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Marwaris are a group of Indo-Aryan people from the Marwar region of Rajasthan in India and with the partition of India in 1947 the northen border separated a section of the nation in the provinces of Sindh and southern Punjab, Pakistan. This resulted in both economic and social isolation from those living in the south. Today there are about half a million Marwaris living in Pakistan. Traditionally, they are known to speak the Marwari language. The region Marwar includes western part of Rajasthan that includes the great Thar Desert. The word Marwar is considered to be derived from Sanskrit word Maruwat, the meaning of maru being 'desert'. Others believe that word Marwar is made up of Mar from alternate name of Jaisalmer and last part war of Mewar.

The development of the fresco paintings on Havelis in Shekhawati region is linked with the history of the Marwaris. The influential business community people from Shekhawati region are also known as Marwaris. The Shekhawati region has produced large number of Marwaris who are leading the economy of India. India's richest industrialists of the century, such as the Birlas, Piramals, Bajaj, Goenka, Sultania, Singhania, Poddar, Modi, Rungta, Ruias, Khetans, Mittals, Sanghis, Vaids, Kotharis are Marwaris.

Historically, Marwaris belong to the Vedic Kshatriya community. During the middle and late Mughal period they started diversifying from their warrior culture into other occupations such as commerce, finance and industrial manufacturing. Their strong belief in traditional Rajasthani culture continues to this day. Some people even from Haryana and Malwa region are included in Marwaris.

Contents 1 The community 2 Rajasthani v/s Marwari 3 Religion and Caste 4 Language 5 Diaspora 6 Demographics 7 History 8 Famous and Influential Marwaris 9 Marwari houses

Marwaris (Makichus) refer to a community of entrepreneurs who originally belonged to Rajasthan, particularly, regions of Marwar and Jodhpur; and certain other adjoining areas. The community of Marwaris originally belonged to certain specific pioneer social groups, which included Agarwals(Mittal, Killa, Birla, Jatia, Bheels, Singhania, Modi, Sultania, Saraf, Khetan, Mour etc), Maheshwaris (Sodhani,Mundhra , Bajaj, Somani, Biyani, Taparia), Oswals (Bengani, Bothra, Baid, Kothari, Bhansali , Giria), Khandelwals, Lalwani's and Porwals. Over a period of time, other persons and social groups who belonged to the geographical regions, with same culture and ethnicity, also became part of the Marwari Diaspora. Marwaris diversfied and now can be found at many places all over India and branching out to different parts of the world as well this includes a substantial community in Pakistan. These families love to live together (Generally referred to as a Joint Family).

Rajasthani word is derived from name of a state of independent India , i.e RAJASTHAN. Any resident of Rajasthan is called Rajasthani (from region point of view). Where as Marwari is the word derived from the word MARWAR (which after independence became a part of Rajasthan state). So, residents of Marwar region are basically Marwaris. Hence, All Marwaris are Rajasthanis but all Rajasthanis are not Marwaris.

Marwaris are predominantly Hindu, and there are also a large number of Jains, and Muslim and include also a small Christian minority. However, regardless of their affiliation Hindu and Jain Marwaris mingle with each other and share matrimonial relations and traditional rituals together. The taboos which existed almost a century ago have largely disappeared while still maintaining the proud Marwari tradition.

There is some debate as to which caste or varna in the Hindu hierarchical system Marwaris fall into. Vaishya, or trading and commerce, is the most common designator for Marwaris, but Rajput/Kshatriya status crops up frequently, especially as there is much evidence to suggest many Rajputs gave up the way of the sword and adopted new professions as traders, merchants, and businessmen, eventually intermarrying and blending in with Marwaris of other backgrounds.

Marwari is also a language belonging to the Sanskritic subgroup, of the Indo-Aryan branch, of the Indo-European language family. Marwari, or Marrubhasha, as it is referred to by Marwaris, is the traditional, historical, language of the Marwari ethnicity. Though many Marwaris today cannot speak Marwari, and have adopted other Indian languages, primarily Hindi, and English, many still speak a smattering of Marwari, and large numbers, especially in Rajasthan, still converse fluently in Marwari. The various dialects of the language can be found, which vary with area of origin, communities etc.

Marwaris spread to many regions of India, and even to neighboring countries, as they expanded their business and trade networks. In many locales, Marwari immigrants over time (and, usually involving many generations) adopted, or blended into, the regional culture. For example, in Punjab, Marwaris adopted Punjabi, and in Gujarat, Gujarati, and so forth. Significant concentrations of Marwaris live in Kolkata, in the Burrabazar area and are leading lights in business there. A large number of Marwaris are also in Mumbai. Marwaris have also founded businesses in neighboring Nepal especially Beerganj, Viratnagar & Kathmandu.

