History of Agrawals (Marwaris)

History & Lineage

The Agrawals trace their origin from Maharaja Agrasen, who founded Aagrey Gana or Agra or Agar Jana pad during Mahabharata era, which was situated in Hissar District of Haryana with a population of one lakh people. Its capital town was Agroha and citizens were called Agrawals. Maharaja was married to the snake princess of Kolhepur or Ahinagar. The Maharaja made an unique rule that every citizen would compulsory contribute one brick and one Rupee to each new citizen so that he may have his own house at Agroha and become a ’Lakhpati’. 

Maharaja Agrasen performed 17 yagnyas to please Divine Mother Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity under the spiritual guidance of different Maharshis. Wealth is a vital ingredient bestowed on human being for maintenance and progress. Those were the days when animal sacrifice was normal practice during puja and yagnya. While performing 18th yagnya, the change of heart took place midway and the Maharaja decided not to sacrifice animals for the sake of yagnya as animals are an important source of livelihood. This prohibitory order is still followed by Agrawals. This way 17 ½ yagnyas were performed as the last one was not completed. The Maharaja divided the citizens into 18 clans and had given a name to each clan. These names were based on the names of Maharshis, who guided 17 ½ yagnyas and are known as Gotra. Some believe that the Maharaja had 17 sons, whom he wanted to marry to 18 snake daughters of a king named Basuki but as he was one short, he took a portion of the eldest son and made up the deficit. That is why. Agrawals are divided into 17 ½ Gotras. The Agrawals still honour wealth as Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Narayan and worship snakes on different occasions for being maternal side of their ancestors. The marital code enforced by the Maharaja prohibits marriage amongst bride and groom belonging to the same Gotra. 

Downfall of Agroha started with invasion of Mahmood of Ghazni in the year 1000. Masood, son of Mahmood attacked and conquered Hansi in the year 1037, which was situated near Agroha. Later on Shahbudin, king of Ghor invaded Agroha and destroyed it completely. The period between Mahmood and Shahbuddin (1000-1193) changed the political scenario completely without any convalesce. 

Destructions forced the people to migrate to surrounding areas of Rajputana, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other places, but their preference were desert areas of Rajputana to protect their families from being ruined by the invaders. Geographically, Marwar is a vast dry land with the Thar Desert in the northwest to the southwest and the parallel ridges of the Aravalli Hills cutting it from the northeast to southeast. Marwar is a corruption of the word Maroo-war, which means ‘region of death’. It is also called Maroo-desh or Maroosthal, whence the unintelligible Mardesh of the early Mohammedan writers Here Agrawals got a new citizenship as well as a new identity as Marwari. 

By the end of 13th century, majority of Agrawals made residential colonies in nearby Shekhavati region consisting of Jaipur, Bikaner and some Rajpoot principalities. Although technically not of Marwar, the term Marwari to day signifies all businessmen from Rajasthan. 

Rajasthan gave one more identity to Agrawals, which they use as their Surname. These Surnames are based on their occupation, viz. Saraf, Bajaj, Modi; name of town, viz. KEDia, BAGADia, JAIPURia; name of legendary head of family, viz. Khemka, Bhaniramka, Jalan, Tulasyan; and others viz. Choudhury, Tantia etc. etc. 

For more than five centuries, the Agrawals were based in their homeland in Rajasthan. During the Mogul period of Indian history (1527-1707) several semi permanent migrants communities of Marwari began to grow outside the Marwari homeland. The greatest out migration, however, was taken place during British rule rather than Mogul. In the later half of the 18th century Marwari migration occurred, in search of new avenues, on a large scale especially to Central and Western India, and to major parts of Uttar Pradesh. Presence of Marwari was also felt at opium and cotton-growing tracts of Malwa, in the ports of Kolkata and Mumbai and in the river ports along with Ganga viz. Mirzapur, Farrukhabad and Patna. Between 1780 and 1820 Marwari migrants, almost exclusively composed of Shekhavati Agrawal traders, established themselves in the food grain market of Daob and Ganges valley Khurja, Hapur, Hathras, Firozabad and Mirzapur. Simultaneously migration to other cities like Banaras, Kanpur, Indore also took place. In Madhya Pradesh, the rural area of Maharashtra, Bihar, Marathwada area of Hydrabad, Assam and North Bengal, the Marwaris became the prominent local moneylenders and merchants from 1840 onwards. 

After Ganga route, Marwaris started moving to the seaport cities – migration to Mumbai started after 1800 and to Kolkata, especially, after 1830. The pace of Marwari migrants quickened after construction of Delhi-Kolkata Railroad in 1858-60. By 1890’s Railways were extended throughout India and connected all major cities of Rajputana including Shekhavati, enabling Marwaris to migrate at an accelerated rate from 1860 to 1900. The first settlers of Marwaris in almost all the cities formed a ’resource group’ on which the late migrants could draw for support. 

Earlier settlers worked as brokers or speculators. Several of firms worked as ‘Benians’ or ‘guaranteed brokers’ to the big European firms and later on became their managing agents. In the beginning of 20th century, Marwaris were well established in trading in food-grains, raw jute, tea, coal, cotton, bullion, opium etc. but were simultaneously interested in business having money-lending contents. They then successfully accumulated capital in trade, gaining leading roles in exporter-importers, stockbrokers or speculators and in this process, gained pre-eminence, which seems to have been achieved before beginning of World War I. Next the Marwaris transferred some of their resources into manufacturing industry after the First World War. With cash in hand, they tried their luck in other sectors viz. mining, banking and plantation. 

Investments made by Marwaris in 1920s and 1930s proved attractive to attract Marwari accumulation during the First World War (1914-21). Second boom period was American Civil War (1926-28), which was followed by the great depression of 1929-33. Finally, Second World War (1939-45) added fuel to fire and Marwaris grew manifold. 

Independence and partition came simultaneously on 15th August, 1947. In post independence era, Marwaris started playing an important role in building new India. Majority of British firms were taken over by Marwaris. In modern India, presence of Marwaris is felt in every sphere of business, trade and industry. 

Marwaris used to spend a portion of their income in charities and follow strict discipline in their personal life. They started drinking and gambling only after their entry in industries. At present Marwaris are not an exception in leading materialistic life in the name of modernization and globalization. 

The complete and systematic history of Agrawals after migrating to Rajasthan is not available. The genesis of Khemkas and their Kuldevi is yet to be searched out. The Trust has initiated compilation of available genealogical tables and other related information. After verification of genuineness of such information, an authentic history of Khemkas and Kuldevi be prepared and published. 

We request all Khemka brothers to help us in our endeavour and send us zerox copies of genealogical table (Vanshavali) of their family and other documents /information of historic importance along with details of customs, traditions, rites, rituals etc. at our office by post or e-mail. 

(With inputs from James Todd – Annals and Antiques of Rajasthan, 1829-32, Thomas A Timberg – The Marwaris: from Traders to Industrialists, 1978 and Satyaketu Vidyalankar – Agrawal Jati ka Prachin Itihaas, 1976)