Bhimjee Parikh

Bhimji Parikh or Bhimji Parekh (1610-1680) was a Pushtimargi Vshanav.His grandson mariied with Jain lady. After that his family adopted jain dharm.He was born in in 1610 Surat. He is remembered today primarily for having introduced the first printing press, to Bombay in 1674-75. Bhimji had intended to use this printing press towards “the common good” of printing “ancient manuscripts” that would be “useful or at least grateful to posterity.” Regrettably this enterprise failed to achieve its stated end.

Life
Bhimji Parekh, son of Tulsidas Parekh, had an eventful, even chequered, career. At various times he had worked as broker for the East India Company, as a money lender, and (unsuccessfully) as printer. For services to the company, Bhimji was awarded a medal and chain of gold worth 150 shillings in 1683.

A notable incident in Bhimji’s life was when religious persecution in Surat had become unbearable he organised and led a boycott by Hindu banias, protesting discriminatory abuse, against Aurangzeb. Over 800 merchants left Surat en masse. The boycott was successful and in December 1669, they returned to Surat upon promises of religious toleration. Not many years later, Bhimji would play a central role in the exodus of hundreds of Hindu banias from Surat to Bombay.

Bhimji died in 1686 and left two minor sons, Vanmalidas and Shankardas, who would play an important part in the business-life of Surat.

The Printing Press
In 1674-75, a printing press had been brought to the island of Bombay for the first time. In the fifth session of the All India Library Conference in Mumbai in 1942, it had been claimed in by Sri KM Munshi, that this printing press had been sold to Bhimji Parekh by Shivaji Maharaj. However, no evidence was found to support this dubious claim. On the contrary, correspondence between Bhimjee Parekh and the East India Company indicate that Bhimji had imported the press on his own initiative. In a letter from Surat to the East India Company dated 9 January 1670:
 * “Bimgee Parrack makes his humble request to you that you would please to send out an able Printer to Bombay, for that he hath a curiosity and earnest Inclynation to have some of the Ancient Brahminy Writings in Print and for the said Printer’s encouragement he is willing to allow him £.50 a year for three years, and also to be at (bear?) the charges of tooles and Instruments necessary for him…”

In another letter from London to Surat, dated 3 April 1674, it is stated that:
 * “We have also entertained Mr. Henry Hills a printer for our Island of Bombay at the salary of £.50 per annum and ordered a printing press with letters and other necessaries as also a convenient quantity of paper to be sent along with him…all of which is to be charged upon Bhimgee from whome you are to receive it.”

Bhimji had stated clearly in his 1670 letter to the East India Company that he wished to print “Ancient Brahminy Writings.” Perhaps it is not entirely surprising the Company acceded to his request with, among other considerations, the hope that it would help spread Christian faith:
 * “We should gladly heare that Bingees design about the printing do take effect, that may be a means to propagate our religion whereby soules may be gained as well as Estates.”

The expert printer, Henry Hills, did arrive as was promised. He did not however, have the skills to cut types in Indic scripts. Bhimji, therefore, asked the company for to secure for him a type-founder. In a letter from Surat to the East India Company, dated 23 January 1676:
 * “The Printing designe doth not yet meet with the successe as expected by Bimgee Parrack.... Wee have seen some papers printed in the Banian Character by the persons employed by Bimgee which looks very well and legible and shews the work is feasible; but the charge and teadiousness of these people for want of better experience doth much discourage, if you Honours would please to send out a founder of [sic] Caster of letters at Bimgees charge he would esteem it a great favour and honour…”

The company responded in a letter dated 15 March 1677:
 * “Wee wish the Printing business may take effect, if wee can procure a Founder of letters he shall be sent by these ships.”

This type-founder did not eventually arrive. However, in the Gazetteer of the Island of Bombay it was written that:
 * “Bhimji was disappointed to find that Hill…was quite unable to ‘cut the Banian letters,’ and he therefore wrote once again to the Court of Directors who replied by sending out a type-founder in 1678.”

The Gazetteer sourced this information from the Bombay Gazette of 1 July 1906. Priolkar’s investigation revealed that there was no issue of the Bombay Gazette on Sunday, 1 July 1906. Monday’s issue, 2 July 2006, did contain an article on Bombay’s first printing press but contained no evidence of the type-founder’s arrival.

Bhimji Parekh failed to realise his ambition of printing literature in Indian characters. It may be, however, that the press did print some literature in English. It would be reasonable to assume that some types would have been brought with the press. Priolkar substantiates this opinion by citing two documents that suggests printed material was available in Bombay at this time.

In The Gazetteer of Bombay City and Island, in a passage about innovations introduced by General Aungier:
 * “Other innovations of more or less importance were the establishment of a Mint…the opening of a printing press, the building of houses…”

Captain Alexander Hamilton, who travelled to India on business between 1628 and 1723, mentions that he saw certain printed documents during his stay in Bombay:
 * “…The Articles of his Grievances I saw in a printed copy and were as follows, in 35 Articles.”

Bhimji Parekh’s intent to print in Indian Characters would materialise magnificently, albeit on the other side of India, in Calcutta and Serampore where, by the 1830s, books would be printed in over 40 languages.