Indische Palaographie von circa 350 a. Chr. – circa 1300 p. Chr. c48.s3.t2.7

c48.s3.t2.7

§ 60. **Grocers &c.** (825,000). Under this head come the retailers not only of spices and condiments but of perfumery also, the functional name of the Banya who sells the former in one part of the country being the same as that of the extractor and seller of scents in another. The latter is but scantily represented in the Census returns, and is usually a Muslim. The large proportion of Brāhmanists coming under this title may be taken to be grocers returning their professional, in place of their caste, name. The Gandhai or Gandhabaṇik of Bengal is generally a druggist as well as the vendor of condiments, and when he sells sandal-wood and other fragrant articles which enter largely into domestic worship, he rises in position. The whole caste, indeed, pays homage in the spring to Gandheśvarī, the goddess of perfume, a manifestation of Durgā. The Gandhabaṇik also sells drugs, and is reputed to be well acquainted with all local medicinal products. A few take out licenses for the sale of opium and intoxicating preparations of hemp, but the actual sale of such articles is left to a Muslim assistant. The grocer of the upper Gangetic region generally belongs to the Kāsar- or Kēsar-vāṇī or Kasaundhan castes, both somewhat low branches of the great Banyā order. The latter derives its name from dealings in brass or bell-metal, and the former probably from saffron. Both now sell grain, salt and other commodities which their Bengal con-