Vaishya
Vaishya ( Sanskrit , वैश्य, m. Vaisya , f. Vaisya ) is in the Indian box system , the name for the of merchants, distributors, lenders and landowners existing third caste ( Varna ) of the traditional four Hindu box .
The caste was formed from the (then) predominantly lower strata, which from 1500 BC onwards. Immigrated to India . They emerged from the Indo-European tribes of the Aryans and, like the Kshatriya and the Brahmins , were among the "twice-born". This means that after an initiation ceremony (Upanayana) they are given the right to learn the sacred knowledge (Veda) and to perform the Vedic sacrifices.
In the tenth book of the Rig Veda , the so-called Purushasukta, it is described how the various castes came into being. They arose from the primordial giant Purusha during a sacrifice . The mouth became the Brahmins , the arms became the Kshatriya , the thighs became the Vaishya, and the feet became the Shudra .
A domain of the Vaishyas has long been trade, especially long-distance and overseas trade, so that the rich urban upper class of India consists largely of Vaishyas. The Marwaris z. B., who are said to have great commercial talent, belong to the Vaishyas.
The largest corporations in India, e.g. B. Birla , Dalmia , Jain et al. a. these include. Among the most successful industrialists are a number of Marwaris, e.g. B. Rahul Bajaj and Rama Prasad Goenka . In addition to the Marwaris, the Parsees , the Gujarati merchant castes, and the Jainas are the leading populations in industry and banking, particularly in Mumbai and Kolkata . For example, Gandhi belonged to this caste.
The richest Indian and billionaire Lakshmi Mittal is a Marwari.
See also
literature
- Gita Piramal: Business Maharajas. Delhi 1996.