Monday, July 11, 2011

The Golden Marwaris

Many Marwaris from North India have settled in Kochi and have become millionaire businessman. A look at the reasons behind their success. Plus, have the second generation paid a social or emotional price?

Photo: S.S. Agarwal in front of the steel cables that he makes

By Shevlin Sebastian

C.P. Jain parks his black Hyundai Sonata car on MG Road, Kochi 's main thoroughfare on a quiet Tuesday in May. A hartal had been called by transport unions to protest the recent hike in petrol prices. “I was worried that somebody would throw stones,” says Jain, as he steps out of the vehicle, and gives a relieved smile.

Jain is a trim man, with silver-black hair and gold spectacles. On his feet he wears white Puma shoes. He bounds up the stairs to his second floor office. Jain has a large trading business dealing with all types of paper. And this is his 29th year in Kochi.

When he was a young man, Jain was practising as a lawyer in the Rajasthan High Court. His father, who had a business in cutting and polishing diamonds, asked him to join the family firm. Jain was not very keen. “I wanted to do something of my own,” he says. He set out for Bangalore where a school classmate of his was doing business. From there he went to Kerala. But he drew a blank on what trade to do.

However, on the Kerala Express, on which he was returning to Jaipur, he met Bala Vijayakumar (name changed), the general manager of the Nagpur-based Empress Paper Mills, which was owned by the Tatas. “Paper is a growing business in Kerala,” said Vijayakumar. “You could supply Kraft paper for the corrugated industry.”

An excited Jain went to Mumbai, met a senior Tata executive, who appointed Jain as an agent.

In February, 1982, Jain went to Kochi, much against the wishes of his family. His father said, “You will have a lot of problems. You don't know anybody there. Do you think you will be able to establish a business?”

But Jain felt inwardly confident. However, when he asked for financial help, his father refused. “I had saved about Rs 1 lakh,” he says. And his mother turned out to be silent supporter. She gave him Rs 50,000.

And right from the beginning, Jain tasted success. “The Malayala Manorama gave me good business and there were other firms also,” he says. “I was able to sell 100 tons of paper every month from the early days.” Today, Jain has become a wealthy man.

At S.S. Agarwal's bungalow, in posh Panampilly Nagar, he is walking about on bare feet. But the floor is made of spotless white marble. In the living room, there is a Ravi Varma painting, while on a mantelpiece, there is a silver idol of Radha and Krishna, apart from photos of his family. Muted lighting and wooden furniture gives the impression of tranquility.

His elegant wife, Durga, with small diamond studs in her ears, serves tea and samosas, along with jalebis. “I love Kochi for its greenery, the cleanliness, and for the peace and quiet,” says Durga, who grow up in noisy Kolkata. “We have assimilated easily into the liberal Kerala culture and have many Malayali friends. They are kind and friendly.”

As she talks, her husband’s Blackberry buzzes every now and then. Agarwal smiles easily and has the look of a happy man.

He came to Kochi in 1987. “I grew up in Salem, a dry place,” he says. “So Kerala was like a heaven for me.” Despite many warnings, he set up a flour mill in Kochi, went through teething labour problems, which almost closed down his unit, but managed to survive and prosper. Later, he built a steel factory and is now a prosperous businessman.

Incidentally, there are 2500 Marwaris in Kochi. “Around 90 per cent of the bread-winners are doing trading,” says N.L. Mittal, the secretary of the Jan Kalyan Society, which comprises Marwaris.

Asked to explain the reasons behind their success, Mittal says, “A Marwari never fears anything in business. We are a very mobile community. We can move into the deepest jungle, if we have to, if there is any scope of economic gain. Basically, we are risk-takers. We have a saying: 'Jaha ne jaye belgadi, waha jaye Marwari' – where a bullock cart cannot go, a Marwari will go.”

He says that the community members ensure that they win over the local population. “This is because we are far away from our home state of Rajasthan,” he says. “We have to be careful, and cannot afford to make enemies.”

Asked whether he would encourage a Marwari youngster from outside to do business in Kochi, businessman D.N. Singhal, says, “I will. The profit margins are better, as compared to other cities because the competition is less.”

Meanwhile, the impact on the second generation seems to be minimal. Sitting in his air-conditioned stock-broking firm in Kochi, Akshay Agarwal speaks softly into his mobile phone. It is a little incongruous that this tall North Indian, with wavy black hair, is talking in fluent Malayalam.

Akshay came to Kochi when his father became the head of a transport company. “I was only one year old,” he says. “I feel completely rooted in Kochi.” So, at his home he eats North as well as south Indian food. “In fact, my breakfast is either idli or masala dosa,” he says.

Unusually, Akshay feels out of place when he travels to North India. “It takes some time to get used to the aggressiveness of the people,” he says. “But I admire their 'can-do' attitude. There is a lot of energy and vitality in cities like Delhi and Mumbai. And there are a lot more opportunities. In contrast, people in the south are laid-back.”

But in the end, it is a trade-off. “I have a much higher standard of living in Kochi, than if I were in Delhi,” he says. “So I am happy to be here. Also, Kochi is changing. There is a flourishing business climate now.”