Marwaris, with their business acumen, have migrated across different parts of the country, and to other countries of the world. In the eastern part of India, including Kolkata, Siliguri, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, etc. Marwaris are among the prominent businessmen.

The socioeconomic and sociocultural functions and interactions of the Marwari community bear a striking resemblance to that of the Jewish trading communities of the Mediterranean and Europe.

Marwaris have been known to be visible in extending the reach and influence of Indian Finance and Commerce networks from the 17th through the early 19th century to Persia and Central Asia.

As the Marwaris constitute several social groups and are dispersed throughout India and Pakistan and across the globe, including remote areas, where they can be found running local businesses. Conclusive estimates about their numbers are not available. Regional estimates of their number have sometimes been made, and an estimate indicate that their number “never reached above 200,000 at any stage of their presence in Bengal.”

Although Marwari origins are shrouded in mystery, most historians agree that Marwaris originally belonged to the Aryan aristocracy. While Agrawals trace their origins to Maharaja Agrasen, the Suryavanshi King of the Mahabharat era, others such as Maheshwaris clearly have their origins among the Suryavanshi clans of Indo-Aryans. This is supported by the evidence that even their present surnames emerged from the Rajput surnames of yore. For instance one of the more well known surnames, that of Birlas is said to be derived from one of the Suryavanshi Knight named Beharsingh Ji who belonged to Parmar clan. Another example is Toshniwal, which is derived from TejSingh Ji, who is said to be another Suryavanshi Knight belonging to Chauhan clan. It is not known how they assumed the vocation of trade and commerce and the various mythological origins related to Marwaris have not helped either. The conundrum is much like that of vedas and vedic origins, where names of places in the mythological accounts match with places in modern day Rajasthan and surrounding regions. For instance the Birla family, a noted industrial clan in India, have built a memorial near Loh-garl (the pond of Iron) which is mentioned in a mythical account of Maheshwari origins. But other than that nothing much has been brought to light. However, just like Rajput aristocracy, Marwaris are well-known for their aristocratic tastes and their devotion and fondness towards Rajasthani culture as well as their patronage in building magnificent mansions and forts with rich artistic landscapes.

The earliest account at the moment begins from the time of Mughal empire. Since the time of the Mughal period (16th century-19th centuries), particularly from the time of Akbar (1542-1605), Marwari entrepreneurs have been moving out of their homeland of Marwar and Rajasthan, and adjoining regions, to different parts of Undivided India. The first waves migration took place during the Mughal period, and a number of Marwaris moved to the eastern parts of India, currently comprising the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Jharkhand; and Bangladesh.

During the period of the Nawabs of Bengal, Marwaris exhibited their intelligence, business astuteness and acumen, and controlled the minting and the banking. Jagath Seth who controlled the finances of Murshidabad Darbar was an Oswal, one of several sub-groups of Marwaris. The business houses of Gopal Das and Banarasi Das, also Oswal Marwaris, undertook large scale commercial and banking activities.

Several Marwaris, after permanenet settlement was introduced by the British Raj, acquired large estates, in eastern part of India, particularly in Bengal. They included Dulalachand Singh, (alias Dulsing), a Porwal Marwari, who had acquired several Zamindaris around Dhaka, currently the capital of Bangladesh, as also in Bakarganj, Patuakhali, and Comilla, all places currently part of Bangladesh. These Zamindaris were managed and co-owned with khwajas of Dhaka. Dulalchand Singh family also emerged as a business tycoon controlling jute trade.

After India’s First War of Independence (1857-58), when social and political disturbances subsided, another wave of large scale migration of Marwaris took place, and during the remaining period of 19th century, a number of Marwari business houses, small and big, had emerged. The Marwari community controlled all the major business activities of a large geographical areas of the eastern parts of the Indian subcontinent. With a sizeable presence in present day Myanmar and Bangladesh, they controlled major trading and commercial activities in the regions currently comprising the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand. They also had almost complete control of indigenous banking, finance and hundi. They took the hundi business to areas where the system was unknown, which included Chittagong, Khulna, Naogaon, Mymensingh, and Arakan. They competed successfully in these areas with Chettiars who were located in the region for long.

