By Niranjan Mehta ( Grandson of Nautalmlal Bhagawanji Mehta)
The British goods boycott was A Dedicated effort with the courage to lose everything for Nationalism and free India. By Nautamlal B Mehtana of Jetpur only through the “Gandhian way.”
How Nautamlal Mehtas stood out differently compared to other big Gandhian Supporting Businessmen? Those prominent businessmen were Helping freedom, Supporting their corporate system-based businesses, and using funding from pub stockholders or Banks. ( Sure, their infrastructure depended on it.)
Whereas Dr. P.J Mehta and Nautamlal Mehta, and many like them, use their own money and burn their own home to fuel their nationalism and free India. By early 1940 both from a group of pioneers of Freedom in India almost became homeless ( I will not write more here due to personal matters)
compare the result of others’, whose more calculated sacrifice for the freedom of India gave them massive corporations in a New free India.
Whereas the core Indian engine of freedom of India was turned into ashes without anyone ever caring to notice. Nautamlal, P.J. Mehta, and thousands of others like them Burned out without getting any significance, credit, or importance.
How Nautamlal Mehta fought British Indian Postal ( British) propagation. Page ” Boycott of British goods,” the result was not good.
They Paid a very high price for this act and opposed British interests.
Below 18 letters and envelope was our property, and you can see all addresses and writers of letters are all Nautamlal B Mehta’s children. However, these envelopes with notes are old coin collections. Some of those were stolen from my uncle Moolshankar Mehta’s home in “Vora wad” Wankaner” In early 1970; later, around the year 2000, I alerted eBay to any items coming on auction under the name” Gandhi, Kamdar, Jetpur, or Mahatma t”o warn me. One day around 2006 ebay alerted me to this auction of the letters below. I objected to stopping the auction, eBay did stop, and we tried to reach the seller of this auction in Rajkot, but we could not track them down. However, eBay gave us copies of the stolen letters you see here. Sure, it has some of their logos on our stolen property, “plenums Rajkot, India.” We thank eBay for their help to protect Historical documents. and for giving us Indian National Historical Evidence.
How did Nautamlal Bhagawanji Pedhi start Losing Business?
1. They Never compromised. At the same time, following the Mahatma Gandhian way. All Maharajas and other traders were Pro-British. They stopped doing business with us. PLEASE BRITISH.
Local Rulers were even worse than the British. Knowing Nautamlal has no help from the distant town of Jetpur. They started diverting water from Our farms. Take away crops at night, Grab extensive Nautamlal lands, Nothing but Mafia Giri. Knowing that Nautamlal is NOT pro-British…At night they used to throw Molotov cocktails at our home to please the British. We had to bring our own 10-12 “Ch” us” A” ( Chaus) security Guards from Saudi Arabia to Protect us. was very difficult. even Mahatma Gandhi had to give up his protest in Rajkot from Rajkot state read the below link
https://upscwithnikhil.com/index.php/article/history/political-integration-of-rajkot
My Grandfather Never Compromised, nor did my father and his brother. Their Nationalism is so deep in them that nothing has shaken them. With every destruction, they become more reliable for mother India. FOR THEM, IT WAS NOT SACRIFICED, DEDICATION, OR NATIONALISM. BUT FOR THEM, IS IT THEIR LIFE AND BREATH?
Scroll down to read the most potent and unique symbols of the Gandhian Moment of Boycotting British goods.
These letters are unique because the action was from one of the most powerful & oldest (400 years) business houses in western India name Nautamlal B Mehta of Jetpur; especially at that time, almost all Maharajas were Pro British, another group of businessmen was with a vested interest, one group was with the spirit of Nationalism as long as it does not hurt them financially. atAt that time, Nautamlal B Mehta and his family gave up everything for national pride and Freedom from the British to support Gandhian Moment & Value through Tan, Man, and Dhan. ( through the body, through the mind, and .oney)
India 1930s BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS Rare History GANDHI
India 1930s BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS Rare History GANDHI Offered here for your consideration are a lot of items related to Mahatma Gandhi’s “Boycott British Goods” movement. This small collection of three covers, five letters, and Boycott British Goods hand stamps and labels. These letters are written by Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta (Kamdar) and his family members. Shri Nautamlal B. Mehta was a prominent freedom fighter and supporter of Mahatma Gandhi. He was the first to use and bestow the title “MAHATMA” for Shri Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. Shri Nautamlal Mehta presented a commemoration certificate to Gandhiji and used the title Mahatma for Gandhiji on that certificate. The certificate was presented to Mahatma Gandhi at Kamri Bai School of Jetpur on January 21, 1915. From then on, Gandhiji was known as Mahatma Gandhi.
