|
|
 |
You are here ....
HOME > Community
| |
|
|
|
|
|
SECTIONS
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Introduction
The term Marwari literally refers to someone who hails from or is an inhabitant
of Marwar - the erstwhile Jodhpur state. This term gained currency initially in
Bengal, where the traders from Shekhawati and other parts of Rajasthan
established their business empires. Distinct in their dress, customs and
language, the traders and merchants of Rajasthan came to be known as Marwaris.
back to top
History
Thomas A Timberg states, 'In colloquial usage, outside
of Rajasthan, Marwari is used to refer to emigrant businessmen from the vicinity
of Rajasthan.' The earliest link of the Marwaris with Bengal can be
traced back to 1564, when Rajput soldiers under Akbar's flag came to camp there
during the reign of Suleman Kirani. The contract of supplying the essentials for
the soldiers was awarded to the merchants of Marwar. On their arrival in Bengal,
they are supposed to have introduced themselves as Marwaris and since they wore
pugris (turbans), they were also referred to as pugridhari Marwaris (Marwaris
who wore turbans). These seths commanded a great deal of respect back at home in
Shekhawati. Rulers of different states would vie with each other to offer the
best possible terms to entice the seths to set up business in their towns. The
Thakur would provide them with fertile land which they were allowed to till
without paying the obligatory tax.
They were also given armed protection for their convoys, charters for the
construction of schools, wells, temples and other charitable enterprises, and
offered immunity from customs, search and seizure, as well as criminal
prosecution! Royal letters of recognition and admiration, and the permission to
wear the tazim - the anklet of honor, were some of the other privileges bestowed
on them. Their opinion was given due weightage and often, they were consulted on
the matters of the state as well. The rulers were wise enough to realize it was
better to get the cooperation, if not the approval of the merchant community, as
they were dependent on them for economic support. For instance, at an estimate,
the merchant class met half of the 15,00,000 rupees budget of the state of Sikar.
The rich and prosperous trader community in turn, would offer extended loans to
the rulers and also invest in other public related projects. Seth Mirzamal was
known to have loaned a sum of four lakhs of rupee to Maharaja Surat Singh. of
Bikaner. The Poddars of Ramgarh provided financial assistance to the Raoraja of
Sikar, and gained implicit Powers through unwritten rules and regulations. On
several other occasions, the Marwari community succeeded in framing ordinances
and decrees to suit their interest. When income tax was imposed on them, the
merchants of Churu, Sardar Shahr, Sujangarh and Nohar protested, and got the
Proposal postponed. In 1868, the ,Surana family protesting against the
imposition of heavy taxation, left Churu to settle in Mehansar. Sir Ganga Singh,
the Maharaja of Bikaner (Churu was a part of Bikaner) had no option but to
accede to their demands and get them back to Churu. But some rulers were more
stubborn and paid the price. Thakur Sheo Singh levied heavy taxes on the Poddars
of Churn in the early part of the 19th century. The Poddars asked him to
reconsider his decision. He refused. The Poddars migrated en masse, and founded
a new town, Ramgarh, 15 kms. south of Sikar. Churu's loss was Sikar's gain as
the Poddars were perhaps the biggest traders of the region and Ramgarh stands
testimony to their entrepreneurial abilities.
back to top
Role of
Marwaris
The development of the frescos in Shekhawati region is linked with the history
of the Marwaris, the influential business community from the Shekawati region
(Originally from Marwar thus called Marwari). The Marwaris prospered until the
beginning of the 19th century, because of the caravan routes that crossed the
area to reach the ports of Gujarat. But from 1820 onwards, many left their
families behind and migrated to Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras, which were gaining
importance as main trade centers. There they had great financial success. The
descendants of these rich merchants have permanently settled down in the towns
where their ancestors immigrated.
Between 1830 and 1930, they erected buildings in their homeland, Shekhawati, as
evidence of their success. As the ultimate symbol of their opulence, the
Marwaris commissioned artists to paint those buildings.
The Shekhawati region has produced large number of Marwaris who are controlling
the economy of India. About 80 percent of big industrial houses are managed by
Marwaris. India's richest industrialists of the century, such as the Birlas, are
Marwaris. Today, the main trading and industrial houses of India have their
roots in Shekhawati.
Marwaris have played an important role in the development of Shekhawati region.
Their major contribution to the Shekhawati region is in the field of education.
