, Thomas A. (2015-05-22). The Marwaris: From Jagat Seth to the Birlas. Penguin UK. ISBN 9789351187134.
  4. The 'Great Firm' Theory of the Decline of the Mughal Empire, Karen Leonard, Comparative Studies in Society and History, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr., 1979), pp. 151–167
  5. A Study of a "Great" Marwari Firm: 1860-1914, TA Tillberg, Indian Economic & Social History Review July 1971 8: 264–283
  6. 180 Year Celebrations of Sitaram Bagh Temple Hyderabad
  7. Architectural assortment, K. VENKATESHWARLU, The Hindu, Feb 18, 2004
  8. Indo-Muslim Cultures in Transition, Alka Patel, Karen Leonard, BRILL, Nov 25, 2011 p.155
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