(The New Indian Express, south India and Delhi)



4 comments:

  1. samir sardana7:45 PM

    Which is Y I support the 26/11 attacks on Hindoosthan ! They were designed to kill the Bania filth (Marwari-Gujarati-Kayastha scum) at one shot.

    Kasab and his ilk lost the plot - as they started the rape orgies. They lost focus.

    It is the Bania filth who worked as spies for each invader into Hindoosthan ! They also funded the wars of the Mughals and Sakas and Huns. There is not one 1 record in history of them having stood up for anything !

    The Birlas,Goenkas,Bajajs and other bania filth built their empire by sending their women to Nehru for his peccadilos.They also funded Ambedkar in London - result that - Ambedkar spoke not one word against the Bania vermin !

    95% of the NPA and Bank Frauds in North India upto the borders of the Vindhyas are on account of Bania vermin ! No one talks of the said statistic as every media house is owned and managed by banias or has 75% of the advert revenue from Banias

    The entire banking system is designed as a wealth transfer system to move funds from Indian clowns in SB accounts and Fancy Bonds - which funds Banias ,who steal the money for Netas ,and the avail of CDR/OTS

    What is a Gujarati – who are also called Bastards in the Mahabharata ! dindooohindoo

    The Mahabharata , Book 8: Karna Parva ,Section 45

    The Pancalas observe the duties enjoined in the Vedas; the Kauravas observe truth; the Matsyas and the Surasenas perform sacrifices, the Easterners follow the practices of the Shudras; the Southerners are fallen; the Vahikas are thieves; the Saurashtras are bastards.

    The Gujaratis are also termed as a race of Miscegnation – in the Mahabharata ! That word refers to those born of unnatural sex ! Gujaratis are a Bastard race ! They swap wives ! And they do it openly and ADVERTISE IT OPENLY !

    https://gujarat.locanto.net/tag/couple-swapping/ http://gujarat.lookingmale.com/WIFE-SHARING/Couple-Swapping-in-gujarat.html

    Similarly, The Rajasthanis are also sons of prostitutes as under :

    Sample these Rajasthani sons of harlots born out of Nata Pratha - which is basically child prostitution for a fee !

    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Kids-most-vulnerable-to-abuse-due-to-Nata-ratha/articleshow/56263686.cms

    And these Gujaratis like I said are a breed born of harlots and have a system of organised prostitution by registration - called Maitri Karar - which is registered by the DM

    http://www.patheos.com/blogs/drishtikone/2013/01/maitri-karar-gujarati-social-custom-of-keeping-mistresses-by-circumventing-hindu-marriage-act/

    These vermin have to be exterminated en masse. It was Kasab and the Mujahideen who reckoned their evil.Their evil is also recorded in the ,Mahabharata as a bastard race

    Kasab is a Che Clone ,with the look of Al Pacino ! May Allah rest his soul !

    ReplyDelete
  2. samir sardana5:04 AM

    What are these Bania vermin - people say ?

    let us take the sample of the Marwari - Gupta Bania scum ! dindooohindoo

    Now,these Gupta Bania vermin claim lineage from the Gupta Meshtan Bhandar Dynasty.

    Like I said - these vermin,have doomed Indian Banking,Indian Industry and Indian Agriculture.And so
    I belive that these vermin should be culled - whether by the Maoists or the Mujahids.

    What is the DNA if these Gupta vermin - a race of limpets,limpdicks,cowards,weasels,with mongrel skin and mongrel facial
    tones ?

    Let us look at History - the son of Gupta Meeshtan Bhandar,Samudra Gupta - whose name was Rama Gupta.Note
    the name "Rana",who, as per the Valmiki Ramayana, was an impotent coward,who pimped his wife Seeta,to apes,demons and his own brothers.

    Chapter [Sarga] 115 of the Yuddha Kandam

    तद्गच्छ त्वानुजानेऽद्य यथेष्टं जनकात्मजे |
    एता दश दिशो भद्रे कार्यमस्ति न मे त्वया || ६-११५-१८

    “O Seetha! That is why, I am permitting you now. Go wherever you like. All these ten directions are open to you, my dear lady! There is no work to be done to me, by you.”

    तदद्य व्याहृतं भद्रे मयैतत् कृतबुद्धिना |
    लक्ष्मणे वाथ भरते कुरु बुद्धिं यथासुखम् || ६-११५-२२

    “O gracious lady! Therefore, this has been spoken by me today, with a resolved mind. Set you mind on Lakshmana or Bharata, as per your ease.”

    įatrughne vätha sugréve räkņase vä vibhéņaëe |
    niveįaya manaų séte yathä vä sukhamätmanaų || 6-115-23

    “O Seetha! Otherwise, set your mind either on Shatrughna or on Sugreeva or on Vibhishana the demon; or according to your own comfort.”

    What did this rat Rama Gupta do ? The limpet banis went to war,with the Sakas - and they trapped him,and captured the limpet.
    Then what did the bania do ? The Sakas asked for the bania's wife,as security - and the bania,sent his wife,to the Sakas (just like
    Lord Rama,told Sita,to whore herself).

