In 1925, when Pappa was 24 he went to India and got married to Dayakunver Boghani. Ba was only 16 when they got married. They came to Mombasa by “steamer”. In those days you had to take all your cooking supplies and make your own meals on the boat! On arrival they were all quarantined as there were frequent cases of smallpox and meningitis on these steamers. Both these diseases were very contagious and the boats were ideal breeding grounds. Quarantine meant taking all the passengers and crew to a remote island for 1-2 weeks! Sounds idyllic!

In Mombasa Ba and Pappa had some good neighbours, the closest were “Moshi wada Mama” Devchand Nathu who made Ba his sister. Their other neighbours were Mohanbhai and Dudhiben of Tanga.

Pappa and Ba later moved to Mnazi Moja where R.D. Doshi was a neighbour. R.D. worked for Oriental Insurance Co. Pappa started working with R.D. in his spare time and at weekends. They sold Life Insurance to Asian men around the area and Pappa also travelled upcountry in search of clients. Often on holidays he worked 24 hours a day.