About Us
Forming of Vanza Mandal
In 1976, a group of volunteers, Kantilal Tank, Gordhandas Ladhabhai Solanki, Laljibhai Makwana, Harilal Mulji Kamothi, Bachubhai Lalji Parmar, Valji Lalji Parmar, Bhovan Kara Nandha and Mrs Javerben Nandha, Haridas Vallabhdas Bhadresa and Pravinchandra Harilal Makwana got together one evening in Romford Road and discussed the creation of an association/ organisation for Dharji’s in the East London area, but not limiting to this area only.
As a direct result of these discussions, Vanza brothers and sisters were invited, by word of mouth to a meeting that was held at the Trinity Centre located in East Ham. After long discussions and deliberations, Vanza Mandal was established as a bona-fide organisation and the first committee was elected. The first President was Gordhandas Ladhabhai Solanki. He and the newly formed committee immediately got to work preparing for celebration of socio-religious events to bring people together.
Vanza History
The Vanza history goes back to a Kshatriya Ancestry. About 175 years ago, Shree Gopal Lal Maharaj (fourth generation of Shree Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharyaji) visited Saurashtra every so often to go and see his son Gopendranathji. Vanza turned to ‘Vaishnav panth’ – ‘pushti maarg’ as propounded by Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharyaji.
His intentions were to promote culture and to educate the Wanza/Vanza community and to relieve poverty and sickness. They then accepted Guru Gopal Lal Maharaj as their Guru. We worship the goddess Hingraj Mata who is the goddess of healing and virtue. She is the kuldevi of the Kshatriya (warrior) caste of Gujarat.
Jai Hingraj Mata is a warrior goddess who is cherished, adored and worshipped by her devotees all over the world.
In the early 20th century, a number of Vanza Dharji’s migrated to the East Africa to take up business opportunities opening up with the introduction of the railway. Initially, only the young men came, leaving their families in India. As time went on their families and other families migrated to East Africa.
As the number of Vanza’s grew significantly, this led to the creation of community organisations to meet religious and cultural needs. Shree Wanza Union was formed in Nairobi, Wanza Gnati Hittechhu Mandal formed in Mombasa and other similar bodies in Kisumu, Jinja and Dar-es-Salaam.
These organisations grew and prospered, thus providing a focal point for the Dharji community to get together to enhance and teach the new generations about culture and devotion to Jai Hingraj Maa and Guru Gopallal.
East Ham Town hall
One of the first events was Navratri was celebrated at East Ham Town Hall. Initially, the venue was not available for Sundays and Navratri Raas/Garba was held at other venues on Sundays. For many growing up in the local community, East Ham Town Hall has always been the Navratri venue for Vanza Mandal. Huge kudos and thanks to Kantilal Tank, who made the first booking at East Ham Town Hall and established a good relationship with the Council officers.
Vanza Mandal Constitution
The Vanza Mandal Constitution was drafted soon after the Vanza Mandal was created. During 1982 it was agreed to update the Constitution. A revised Constitution was published in 1983 with the Charities Commission and it was at this point Vanza Mandal was registered as a Charity.
Vanza Mandal was one of the first (or earliest) of community or religion-based organisations in the UK to be officially registered as a Charity. Vanza Mandal now stands proud because of the effort and time given to it by past Presidents, Trustees, Committee members and other countless volunteers who have all given up their time for the betterment of the Community.
Full version of the Constitution available here.
1983 Original version.
Past Vanza Mandal Presidents
For brevity, only the Presidents are listed here.
Some served a number of years consecutively, while some were re-elected after a break of some years.
• Gordhandas Ladhabhai Solanki •
• Laljibhai Purshottam Makwana •
• Harilal Mulji Kamothi •
• Pravinchandra Harilal Makwana •
• Hansaben Parshottam Waghela •
• Jayantilal Valji Parmar •
• Jayantilal Dharamshi Mandalia •
• Pradip Dharamshi Solanki •
• Nilaben Kishor Solanki
• Paresh Makwana •
Links to our Sister Organisations
External links are provided for informational purposes and do not constitute endorsements from Vanza Mandal.
- WANZA SAMAJ UK
- The Vanza Community of South London, VCSL
- Shree Wanza Community Leicester
- Vanza Society of London
- Diu Vanza Darji Samaj
- Shree Wanza Union Nairobi
- Vanza Society Of Canada
- Vanza Darji Porbandar
The Vanza Community of South London