The terms Marwari and Agrawal are mistakenly used interchangeably most of the times. While many of the Marwaris are Agrawals and many of the Agrawals are Marwaris, all Marwaris are not Agrawals and vice versa. It is believed that when Maharaja Agrasen assumed the traders tradition, the Marwaris were the only warriors left of that lineage. Later, it is believed that even they turned into traders.

• Dwarika Prasad Maheshwari, Renowned poet, Former Director of Education in Uttar Pradesh
• [[Ramkrishna Dalmia, Pioneering industrialist of Modern India
• Ghanshyam Das Birla, Billionaire and industrialist
• Kumar Mangalam Birla, Billionaire
• Lakshmi Niwas Mittal, Billionaire, Born in Sadulpur, Rajasthan
• Venugopal N Dhoot, Billionaire Industrialist, Chairman Videocon
• Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, Former Chief Justice of India
• Jagmohan Dalmiya, Former Chairman of International Cricket Council, the world's highest governing body for Cricket
• Inder Kumar Saraf, Bollywood Actor
• Sarla Maheshwari, Former Vice-Chairperson, Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Indian Parliament)
• Tarun Agarwal, Richest Textile Industrialist
• Kiran Maheshwari, Member of Parliament (MP), Lok Sabha
• Anu Aggrawal, Bollywood Actress
• Bharat Bhushan, Bollywood actor, famously known as Tragedy King
• Bimal Jalan, Economist and ex-Governor of the Reserve Bank of India
• Raj Dugar, venture capitalist
• Deep Singh Nahar, photographer
• Bijoy Singh Nahar, Member of Parliament
• Vijaypat Singhania, Aviation Pioneer, world record holder for maximum altitude
• Prakhar Birla, CEO and founder of Dinit Softwares
• Yash Birla
• Gautam Singhania
• Ruia Family
• Goenka Family
• Subhash Chandra
• Rahul Bajaj
• Manoj Sonthalia
• Tarachand Ghanshyam Das Family
• Sunil Mittal
• Seksharia Family
• Neotia Family
• Jatia Family
• Agarwal Families
• Bhutoria Families
• Ketan Family
• Kemka Family
• Poddar Family
• Piramal Family
• Makharia Family
• Jhunjunwala Family
• Nevatia Family
• Seksharia Family
• Subhash Sethi, of Subhash Projects.
• Ganeriwala Family
• Vaid Family
• Kanoria Family
• Harsh Goenka, of famous RPG group.
• Ritu Dalmia, famous chef

Some of the famous and prominent Marwaris trading, commercial, and industrial houses are as under: Aggarwal, Agarwalla, Agarwal, Agrawal, Ajmera, Bagri, Bagaria, Bagrecha, Baid, Bajaj, Bajla, Bamb, Bangad, Bansal, Banthia, Bawalia, Bhadoria, Bhartiya, Bhagat, Bhalotia, Bhandari, Bhangadia, Bharatia, Bedmutha, Bhattad, Bhut, Bhutoria, Bhuwalka, Bindal, Birla, Biyani, Buchasia, Chamaria, Chandak, Choraria, Dave, Daga, [[Dalmia, Dalamia, Deopura, Deorah, Dhanuka, Didwania, Dingliwal, Dudavewala, Dhoot, dugar, Gadia, Gangh, Gandhi, Ganeriwal, Gadodia, Garg, Garodia, Goal, Goenka, Goyal, Goyanaka, Gupta, Heda, Jaipuria, Jajodia, Jaju, Jalan, Jangra, Jhajharia, Jhanwar, Jhunjhunwala, Jhunjhunuwala, Kabra, Kankaria, Kanodia, Kansal, Karwa, Kauntia, Kedia, Kejariwal, Khaitan Khandelwal, Khemka, Khetan, Killa, Kothari, Kathotia, Lahoti, Lahoty, Lakhotia, Lohia, Loyalka, Maloo, Malani, Malpani, Malu, Mandelia, Maskara, Mittal, Modi, Moda, Mohanka, Mohata, Mokati, Mour, Murarka, Nevatia, Oswal, Parasrampuria, Patodia, Patwa, Poddar, Prahladka, Puranmalka, Rathee, Rathi, Ruia, Rungta, Rupramka, Saboo, Sanghi, Saraf, Saraogi, Saravagi, Sarda, Seksaria, Sekhsaria, Sethi, Shah, Sharma, Singhal, Singhania, Singhi, Singhvi, Sodhani, Somani, Sonthalia, Sultania, Surana, Sureka, Tantia, Taparia, Tayal, Tekriwal Todi, Toshniwal, Totla, Trivedi, Vaid, Vyas, Bangur