Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t2.3

c6.s2.t2.3

A. *Internal Trade.*—India has a very ancient business tradition, as has been pointed out, and the system of castes assigns a separate and major caste of *Vaisyas* expressly for the purpose of trading. The old trading classes of the *Gujaratis*, (or Marwaris) of the North and the *Chettis* of the South still occupy their ancient and honoured occupation and carry on their commercial activities. Until the last century, the old class of grain-carriers, known as *Banjaras* of Rajputana, still employed hundreds of thousands of oxen in their trade. Some of their caravans amounted to as many as 40,000 head of oxen.¹