[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Polity, law and society](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity) › [Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.)](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935) › c6.s2.t2.3 # Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t2.3 Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c6.s2.t2.3 - **Language:** English ### [c6.s2.t2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.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 - [Previous: c6.s2.t2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.c6.s2.t2.2) - [Next: c6.s2.t2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.c6.s2.t2.4) - [Up: c6.s2.t2](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.c6.s2.t2) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.c6.s2.t2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.polity.ashraf-1935.c6.s2.t2.3) · Pramāṇa