The Bhattia is usually the representative or agent of some large wholesale firm in Bombay, and has again his petty agents, brokers and ''dulals" buying up produce or ''placing" bales of piece-goods with retail dealers in every town and hamlet. He is absolutely, blissfully ignorant of politics and his eye is fixed on the markets; he rarely troubles the Civil Courts, seeing no wisdom in throwing good money after bad. He too is very charitable, usually kind, often indeed generous, to his employees.
Our troubles in Poona and the Deccan
by Arthur Crawford, C. M. G. Published 1897
One of the principal Banians at Zanzibar spoke English, and he repeatedly complained to me of the "hard life required in being a Banian. There are eighty-four castes of Banians;" but, said he, "God made all men free. The Banians who go to sea do not associate with those who remain in India; and the same rule prevails among the Lascars, who are Sudras, and are allowed to eat fish. His own diet consisted of rice, dohl (Cajanus), some ghee or butter, and sometimes milk, but he did not eat oranges." It appeared that he was versed in palmistry, and he once asked me if I understood phrenology. He bestowed abusive expressions on the Arabs, for not permitting the building of a temple; adding, that there were "more than four hundred Banians in Zanzibar, being a threefold increase within ten years, and that he supposed it will go hard with them when the present Imaum dies." He called a Calcutta dobi (or washerman), not a Banian, but a Hindoo: the individual alluded to was serving in a European household, and according to his own account was permitted to eat mutton, but neither beef nor fowls. Page 269
The Races of Man: And Their Geographical Distribution
By Charles Pickering, John Charles Hal 1854
Our troubles in Poona and the Deccan
by Arthur Crawford, C. M. G. Published 1897
One of the principal Banians at Zanzibar spoke English, and he repeatedly complained to me of the "hard life required in being a Banian. There are eighty-four castes of Banians;" but, said he, "God made all men free. The Banians who go to sea do not associate with those who remain in India; and the same rule prevails among the Lascars, who are Sudras, and are allowed to eat fish. His own diet consisted of rice, dohl (Cajanus), some ghee or butter, and sometimes milk, but he did not eat oranges." It appeared that he was versed in palmistry, and he once asked me if I understood phrenology. He bestowed abusive expressions on the Arabs, for not permitting the building of a temple; adding, that there were "more than four hundred Banians in Zanzibar, being a threefold increase within ten years, and that he supposed it will go hard with them when the present Imaum dies." He called a Calcutta dobi (or washerman), not a Banian, but a Hindoo: the individual alluded to was serving in a European household, and according to his own account was permitted to eat mutton, but neither beef nor fowls. Page 269
The Races of Man: And Their Geographical Distribution
By Charles Pickering, John Charles Hal 1854