At that time, the Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta family was a prominent trader and threading agent in the Western States of India for European and North American products and services for at least 350-400 Years. When this family was involved in the Gandhian movement, they became against using any British products and here, in the items offered, you can see the use of Boycott British Goods slogans in the correspondence of this family to promote the Boycott activity of Mahatma Gandhi.
Shri Nautamlal Mehta had three sons, namely, 1. Shri Manilal Nautamlal Mehta, 2. Shri Mulshankar Nautamlal Mehta and 3. Shri Vrajlal Nautamlal Mehta also known as Vajubhai. Shri Mulshankar and Shri Vrajlal were closely involved with the Gandhian freedom movement. Both never married for this cause. Shri Mulshankar took the pain in Dandi March with Gandhiji. Their activities always hovered on the Path of Mahatma Gandhis Nationalism and freedom of India.
All my family members were very Independent, and, too difficult to work under anyone. Once they found out the high Value of Mahatma Gandhi for them, they do not need any instruction or group. They worked with a Gandhian mindset. Every moment.ETERNALLY.
Item 1, cover and the letter inside it. The cover is tied by BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS single line hand stamp in blackish violet. This cover contains a letter of Shri Mulshankar Nautamlal Mehta written on 20th July 1930 from Satyagraha Chhavani (Gandhian Freedom Fighters’ Center) at Vile Parle, Bombay addressed to his brother Shri Vrajlal Nautamlal Mehta, Jetpur. Cover addressed to Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta, Jetpur with delivery postmark on back reading “JETPUR / DELY / 21 JUL 31 / 8.30A.M.”.
Below is the letter inside the above cover.
Below is the translation of the important matter of the above letter:
Note written above the salutation: “I hope that you have received the twenty or may be thirty Patrika (booklets related to freedom movement) which Respected Uncle (may be Shri Chamanlal Bhagwanji Mehta? Younger brother of Shri Nautamlal B. Mehta) sent together four or five days ago. You must have kept the Free Press Journal file.”
2nd and 3rd Paragraph: “I knew that you purchased a book titled “Limbdi maa Police raj” (Torcher by Police in Limbdi). Buy if any book like this is available with Dave and Vyas (Book sellers). Do tell Kantibhai from Dave and Vyas to inform you if such book arrives.”
“Did Thakkar bapa (Amritlal Vithaldas Thakkar – also known as ‘Thakkar bapa’, a prominent Gandhian and an Indian social worker who worked for upliftment of tribal people in Gujarat state in India) visited there?”
“The same Patrika (booklet) is sent herewith. If you read these booklets regularly, I will send it daily otherwise I will keep those here. Do let me know whether you read these booklets or not. Do you sill spin the spinning wheel?”.
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ITEM2: KG V ONE ANNA Postal Stationery cover tied by single line violet rubber stamp in Gujarati – “BRITISH MALNO BAHISHKAR KARO” (Boycott British Goods). Cover addressed to Shri Vrajlal Nautamlal Mehta, Jetpur. Cover is sent by Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta from Bombay. Cover tied by double circle SHROFF MAHAJAN / 31 JUL 30 / BOMBAY cancellation. Partial delivery cancellation of Jetpur, 2nd August 1930 is tied on back of the cover. No letter inside the cover.
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Item 3: A letter (no envelope) from Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta (Kamdar) to his youngest son Shri Vrajlal, written from Bombay on 7th August 1930.
Below is the translation of the important matter of the above letter:
2nd Page, 2nd Paragraph: “You have asked to bring the rubber stamp (of Boycott British Goods) but the Post Office has made a new rule that the covers and the post cards bearing such Boycott British Goods rubber stamps will be destroyed from 9th August 1930 hence it can not be used on post cards and covers. However you can apply this rubber stamp on your letter which you send in an envelope. So, if you let me know that you want it for this purpose, I shell bring the rubber stamp for you.”
3rd Page, 1st Paragraph: “I have bought for you, 21 medals depicting photographs of different freedom fighters. I will arrange to send with somebody.”
