The Marwari or Marwadi (Devanagari: मारवाड़ी) are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group that originate from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, India. Their language, also called Marwari language, comes under the umbrella of Rajasthani languages, which is part of the Western Zone of Indo-Aryan languages. Apart from India, they have sizeable presence in the neighbouring countries of Pakistan and Nepal.
Etymology
The term
Marwari once referred to the area encompassed by the former
princely state of
Marwar, also called the
Jodhpur division region of southwest
Rajasthan in
India. It formed from the two constituent words, Maru (region of
Thar desert)
and Wadi (enclosure),
effectively indicating the western part of modern day Rajasthan.
It has evolved to be a designation for the Rajasthani people in general but it is used particularly with reference to certain jātis that fall within the Bania community. The most prominent among these communities are the
Agarwal, Khandelwals,
and
.
It is possible that the association of the
Marwari term with Jodhpur owes more to the high status of that place in pre-independence India.
Dwijendra Tripathi believes that the term Marwari was probably used by the traders only when they were outside their home region; that is, by the diaspora.
History
Early origins
Marwari traders have historically been migratory in habit. The possible causes of this trait include the proximity of their homeland to the major
Ganges -
Yamuna trade route; movement to escape famine; and the encouragement given to them by various rulers of northern India who saw advantages in having their skills in banking and finance.
[
]
The pattern of Marwari migration became increasingly divergent following the decline in wars between Rajput kingdoms, which the Marwaris had helped to finance, and the decreasing influence of the community over the North Indian caravan trading routes that resulted from the British establishing themselves in the region. The changed focus of migration was also encouraged by the British, who established or patronised new trading routes and centres, as well as by the decline in the political significance of the Rajput courts whose famed conspicuous consumption had been supported by Marwari money. The community welcomed the relative safety that the British presence offered, as well as the commercial and legal frameworks that they provided and which were more favourable to Marwari activities than the systems prevalent during the earlier period of Mughal Empire and Rajput rule.
The Marwari Jagat Seth family served as banker to the Nawab of Bengal.
British era
After the decline of Mughal authority, Marwari traders, bankers and financiers migrated to the growing British power in Calcutta.[
]
Historian Medha M. Kudaisya has said that the Marwaris:
A considerable number of Marwari business groups made their fortune on speculative markets in the nineteenth and early twentieth century.
Although maintaining close and public ties with the British authorities, members of the Marwari business community were early financial supporters of the Indian National Congress, often in secret.
Independent India
In 1956, the All-India Marwari Federation opposed a linguistic organisation of states while buying up regional language newspapers in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.[ The Times of India, 11 February 1956, p. 3.] Today, they control many of the country's largest media groups.
The community's influence over the Indian economy declined following the country's 1991 economic reforms. From a peak of controlling 24 per cent of economic activity in 1990, it had fallen to less than 2 per cent in 2000. This reflects the growth of new industries outside of commodities trading and primary production. The figure for 2000 is considered to be lower than the position in 1939, when the community first began its resurgence.
Language
Marwari, or Marrubhasha, as it is referred to by Marwaris, is the traditional historical language of the Marwaris. The Marwari language is closely related to the Rajasthani language. The latter evolved from the Old Gujarati (also called Old Western Rajasthani, Gujjar Bhakha or Maru-Gurjar) language spoken by the people in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Culture
Marwaris have been known for a tightly knit social solidarity, described by Selig Harrison in 1960 as "indissoluble under the impact of the strongest regional solvents".
Demographics outside India
Pakistan
Following the 1947 partition, many Marwari Muslims moved to the new state of Pakistan, mainly in Karachi with some in southern Punjab, and as of 2007 their numbers were estimated at around 500,000 in the country.
The Ghazdarabad neighbourhood of Karachi has a Marwari Muslim majority, numbering around 20,000 and having mostly moved from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan after the partition and earlier in the 19th century as well.
Nepal
The Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal classifies the Marwaris (called Marwadis in the Nepal census) as a subgroup within the broader social group of "Indian Nepalis".[ Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II [1]] At the time of the Nepal census of 2011, 51,443 people (0.2% of the population of Nepal) were Marwadi. The frequency of Marwadis by province was as follows:
The frequency of Marwadis was higher than national average (0.2%) in the following districts:[ 2011 Nepal Census, District Level Detail Report]
Notable people
See also
External links