Marwaris have also played a leading role in Indian Independence Movement. They
provided financial help in running the freedom movement.
back to top
Migration to
all Parts of Country
Shekhawati provided an interesting Picture of the domination of the combined
forces of feudalism and capitalism. However, while capitalism continued to
dominate for a little longer, the feudal system was on the decline. Constant
infighting amongst the Rajputs had weakened them and the East India Company
forces were only too willing to move in and take control.
As the impoverished thakurs took to looting and plundering the caravans of the
traders, the killings and robberies on the trade routes increased. Besides the
fear and insecurity this caused them, the merchants had additional cause for
worry as British patronage of Mumbai, Calcutta and Madras ports was severely
affecting the existing caravan routes so essential to their trade. When the
political scenario started deteriorating, the Marwaris needed little
encouragement to migrate to garrison towns. Luckily, here too, they received
protection from the British, who were wise enough to recognise their importance.
back to top
Progress as
Traders
The progress in transportation and communication made migration easier and soon
there was a veritable Marwari exodus to the states of Uttar Pradesh, Orissa,
West Bengal, Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Mysore. Some enterprising Marwaris (like
Bhagwandas Bagla, who is considered to be the first Marwari millionaire) even
proceeded abroad to Burma and settled in Rangoon. The opening of the
Delhi-Calcutta rail link gave a fillip to the migration and the new migrants
started lining up for jobs in their newly adopted places of work. They were
helped immensely by the early Marwari migrants whose operations had expanded by
this time, and who needed all the help they could get. Foreign companies wanting
to sell finished British goods in India required agents to represent them and
offered good brokerage. The resourceful Marwaris recognising the potential of
colonial trade, moved into the ports as brokers and amassed a great deal of
wealth.
Since British traders had developed an interest in opium, tea, jute, silver and
gold, the migrant traders soon specialised in these commodities and became the
mainstay of foreign firms. Naturally, in the process they reaped tremendous
benefits for themselves! While Nathuram Saraf served as a bania to the firm of
Miller Kinsell and Ghose, Ramkumar Chokhani of Nawalgarh was the bania for
Ludwig Duke. Hariram Goenka was guarantee broker to the Ralli Brothers, Onkarmal
Jatia to Andrewe Yule and Anandiial Poddar to Toyoto Menka Kesha. The Poddars
and Ruias of Ramgarh had set up firms in Mumbai and Ramnarain Ruia and Govindram
Ghanshyamdas were so firmly entrenched in the cotton trade that they came to be
known as 'cotton kings'.
Bilasirai Kedia, Gulraj Singhania and Ramdayal Nevatia, from Fatehpur, and
Nathuram Poddar and Jokhiram Ruia of Ramgarh, hit the big times in the opium
trade and were referred to as the magnate of the opium markets. The Birlas ,
too, were raking it in during the First World War, through the supply of cotton
and textiles. While Surajmull Jhunjhunwala and Nathuram Saraf were pioneers in
the cloth market in Calcutta, Ganeriwala of Lachhmangarh made such a name in
Hyderabad that he was employed as the treasurer to the State.
By early 20th century, control over most of the inland trade routes was in
Marwari hands. Most of the business of banking, selling of cloth and trading in
opium was with them. They had also started replacing the Khatris and Bengalis as
brokers. Then, after 1910, they started setting up industries. Surajmull
Nagarmull established the first jute factory in 1911, the second three years
later, and the third in 1916. Following this development, the Birlas opened the
first Indian jute export office in London in 1917. They also set up a cotton
mill in Calcutta in 1920 and the famous Gwalior Cotton Mill in Gwalior, in the
following year. While the Sekserias set up textile mills, Ramkrishan Daimia
established cement factories. Sir Sarupchand Hukumchand was an opium speculator,
and when he opened his Calcutta office in 1915, he conducted business to the
tune of rupees five million on the first day! He was worth Rs. 10,000,000 at the
end of that financial year.
Gradually, the Shekhawati Marwaris migrated to the coastal towns of undivided
India, under the protection of the British. The latter needed agents to, handle
the vast imports they were thrusting upon the local economy, as well as
suppliers to produce cotton, muslin, opium and spices for export to Europe. The
Marwari traders in turn, weary of the looting thakurs in their home towns,
readily moved out to set up shop in Mumbai, Calcutta and Indore, while some even
moved as far as Rangoon. The rest is, as they say, is history.
back to top
Attachment
towards Roots
Marwari businesses flourished, their net worth rose beyond limits that even they
had set for themselves. A lot of this was reinvested in their home towns, in an
interesting manner. Firstly, they constructed huge palatial havelis for their
loved ones who had been left behind. These handsome homes were adorned with some
of the finest most memorable frescoes in the world, by bringing in painters from
the neighboring towns of Jaipur and Bikaner.
