INTRODUCTION

Introduction

The Marwaris represent the only business community one would truly call pan-Indian.  A “Time” magazine estimate published in 1963 mentions that the Marwaris controlled 60% of the assets in Indian Industry.  The larger Marwari assets are also more widely dispersed than the Gujarati, geographically and Industrially.

Having a business presence spanning much of the sub-continent is a feature that has distinguished the Marwaris from other prominent communities like the Parsis, Sindhis, Gujarati Banias/Jains, Lohanas, Bhatias, Chettiars, Punjabhi Khatris/Aroras or Muslim Memons, Khojas and Bohras who historically have had more geographically concentrated inland operations. 

Where did these people come from? 

Do they together form a caste, community of a class? 

How did they amass so much of capital?  

How do they conduct business?

What is their relevance in present day's economy?

These questions not only plague people who come in touch with this community but also members of this community itself.  This blog is aimed at re-constructing the Marwari Identity with excerpts from Published literature so as to answer the above questions and dispel myths and stereotypes surrounding it. 

In this blog I have referred to publications online and offline and often extracted the entire paragraphs and diagrams from them directly. Given below are the list of publications referred to while writing this blog. 

Readers of this blog are free to share their stories or info which are not covered. 

1. The Marwaris - Thomas Timberg

2. Community & Public Life - Anne Hansgrohe

3. www.shekhawatifestival.com/history.html

4. www.wikipedia.org

5. India's New Capitalists - Harish Damodaran

6. Opium City - Amar Farooqui

7. The Marwari Community in Eastern India - Narayan Chandra Saha