The curious case of the missing Bania

Disclaimer : Academic post, not meant to be normative, the word "Bania" is used bona-fide.

One of the undeniable realities of Indian history has been the caste system. A little thought on the same(induced by formal history reading) would lead one to conclude, that this social stratification had not been uniform throughout the country. The caste divisions as seen in Uttar Pradesh are different from those in Tamil Nadu.

One of the more peculiar things regarding this that I realised in hindsight was the absense of the trading stratum within the Maharashtrian caste heirarchy. There are Brahmans, there are Kshatriyas and Shudras and there is a "warrior+peasentry" mix in the Marathas, there are Dalits, but no Vanika. Such an absense of the Vanika is not seen starkly in any other place, which have their fair share. I think I can safely argue that on an average, having business sense(or business shrewdness) has never been the common man Maharashtrian's strength. This is also shown by the absense of any big Maharashtria names in the field of business, (specifically as business owners).

I think that one of the outcomes of this was that trading people from other places, came in and filled this vacancy. As much as different strata of the society have a varying degree of influence on the society in general, it can be argued that the "having" of economic clout goes a long way in determining the political (and other) clouts. Consequentially there is absence of Marathi clout specifically on the economic front in Mumbai. The popularity of people like MNS and SS could be attributed to this resentment.

Having said all this, it is possible that my observation may be incomplete and hence flawed.

Quote Unquote - II

• When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber -- Winston Churchill
• Stone age didn’t end because we ran out of stones -- Ahmed Zaki Yamani
• The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing -- Edmund Burke
• A country is known by the proverbs it keeps -- Anonymous
• I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go -- Abraham Lincoln
• Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them -- Mark Twain
• The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself -- Mark Twain
• Man's greatest blunder has been in trying to make peace with the skies instead of making peace with his neighbors -- Elbert Hubbard
• Most people have no knowledge of their history. They only live it. -- Bhishm Sahani
• A person's maturity consists in having found again the seriousness one had as a child, at play. -- Friedrich Nietzsche

Well Done Major Khan (55-word Fiction)

1965

"Well Done Major Khan, that was a brave show", said Brigadier Singh, "But you look upset".
"Nothing, Sir".
"One of the enemy soldiers killed was his cousin", explained Colonel Khanna.
"Uncle had migrated during 1947, father chose not to".
"Oh".
"Jai Hind, Sir".
"Jai Hind, Dismissed".

आंखे

बोहोत कुछ युं ही केह जाती है आंखे लेकिन,
निभाई दिल से दोस्ती तुम्हारी आंखों ने ।
मै सोचता हूं तुम्हारी सीरत के बारे में,
नेकी इतनी दिखा दि तुम्हारी आंखों ने ।
एक हसीन चीज खुशी होती है जिंदगी भर की,
क्यूं कहा जाता है, जताया तुम्हारी आंखों ने ।
- खलील सावंत

Eyes generally say a lot about a person,
Not to betray your heart, your eyes though, chose.
I think about your good character,
Goodness, so much your eyes have shown.
A thing oof beauty is a joy forever,
Why it is said, your eyes have made me realise.
- Khalil Sawant

Rozaa (55 Word Non-Fiction)

Disclaimer : The following post contains Explicit Language. Reader's Discretion advised.

"Main Kya Idhar B**C** Baitthaa Hun Tera Sun Ke Leney Ke Liye", said one.
"Bh***D**, M**C**giri Tuney Chaloo Ki Thi", replied the other
...
...
I finally couldnt take it anymore.
I got up to the window and had a nice look down at both of them.
"Ek Meharbaanee Kariye", I shouted. "Kal Se Rozaa Mat Rakhnaa"

Sach

लगता है डर सच से, लोगों को इसलिये,
उनको भी शायद उसकी अजमत पे यकीं होगा ।
- खलील सावंत

Truth is feared, by people because,
they too perhaps trust its strength.
- Khalil Sawant

Conflict of Interest

Humans are in a fundamental conflict of interest

It is required for them for their daily food that they sell themselves (as we call it)
It necessitates for every individual, the need for showing how he/she is good with what he/she is
Gradually this even takes/took the help of falsehood

It is required for them to maintain peace with each other, for a successful society in general
It necessitates the need for humbleness and mutual respect, lessening of the importance of how good you are, for bragging (honest or otherwise) and peace with others cannot go hand in hand

Humans are in a fundamental conflict of interest