Restoring Communal Harmony: Bhiwandi and Dwarka

Nana’s influence extended far beyond Mumbai, acting as the ultimate mediator in religious conflicts across Western India.

• The Bhiwandi Riot (1836): When the Hindu festival of Vitthal Ekadashi and the Muslim observance of Moharram coincided in Bhiwandi, a riot broke out. A Muslim mob vandalized the local Vitthal idol, but a biased local court ruled against the Hindus. Nana personally took the case to Governor Robert Grant, forcing the appointment of special European magistrates who reinvestigated the case, jailed the culprits, and allowed Nana to peacefully reconsecrate the Vitthal idol.
• The Dwarka Desecration: When British troops chased Waghri tribal looters into the sacred Dwarkanath temple in Gujarat, they desecrated the shrine. In protest, the wealthy Gujarati merchant community of Mumbai boycotted the Diwali _Deepotsav_ (festival of lights), plunging the city into darkness. The Governor pleaded with Nana to intervene. Nana secured a guarantee of compensation and justice from the British, pacified the Gujarati merchants, and single-handedly restored the festival of lights to the city.