Banyan merchants: Difference between revisions
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{{about|usage of the term around the Indian Ocean|the caste|Vaishya|other usages|Banyan (disambiguation)}} |
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#REDIRECT [[Vaishya]] |
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'''Banyan merchants''' ([[wikt:Banyan|''Banyan'']] through [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] ''banian'' and [[Arabic language|Arabic]] بنيان, ''banyān'', from the [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] વાણિયો, ''vāṇiyo'', meaning 'merchant'.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bibliomania.com/2/3/260/1269/19865/1/frameset.html |title= Banyan |author= |authorlink= |date= February 6, 2009 |format= Online library of books, journals, articles.|work= ''Reference''>Hobson Jobson>''B BANYAN''>''Page 1'' |publisher= Bibliomania free online literature and study guides |accessdate= May 14, 2012 |quote= The word was adopted from ''Vaniya'', a man of the trading caste (in Gujarati ''vaniyo''), and that comes from Skt. ''vanij'', ‘a merchant.’ The terminal nasal may be a Portuguese addition (as in ''palanquin, mandarin, Bassein''), or it may be taken from the plural form ''vaniyan''. It is probable, however, that the Portuguese found the word already in use by the Arab traders. Sidi’Ali, the Turkish Admiral, uses it in precisely the same form, applying it to the Hindus generally; and in the poem of Sassui and Panhu, the Sindian Romeo and Juliet, as given by Burton in his ''Sindh'' (p. 101), we have the form ''Waniyan''....}}</ref>) is an expression used widely around the [[Indian Ocean]] to refer to Indian merchants who are clearly distinguished from others both by their their [[Banyan (clothing)|clothing]] and by their business acumen. |
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== Historical impressions of Banyan merchants == |
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{{Expand list|date=May 2012}} |
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*[[Abdullah Yusuf Ali]] (1940) citing [[William Bolts|Bolt]][s] in 1772: |
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<blockquote>"A Banyan" he explains... "is a person (either acting for himself, or as the substitute of some great black merchant) by whom the English gentlemen in general transact all their business. He is interpreter, head-bookkeeper, head-secretary, head-broker, the supplier of cash and cash-keeper, and in general also secret-keeper. He puts in the under-clerks, the porter or door-keeper, stewards, bearers of the silver staves, running-footmen, torch and branch-light carriers, palanquin-bearers, and all the long tribe of under-servants, for whose honesty he is deemed answerable; and he conducts all the trade of his master, to whom, unless pretty well acquainted with the country languages, it is difficult for any of the natives to obtain access. In short he possesses singly many more powers over his master, than can in this country [England] be assumed by any young spendthrift's steward, money-lender, and mistress all together; and farther serves very conveniently sometimes, on a public discussion, to father such acts or proceedings as his master does not avow. There is a powerful string of connections among these banyans who serve all the English in the settlements of Bengal, as well in all public offices as in their private affairs."<br>"Since the great influence acquired there by the English," continues Bolt, "many persons of the best Hindu families take upon them this trust or servitude, and can even pay a sum of money for serving gentlemen in certain posts; but principally for the influence which they acquire thereby, and the advantage of carrying on trade, which they could not otherwise do; and which in this situation they frequently do, duty-free,under cover of their master's dastaks.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/152102/dastak "dastak". ''Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.'' Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 14 May. 2012]</ref> There have been few instances of any European acquiring such a knowledge in speaking, reading, and writing the Bengal language (absolutely necessary for a real merchant) as to be able to dispense with such a head-banyan." *<br>__________<br> |
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<nowiki>*</nowiki> This sketch of the Banyan by Bolt[s] may be compared with [[Edmund Burke|Burke]]'s sketch in his indictment of "[[Impeachment of Warren Hastings|Warren Hastings]]" (Speech on the Third day).<ref>{{cite book |last= Ali |first= A. Yusuf |authorlink= Abdullah Yusuf Ali |title= A cultural history of India during the British period |url= |date= |
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|origyear= |publisher= D.B. Taraporevala Sons |location= Bombay |oclc= 12892834 |pages= 9–10|chapter= Chapter I. What the British Took Over|chapterurl= |quote=|accessdate=}}</ref></blockquote> |
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== Citations == |
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William Bolts: ''Considerations on Indian Affairs'', London, 1772. |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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Revision as of 10:48, 14 May 2012
Banyan merchants (Banyan through Portuguese banian and Arabic بنيان, banyān, from the Gujarati વાણિયો, vāṇiyo, meaning 'merchant'.[1]) is an expression used widely around the Indian Ocean to refer to Indian merchants who are clearly distinguished from others both by their their clothing and by their business acumen.
Historical impressions of Banyan merchants
 |
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali (1940) citing Bolt[s] in 1772:
"A Banyan" he explains... "is a person (either acting for himself, or as the substitute of some great black merchant) by whom the English gentlemen in general transact all their business. He is interpreter, head-bookkeeper, head-secretary, head-broker, the supplier of cash and cash-keeper, and in general also secret-keeper. He puts in the under-clerks, the porter or door-keeper, stewards, bearers of the silver staves, running-footmen, torch and branch-light carriers, palanquin-bearers, and all the long tribe of under-servants, for whose honesty he is deemed answerable; and he conducts all the trade of his master, to whom, unless pretty well acquainted with the country languages, it is difficult for any of the natives to obtain access. In short he possesses singly many more powers over his master, than can in this country [England] be assumed by any young spendthrift's steward, money-lender, and mistress all together; and farther serves very conveniently sometimes, on a public discussion, to father such acts or proceedings as his master does not avow. There is a powerful string of connections among these banyans who serve all the English in the settlements of Bengal, as well in all public offices as in their private affairs."
"Since the great influence acquired there by the English," continues Bolt, "many persons of the best Hindu families take upon them this trust or servitude, and can even pay a sum of money for serving gentlemen in certain posts; but principally for the influence which they acquire thereby, and the advantage of carrying on trade, which they could not otherwise do; and which in this situation they frequently do, duty-free,under cover of their master's dastaks.[2] There have been few instances of any European acquiring such a knowledge in speaking, reading, and writing the Bengal language (absolutely necessary for a real merchant) as to be able to dispense with such a head-banyan." *
__________
* This sketch of the Banyan by Bolt[s] may be compared with Burke's sketch in his indictment of "Warren Hastings" (Speech on the Third day).[3]
Citations
William Bolts: Considerations on Indian Affairs, London, 1772.
References
- ^ "Banyan" (Online library of books, journals, articles.). Reference>Hobson Jobson>B BANYAN>Page 1. Bibliomania free online literature and study guides. February 6, 2009. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
The word was adopted from Vaniya, a man of the trading caste (in Gujarati vaniyo), and that comes from Skt. vanij, 'a merchant.' The terminal nasal may be a Portuguese addition (as in palanquin, mandarin, Bassein), or it may be taken from the plural form vaniyan. It is probable, however, that the Portuguese found the word already in use by the Arab traders. Sidi'Ali, the Turkish Admiral, uses it in precisely the same form, applying it to the Hindus generally; and in the poem of Sassui and Panhu, the Sindian Romeo and Juliet, as given by Burton in his Sindh (p. 101), we have the form Waniyan....
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ "dastak". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 14 May. 2012
- ^ Ali, A. Yusuf. "Chapter I. What the British Took Over". A cultural history of India during the British period. Bombay: D.B. Taraporevala Sons. pp. 9–10. OCLC 12892834.
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