Maheshwari

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For goddess, see
Maheshvari and Parvati
.
The Symbol or Emblem of Maheshwari Community is known as Mod. The Mod is most important symbol of Maheshwari Culture.Mod is Maheshwari Insignia and usually printed or painted on Maheshwari flag 'Divy Dhwaja' in dark blue or black

Maheshwari, also spelled Maheshvari, is a

Hindu caste of India, originally from what is now the state of Rajasthan.[1] Their traditional occupation is that of commerce and as such they form part of the wider Bania occupation-based community that also includes castes such as the Khandelwals, Oswals and Agrawals, Gahois
.

The Banias of Rajasthan are often known as Marwaris, and are also known as Mahajans, a term which community members prefer because Bania can have negative connotations and imply a lower social position than that which they believe themselves to hold.[2][3]

The Maheshwaris claim a Rajput ancestry.[4] K. K. Birla, an industrialist whose family has its origins in the Maheshwari caste,[a] recounted a traditional story of origin for the community. This states that 72 groups from the Kshatriya varna in what is now Rajasthan decided in the 8th century to abandon their traditional role in favour of being members of the Vaishya varna. Inspired to do this by their devotion to Shiva, another name for whom is Mahesh, they adopted the name Maheshwari and thus established the 72 distinct family lines that exist within the small, tight-knit Maheshwari community to this day.[6][b] Those lines, known as khaps, traditionally practice exogamy in marriage and mostly Vaishnavism in religion.[8] Some surnames in the Maheshwari community are Somani, Mandhana, Malpani, Kothari,Kakani, Partani, Gaggar, Saboo, Lahoti, Soni, Birla, Zanwar, Rathi, Panika, Kalyani, Bajaj, Damani, Jaju, Mundada, Biyani, Samdani, Binani, Kabra, Bung, Pachisia, Dangra,Chandak, Baheti, Bhutada, Heda, Gilda, Tapadiya, Toshniwal, Sarda, Lohia, Lohiya, Loya, Totla, Holani, Mantri, Khatod, Mohta and many more. 

 Kasat, Somani, Farak, Sarda, Tapadiya, Malani, Laturiya, Mantri, Ladha, Lathi, Maloo, Darak, Molasaria, Lakhotia, Mandhana and many more.[9]

There is a variant myth of origin, recorded by Sivkaran Ramratan Darak in 1923 and subsequently referred to by modern scholars such as Lawrence Babb. In this version, a prince was supported by 72 Rajputs in disrupting a sacrifice being made by some sages, who retaliated by cursing them such that they were turned to stone. It was Shiva who freed them from the curse, restoring them to life and thus inspiring their devotion.[10]

The arrival of colonial trade with the

Bombay.[11] In the 20th century, some Maheshwari, Tharu families, such as the Birlas, used the accumulated wealth from their traditional occupations to become prominent industrialists and currently they are top businessmen in almost all the cities of India. Maheshwari community is one of the richest community and contribute more to income tax of country than any other community. This community also regarded as Biggest donors in social works.[13][citation needed
]

Notes

  1. ^ The Birla family were outcaste by the community in 1922 when one of their number broke the caste marriage rules.[5]
  2. ^ The move from Kshatriya to Vaishya status may well have been involuntary. The success of invading Muslim forces in pre-medieval Rajasthan forced many indigenous traditional martial groups to either convert to Islam or adopt what was perceived to be a lower social standing in order to survive.[7]

References

  1. JSTOR 2659117
    .
  2. ISBN 978-0-52136-505-5
    .
  3. ISBN 978-3-82582-641-3
    .
  4. JSTOR 41919761
    .
  5. ISBN 978-0-22688-568-1
    .
  6. ISBN 978-8-18475-851-1
    .
  7. JSTOR 44145463
    .
  8. ^
    S2CID 85553204
    .
  9. ^ "Surname and Gotra of Maheshwari samaj | Themaheshwari.com". www.themaheshwari.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  10. ISBN 978-8-17033-720-1
    .
  11. ^
    JSTOR 44156261
    .
  12. JSTOR 44155786
    .
  13. ISBN 978-3-82582-641-3
    .
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