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Marwaris: Success

Marwaris: Success

As we have already seen from this study that migration turns out to be one of the most important reasons behind Marwari success – both trading success and social success. They were always prepared to step out and explore different places for raising the stakes or possibilities of success. They travelled to most of those places of West and East Bengal wherever there was a vacant trading spot and more often than not occupied those vacancies as successful business persons.

Jute was one of the most important agricultural treasures of East Bengal. It was named the “golden fibre” because of its abilities to draw in foreign currency. The central and the local government used to collect hundreds of millions of taka from the export tariff of jute. But almost 80% of the jute trade was in the hands of the Marwaris or the Europeans. In most cases the cultivators had to sell off their product at a price lower than the production cost. Before partition the bulk of the jute trade – that is, trading of raw and ripe jute bales – was concentrated in Kolkata. In those days most the bale brokers were Marwaris or Europeans. Narayanganj became the centre of jute trade after the partition in 1947. Immediately many Marwaris and Europeans flocked into Narayanganj and continued their bale brokerage here as well.[1] This is a classic example of how the Marwaris were brilliant at filling up trading vacancies and seizing opportunities that were there in abundance to take. With travelling and exploring different unknown areas as one of their dominant characteristics, such situations were just tailor-made for the Marwaris and their success stories to move forward. But what these sorts of opportunities going to the Marwaris and the Europeans also tell us a lot about the Bengalis. People from other parts of the world came in and seized opportunities which they failed to recognize. This would happen right in front of their eyes. And when these Marwaris would become...