Their next act of benevolence was toward their towns, where they had spent their
childhood. Schools, temples, wells, hospitals, even colleges were built in
memory of their forefathers and donated to the town, for the development of its
people. Birla Institute of Technical Training, the IlTs, Ruia College, Poddar
School, are all results of these acts of charity and benevolence.
Well-established Marwaris invited nephews, uncles, cousins and well wishers to
come to the cities to lend a helping hand in the expansion, diversification and
the consolidation of their business there. Other trustworthy persons were
appointed back at home to ensure regular procurement and supply of goods from
the hinterland to the ports and other processing units. Lakhs of rupees of
business was conducted daily, and the influence and the fortunes of these
enterprising men rose tremendously. After the Maharajas and the thakurs back
home, it was now the Britishers' turn to acknowledge Marwari contributions and
bestow various honours upon the community. They were elevated to city councils,
and their advice sought on the smooth running of their adopted cities.
back to top
Contribution
towards Nation
The onset of the Second World War might have disrupted the seafaring
routes that the Marwaris were so heavily dependent on, but then the large Allied
forces could not obviously march on empty stomachs. The forces needed food,
uniforms, shoes and ammunition. The more successful Marwaris quickly
diversified, and mills and factories in Mumbai, Indore and Calcutta were soon
spinning out newer requirements. So by the time the freedom fighters managed to
get the Britishers out of the country, India already had its first crop of
self-made millionaire industrialists, and above all, a reasonably good
industrialised sector. Pandit Nehru, despite his other short-sighted decisions,
realized the immense potential of this nascent, fast growing sector, and set
about encouraging the Birlas, Goenkas, Dalmias, Ruias, Poddars and Singhanias
amongst others, to expand, diversify, and get into core sectors. Today, these
very names figure in the who's who of Indian industry and economy.
Corporations and groups now bear the names of those industrious few, whose
scions still hold controlling shares in large companies run by board of
directors, company secretaries, and other technocrats, armed with MBAs, IIT
degrees and what not. The old order changes for the better, one hopes. As a
modern economy striving towards liberalisation, we obviously need modern methods
to run these companies, which started with meager beginnings from towns and
villages that today are but a tourist destination for the art lovers from
Europe.
back to top
Shekhawati
The history of Shekhawati can be traced back to the 14th Century, a number of
Muslims clans moved into the area and the towns which developed became important
trading posts on the caravan routes emanating from the ports of Gujrat. The name
of the region can be traced to a 15th century Rajaput Kachhwaha chieftain by the
name of Rao Shekha.
As the Mughal Empire fell into decline after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the
descendants of Rao Shekha , who had already installed themselves in areas to the
east of the Aravalli Range, began to encroach on the regions to the north and
west. Covering an area of some 30,000 sq km, today this region encompasses the
administrative districts of Churn, Jhunjhunu and Sikar, and is known as
Shekhawati.The chieftains of the region retained a nominal loyalty to the Rajput
states of Jaipur and Amber, who in turn honored them with hereditary titles
known as tazimi sardars. It was probably exposure to the courts of jaipur
and Amber which encouraged the chieftains, who were known as thakurs, or barons,
to commission the first of the thousands of murals which decorated their havelis,
or mansions.By 1732, two of these chieftains, Sardul Singh and Shiv Singh, had
overthrown the nawabs of Fatehpur and Jhunjhunu and British Ports at Bombay and
Calcutta were able to handle a much greater volume of trade than those at
Gujarat. Pressure by the British East India Company compelled Jaipur state to
drastically reduce its levies, and it became no longer necessary to travel via
Shekhawati. However hawat merchants had received grounding in the Practices and
principles
of trade, and were reluctant to relinquish was obviously a lucrative source of
Income. Towards the end of the 19th century menfolk began to emigrate their
desert homes to the thriving, centres emerging on the ports of the Ganges.
India's richest industrialists of the century, such
as the Birlas, were Marwaris (as the people from Shekawati came to be known).
back to top
|
