VI. ANTITHESIS

The stereotype of Marwari as depicted and illustrated by ethnographers, biographers and perceived by non-Marwari did not change from the description of Bhramji, M. Malabari given in the Census report of 1881. Risley's account and collection of `proverbs' validate the Marwari stereotype. In all ages and centuries the study of proverbs and populer sayings has appealed by its human interests to may sort of minds. Plato, Aristotle and Theophrastus are believed to have collected the proverbss of their day. A proverb in thoroughly popular language and with studied bravity- a truth acknowledged by all.

The sayings related to a particular human group based either on caste, religion, territory or language, are local and particular rather than universal and general. Yet now and then one finds a truth of universal experience rendered in terms of inter-group relations.

A marwari house in a village stands out from the rest in its spaciousness and grandeur and evokes envy among other residents who recall the owners coming to the village with meagre belongings. Hence called money lender becomes the target for derision. Hence a proverb:

"For houses hurdles of madar

for hedges heaps of withered thorn

millet for bread, hase-peas for pulse

This is thy Kindgom Raja of Marwar"

Another proverb alludes to the shape of their Pagri (headgear) and their capacity for getting on in the world.

"The three tufted ones (Marwari) the red faced ones (Europeans) and the cactus plants cannot live without increasing. The above proverb draws similarities between European and Marwari who came from distant land and flourished in alien milleu as the cactus plant flourished in all odds. The Swagging nature of Marwari has enabled them to reach and settle in remote areas and hence a proverb "Marwari", crows and parsi liquor shops you see wherever you go" dipicts the fast growing numbers of Marwari, in an area compared to the swagging crows and Parsi who came on the scene of North West India, through the coast and in the time spread their business in almost every village of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra*. In Assam too Marwari's coming coincides with the coming British. The former took control of export business while the Bengalis were the people dominant in the internal trades. The Assamese refer Marwari as Keya expressing disdain over the money lending business the Marwari practised in almost every village. Their deep penetration into remote areas of Assam and their relationship with Assamese peasants has often been described as one based on exploitation wherein the peasants had to pay interest to the tune of 75 per cent on the principal amount they borrowed from Marwari. This situation of "over exploitation" was the main reason behind a movement in 1968 launched against Marwaris who were asked to quit Assam.

*H. Risleay, People of India, 1915 P.332

Bawri, with their dedication, honesty, philanthropy business acumen and deligence has eroded the stereotype of a Marwari engraved in the minds of people who remained suspicious about Bawri's concern for the cause of socio-economic development of north east India in general and Meghalaya in particular. Meghalaya, a land of not only Khasi, Jaintia, Garo and other tribes but a microcosm of Indian pluralities in which people came to Shillong from distant land and adopted Meghalaya as their home state. One can find not only from Kerala, Tamilnadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, North West Frontiers but from England, Sweden and Scotland too. But the contribution of Bawri, in the economy of Meghalaya dwarfts the contribution made by other settlers.

The Bawris's close association with opinion leaders, social reformers, political elites is as intimate as their relationship with a Khasi, Jaintia and Garo peasant living in remote village where the residents are still practising the primitive form of agriculture.

As stated earlier the Marwari trading community consists of several Caste or Jati. This community is separated from caste in terms of their retual, regional or economic differences. They were often referred as Bania. In collequial usage, outside Rajasthan, this Bania group is often termed as Marwari or emigrant businessmen from the vicinity of Rajasthan.

The Marwaris are regarded somewhat educatioanlly backward then elite classes socially more conservative and somewhat later entrant to industry than other trading communities but ever since the independence of India, the Marwaris have rapidly advanced that today they are second to no one in the industry sector of India.

The first Marwari firm established in the North East was Hamasing Meghraj in 1818 in Goalpara district of Assam. But the first Agarwal emigrant to come to Assam from Churu was the father of Harbilas Agarwal, who arrived soon after the British conquest of Assam in 1826 and settled in Tezpur. Thereafter the Marwaris had the tendency of settling either in North Lakhimpur or in the Brahmaputra Valley down to Guwahati and Shillong. The Bawris came to North East India in the 1870's from the Bissau Tehsil of the Shekhawati region and settled in Dibrugarh. There they established a stationery shop.

The circumstances that led the Bawris to settle in the North East was the outbreak of the plague and wars; motivated with Marwari migration. There were severe famines in Rajasthan in 1812-13, 1868-69 and 1891-92. According to analysts bad or oppressive laws, heavy taxation, or unattractive climate, uncongenial social surroundings, and even compulsion (Slave trade transportation) all have produced and are still producing currents of migration. Economic opportunities elsewhere also predominated the Marwaris migration.

So far as the chronological lineage goes, the Bawris trace their ancestry during the rise of the Lodhi dynasty. Kashmiramji was born around 1450. The Bawris call themselves Khemka. It is believed that Narshiyadasji Khemka was the nephew (brother's son) of Diyaramji who was born in 1710. It is not known and it is not recorded anywhere the name of Narshiyadasji's father. Perhaps Diyaramji's brother was Narsiyadasji's father and even since then the Bawri called themselves Khemka.

The Bawri today are proud of the laurels brought to the family by Bhagatramji. He was born in 1780. During his lifetime he had become the Treasurer in the court of the Kesari Sadar Ranjit Singh of Patiala. The British rulers in India after successfully conquering practically the whole of India wanted to crush the powerful state ruled by Sardar Ranjit Singh. In the battle of Laswaro Bhagatramji realised that the enemy would confiscate the treasures of Patiala, he tried to escape with it. During this, he preferred to sink his boad loaded with treasures rather than handing over to the enemies. Consequently, he was drowned. It was after three days family members could trace him lying unconscious on the bank of the river. Since then, the Bawri believed that it had been Goddess Jwalaji who saved his life and till date this deity is revered and worshipped by them.

Hardeodasji, a young lad in his family teens came to Shillong and rented house of Jatia Haria in the Motphran area. Within six months he shifted his family to a house in between Mahari and Sons and A. Mullick. This house was later on purchased by him. In the interior portion of the house he opened a grocery shop. In this shop right from eatable items to silver and gold were sold. Thereafter, they turned their attention to other business like coal, timber, potatoes, oranges, etc. In 1850 when the sons of hardeodasji separated, each of them carried their own individual business of transport, Assam Travel Agency, the Rice and Flour Mill, Plywood, Cement Factory and other fissiperous trade in which they established and made their own mark.

Bawris association to present Congress (I) Party may be traced back to pre-independence era when Congress under the leadership of stalwarts like Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and Nehru was struggling for freedom of the country. Bawri, a hard core congressman always supported the congress party even after independence. He never failed to extend his support for the party whether in power or outside it. His devotion to the cause of nation building, his selfless service to the down trodden and his philanthropical actions were recognised and national citizen's award (1989), Priyadarshini Solidarity Award, Gaurav Udyog Award, Lions International Award for Humanitarian work and other similar awards, citation and felicitation conferred upon him bear the testimony of a man not only tall in stature but also high in the esteem of other fellow beings.

The Bawris have fond memories which they cherish and recall their association with the Commission and of British India in Assam, the Premier of Assam, the National leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Nehru, Moulana Abud Kalam Azad, Indira Gandhi, Kaka Kalelkar, Jamuna Lal Bajaj and his son-in-laws and other architects of the freedom movement. The selfless social service rendered by the Bawri have been appreciated time and again by various national and local leaders on various arena of social development. This has given the Bawris inspiration to contribute more to the cause of humanity and the betterment of the society as a whole.