4th Page, 1st Paragraph: “The verdict of the case on Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel and others have come. Pandit (Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru), Malaviya (Madan Mohan Malaviya) and other four sentenced a fine of Rs.100. If they pay the fine then they will have to bare a 15 days ordinary imprisonment. Ordinary imprisonment of 3 months is sentenced to Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel and rest.”
5th Page, Last Paragraph more like Postscript: “Now onwards do not use the Boycott British Goods rubber stamp and labels on the covers and postcards.”
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Item 4: A cover containing two letters. KG V ONE ANNA postal stationery cover addressed in Gujarati to Nautamlal Bhagwanji, C/O Shah Kantilal Manilal’s Shop, Vitthaldas Road, Princess Street, Kalbadevi, P.O. Box 2024, Bombay 2. Posted from Jetpur, tied by JETPUR / 11 AUG. 30 cancellation. Delivery postmark of KALBADEVI BOMBAY NO. 2 / 12 AUG 30 / WINDOW on back.
This cover contains two handwritten letters addressed to Shri Nautamlal Bhagwanji Mehta (Kamdar). One is written by Shri Vanita (daughter of Nautamlal B. Mehta) and the other is written by Shri Vrajlal. Both the letters are written on 10/08/1930.
Below is the letter written by Shri Vanita:
It is just a simple letter from a daughter to her father – typical family correspondence. Affixed with the Boycott British Goods propaganda label depicting Jawaharlal Nehru with slogan in Gujarati BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS, very scarce label. Message to her uncle (Shri Chamanlal? Younger brother of Shri Nautamlal B. Mehta) is written on back, typical family correspondence.
Below is the letter from Shri Vrajlal:
Translation of the important matter written in the above letter is as under:
Second Paragraph, 1st page: “However the post office has made a law (that the articles bearing labels and rubber stamp impressions of Boycott British Goods will be destroyed from 09/08/1930) I want a rubber stamp to keep in the file hence bring it for me.” – This is in reference to Shri Nautamlal B. Mehta’s letter dated 07/08/1930. This letter of Shri Nautamlal Mehta is also offered herewith, kindly refer to the description of the item number 3.
2nd and 3rd Paragraph, Back side of the first page: “To boycott the arrest of Sardar (Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel) and Malaviya (Shri Madan Mohan Malaviya) we arranged for a strike here in our High School”
“Headmaster (Principal) of the High School asked to give written apology letters to three persons – 1. Jayantilal, Son of Dalal Kapurchandbhai, 2. Jayantilal, Son of Chatrabhuj Kamdar and 3. Ratilal Dave. Dalal and Jayantilal gave the written apology but Ratilal denied to do so and he was rusticated and now he is going to join the ‘Satyagraha’ activity (Gandhian activity for freedom)”.
1st Paragraph, 2nd Page: “As a good luck our class gave Ratilal a ‘Takli’ made of Silver (spindle used for cotton spinning) and a ‘Pandani’ (Box to keep the leaves) made of German Silver”
2nd Paragraph, 2nd Page: “Here we have made an organization and three persons from each classes keeps record that how many joins the strike”
At the end of the letter there affixed a Boycott British Goods propaganda label depicting Jawaharlal Nehru with slogan in Gujarati BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS.
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Item 5: A letter (no envelope) from Shri Vanita to her father Shri Nautamlal B. Mehta (Kamdar), written from Jetpur on 26th August 1930. Letter tied by a round blackish violet rubber stamp with propaganda slogan in Gujarati “BRITISH / MAL NO / BAHISHKAR / KARO” (Boycott British Goods) in four lines and a propaganda label depicting Jawaharlal Nehru with slogan in Gujarati BOYCOTT BRITISH GOODS at the bottom of the letter.
At one place Shri Vanita writes in this letter to her father that Bapu and Baa were going to come to meet but haven’t yet come. Here ‘Bapu’ and ‘Baa’ could be Mahatma Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba Gandhi. A short letter. Below is the image of this letter:
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Director General of Indian Posts and Telegraphs prohibited the use of Boycott Propaganda Labels and hand stamps from August 9th, 1930 vide a postal notice published in Indian Gazette.
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Boycott British Goods activity, Indian Independence Movement and Mahatma Gandhi:
“Boycott British Goods” was the slogan of ‘Swadeshi’ movement, part of the Indian independence movement. It was a successful economic strategy to remove the British Empire from power and improve economic conditions in India through following principles of swadeshi (self-sufficiency). Strategies of the swadeshi movement involved boycotting British products and the revival of domestic-made products and production techniques.
