Sanstha Vasahat (Mir Sahib Wada)

In the city of Baroda, on Raopura Road, opposite Nawab Wada and behind Shala Number Ek, lies Mir Sahib Wada, now known as the Sanstha Vasahat. The old door and arch of Mir Sahib Wada still stand as a testament to its past has recently been re-furbished. A little further ahead, down a lane to the left, is an ancient mosque that leads towards Navrang Talkies, is Mir Bakr Ali Mosque.

Founder of Mir Sahib Wada

Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan Sheswani was bestowed with the Kamadhia jagir by Mughal Emperor Akbar Shah II in 1817. In 1818, the East India Company recognized Kamadhia as a ruling princely state and granted Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan the title of Darbar Shri Ruling Chief of Kamadhia. This period was under Maharaja Anand Rao Gaekwad. Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan maintained a close relationship with Baroda. When he arrived in Baroda, Maharaja of Baroda bestowed upon him the titles of Sardars of Amreli and Kathiawad. In return, Maharaja gave him the Jagir of Gothda and a place for the Resident in Baroda, where Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan constructed Mir Sahib Wada. This wada comprised about seven or eight buildings including a Mehfilkhana, Janankhana, Mardan Khana, etc.

Marriages and Descendants

Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan’s first marriage was to his cousin, the daughter of Qazi Sahib of Sheswan (Badaun District, UP), but they had no children. His second marriage was to Raja Begum, the younger daughter of Baroda’s military commander Mirza Sarf Beg, while his elder daughter was married to Mir Kamaluddin. His third marriage was to Wazirunisha Begum, daughter of Moinuddin Saleh, resulting in the birth of Mir Bakr Ali, who had no descendants.

Mir Ibrahim Ali (1835–1885)

The eldest son of Mir Sarfaraz Ali Khan, Mir Akbar Ali, had a son named Mir Ibrahim Ali, born in 1835. Mir Ibrahim Ali was a disciple of Mirza Ghalib and maintained direct correspondence with him. Although they never met in person, they exchanged portraits, and Ghalib wrote six letters to Mir Ibrahim Ali. Mir Ibrahim Ali was known for his beautiful voice and was renowned for his recitations of Naat Sharif. He was a Sufi and a follower of Hazrat Mehmudmiya Chishti of Ahmedabad. In 1881, British authorities honored him with the title of CIE (Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire) at the Delhi Darbar. He passed away in 1885 during the reign of Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III.

Mir Ibrahim Ali had four sons. His eldest son, Mir Ehtesham Ali, also known by the pen name ‘Jadu,’ was a poet and a disciple of Maulana Najmuddin Ahmed ‘Shakab.’

Legacy of Mir Ehtesham Ali

Mir Ehtesham Ali’s son, Sardar Mir Intizam Ali, was awarded the title of Rajvallabh by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III and was granted the Jagir of Gothda. The details of this service are documented in the Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad’s Service Book, a photocopy of which is available here, along with a picture of Sardar Mir Intizam Ali Khan, kindly provided by Nawab Mir Jafar Imam Darbar from his book “Mirza Ghalib and Mirs of Gujarat.”

Contribution and Legacy

Mir Intizam Ali’s son, Mir Mahbub Ali, continued the literary and scholarly traditions of his ancestors. An Urdu and Persian scholar, he made significant contributions to Persian literature. His marriage was to Nawabzadi Waliunisha Begum, daughter of Mir Gulam Khwaja Moinuddin of Kamadhia. Mir Mahbub Ali is buried in Bharuch.

The Lost Tomb of Mir Ibrahim Ali

The tomb of Mir Ibrahim Ali “Wafa” and his family was located behind the Bakul Bungalow in front of the Baroda Palace. In 2001, when Nawab Jafar Imam Darbar visited Baroda, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Gaekwad had the area cleared of overgrowth and a path created. Nawab Jafar Imam Darbar took photographs of the tomb at that time. Unfortunately, the tomb has since been lost, and we lament this loss of an invaluable historical heritage. May the souls of Mir Sahib and his family be granted high status in Jannat-ul-Firdous. Ameen.

This family is from the Ahle Bait Mawdudi Chishti lineage, and their legacy continues to illuminate the fields of knowledge and literature in Baroda, Surat, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, London, and beyond.

This post is written in collaboration with Mirza Akram Ali Baig Ballantine, Rehan Kuwa Wala, Aiyub Khan Pathan & Baroda Muslim Official team. The information is provided by Nawab Mir Jafar Imam Darbar of Kamadhia.