Thread by @sidart_misra

🧵Rajputs hardly fought any battles (post-Mughals) then why they consider themself as Warriors? How a Bunch of Firangi Traders in their pursuit of economical gain will trigger two-family occupations in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan? Understand the after impact of all this

1/22
Shekhawati along with the Mewar, Marwar & Hadoti is the Subdivision of Rajasthan, it was named as the ‘Garden of the Shekhas <which itself comes from Rao Shekha the chief of their community>

2/22
It was ruled by the Muslim Rajputs named Kyam-Khanis <Chauhan that converted to Islam during Feroze Tughlaq> for nearly three centuries. With the decline of the Mughals, Hindu Rajputs reclaimed these and entire Shekhawati was divided into 33 thikanas/pargana

3/22
Now this fragmentation of estates created a problem, as these new small rulers needed money to run their estate. For this they needed Merchants to act as revenue officers, moneylenders or as Modi <suppliers of provisions to their Army>

Oswals Jain had been traders for centuries (as they felt agriculture kills living beings). Like our State Govts lure FDIs, in the same manners trading community were called upon. All this will lead to the concentration of what we now call as the Marwari in this part of India.

Rewind: At the height of the Mughal Period the flow of trade between western sea-ports (Surat and Goa) used to flow via Ujjain. Soon Mandvi and Porbandar increased their trade and the goods started flowing through Rajasthan, it was carried on camels via most of these thikanas.

6/22
At times in the middle of opportunity, difficulties arise. So as the fame of success of Marwadi trading was going around, it created two problems (a) Maratha & Pindaris incursion (b) internal disturbance. Since, most of these Kings were still depended on local thakurs.

7/22
Now, these Thakurs started becoming ambitious and as Ambition is a Hard-task master, they themselves started getting their hand dirty by looting these trade caravans. The many Kingdom (esp Bikaner) complaint to the East India Company and asked them to resolve this problem.

By 1831 a ‘Shekhawati Brigade’ was raised. The cost of this Jhunjhunu-based Brigade was to come from taxes levied on the chiefs of Shekhawati's. These new taxes created more problems for the general public and forced more of the Thakurs to start revolting.

9/22
Now, EIC came with unique solutions: First, they shifted brigade to Jaipur state, more importantly, they started enrolling these Thakurs into their Army. They realised what they needed was Name, Fame & Money. They also decided to bring Shekhawati, under its direct rule.

Remember EIC was a corporate entity, what they cared the most was MONEY. They had worked with Marwadis in the past (Jagatseth conspiracy with Siraj-ud-daula and Mir Kashim). But now it was deeper play, it was a mixing of World Traders with an equally potent business community.

Successes of their relationships with Parsis in Bombay, inspired them to evolve Marwaris as their local partner in the rest of India, esp in Calcutta. A Churu firm, Sadhuram Ramjidas (of Tarachand Ghanshyamdas) dominated the Kanpur Cotton Trade by 1850s

https://twitter.com/sidart_misra/status/1251487059040022528

12/22
Surajmal Jhunjhunwala will set up a charitable mess for Marwaris working in Calcutta where a lot of business networking will take place in the next century. G.D. Birla’s grandfather, Shiv Narain will stay there for a very long time.

Bajaj brothers from Churu will land up in Bombay to take up printing as a business. By 1871, they started the Shri Venkateshwar Press to bring out Hindu religious works from the Moti Bazar. Then in 1899 a young lad from Churu will get inspired by Nath Sampradaya.

With the help of his Calcutta based friend and growing donations from Marwaris, together they will create something in 1923 at Urdu Bazaar of Gorakhpur that will change the course of our Nation. His name: Jaydayal Goyandka.

15/22
Britisher loved the twin power of Arms and Financial power of Shekhawati and soon this region became the Hub sourcing for their Army. And, it continued post-independence also. As per a 2018 data, Jhunjhunu alone had ⅓ of all martyrs (from Rajasthan), Sikar been the Second.

Piru Singh Shekhawat will get a Param Vir Chakra in 1948 and People to keep memories of martyrs alive started erecting their statues. The statues are worshipped as deities in the villages. On Raksha Bandhan, women tie rakhi on the statues as a token of remembrance.

17/22
There were many war heroes like in 1965 War: Capt Ayub Khan (a Kyam-Khanis who will later become MP of Jhunjhunu and Union Minister) and then we have Legendary Sagat Singh <from Churu>, famous for his roles in Goa & Bangladesh.

In 2016, when our Air force commissioned the first 3 women fighter pilots, one among them was Mohana Singh <Jhunjhunu>. Then in 2018 Supriya Choudhary <ex-scientist of ONGC> will be the second woman to be lieutenant in our Army

19/22
These warriors remained at the front line right from the Kargil war till the recent Pulmawa attack of 2017. Arif Khan belongs to a family that has 12 people in our Army and a village that has almost all the people working for the Armed Forces.

Today the entire Shekhawati is known for 3 things (Army, Marwaris and their Colourful Havelis). The richness brought by their traders and the protection provided by their Brother-in-Arms, have now made these Colorful Havellies a delight to watch and experience.

21/22
Some of these are owned by the family of Poddar, Bajaj, Jhunjhunwala, Khaitan, Oswal, Piramal, Ruia, Singhania, and Goenkas.
These are now a topic of discussion and further exploration in Popular Culture, esp after Hindi Films started showing them recently (Like PK).

Let me conclude all these arrays of facts that I have laid in this thread with a Quote that will summarise this:
“We don’t have Power, but we have Money. With Money, we can get Power”.
PS: Detailed Thread on Marwadis is still pending.