    Then the historians make us believe,that the brother of the bania,went dressed as the wife of Ramagupta, went to the Sakas,and rescued
    the whore wife of Ramagupta, and killed the Saka king !? (just like the story of Chammiya Padmini).It is possible that the Mughals asked
    for sex with Chammiya Padmini - based on the past hindu track record,w.r.t Ramagupta.

    And then what could be the next step ?

    Then the brother of the limpet Ramagupta,killed Ramagupta and married the wife of Ramagupta ! It is said that the whore wife,of Ramagupta,
    was earlier,meant to marry the other brother !

    This is the DNA of the bania Gupta Meeshtan Bhandars and other bania vermin.

    What should be done with these vermin ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. samir sardana3:39 AM

    PROOF THAT SEETA WAS A NEPALI RANDI

    CASE 1 - RAVANA TALKING TO SEETA


    Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek
    Chapter [Sarga] 49

    राज्यात् च्युतम् असिद्ध अर्थम् रामम् परिमित आयुषम् || ३-४९-१३
    कैः गुणैः अनुरक्ता असि मूढे पण्डित मानिनि |
    यः स्त्रिया वचनात् राज्यम् विहाय ससुहृत् जनम् || ३-४९-१४
    अस्मिन् व्याल अनुचरिते वने वसति दुर्मतिः |

    13b, 14, 15a. muuDhe = oh, unintelligent lady; paNDita maanini = highly intelligent, deem your self; dur matiH = bad, minded [mindless Rama]; yaH striyaa vacanaat = who, by a woman's, word; sa = along with; su hR^it janam = good, hearted, people; raajyam vihaaya = kingdom, on leaving off; vyaala anucarite = predators, moving in [on prowl]; asmin vane vasati = in this, in forest, he who lives - Rama; such a; raajyaat cyutam = from kingdom, fallen [spurned off]; a siddha artham = not, gainful, his purposes; [maanuSaH = being human]; parimita aayuSam = he is with - limited, longevity - short-lived human being; raamam = at Rama; kaiH guNaiH anuraktaa asi = by what, merits [of Rama,] impassioned [for him,] you are.

    "Oh, halfwitted lady, you who deem yourself a highly intellectual lady, listen, that mindless Rama who just by a word of a woman forebode kingdom along with all of his amiable people, and lives in this forest where the predators are on the prowl, thus he who is spurned off from kingdom, ungainful are his purposes, and who is even a short-lived human, I wonder by what merits you are impassioned for such a Rama?" Thus Ravana spoke to Seetha. [3-49-13b, 14, 15a]

    CASE2 - SEETA THINKS HER BODY IS TO BLAME FOR HER FATE.dindooohindoo

    Yuddha Kanda - Book Of War
    Chapter [Sarga] 48

    स्तनौ च अविरलौ पीनौ मम इमौ मग्न चूचुकौ |
    मग्ना च उत्सन्गिनी नाभिह् पार्श्व उरस्कम् च मे चितम् || ६-४८-११

    11. maamakau = my; stanau = breasts; aviralau = are close to each other; piinau = fully developed; magna chuuchukau = and have depressed nipples; naabhiH = my navel; magnaa = is deeply; utsedhinii = indented; me = my; paarshvoraskamcha = flanks and bossom; chitam = are well-formed.

    "My breasts are close to each other, fully developed and have depressed nipples. My navel is deeply idented. My flanks and bossom are well-formed."

    ReplyDelete
  4. SAMIR SARDANA1:06 AM

    STATISTICS !

    MEANINHGLESS IN HINDOOSTHAN !

    THE CRUX !

    EXPLOITATION !

    2000 YEARS AGO IT WAS THE BRAHMIJNS AND KSHATRIYAS !

    TODAY IT IS THE BANIAS

    I QUOTE BR AMBEDKAR IN PAGE 4357 of Selected Works of Dr BR Ambedkar

    The Bania is the worst parasitic class known to history. In him the vice of money-making is unredeemed by culture or conscience. He is like an undertaker who prospers when there is an epidemic. The only difference between the undertaker and the Bania is that the undertaker does not create an epidemic while the Bania does. He does not use his money for productive purposes. He uses it to create poverty and more poverty by lending money for unproductive purposes. He lives on interest and as he is told by his religion that money-lending is the occupation prescribed to him by the divine Manu, he looks upon money-lending as both right and righteous. With the help and assistance of the Brahmin judge who is ready to decree his suits, the Bania is able to carry on his trade with the greatest ease. Interest, interest on interest, he adds on and on, and thereby draws millions of families perpetually into his net. Pay him as much as he may, the debtor is always in debt. With no conscience to check him there is no fraud, and there is no chicanery which he will not commit. His grip over
    the nation is complete. The whole of poor, starving, illiterate India is irredeemably mortgaged to the Bania.

    In every country there is a governing class. No country is free from it. But is there anywhere in the world a governing class with such selfish, diseased and dangerous and perverse mentality, with such a hideous and infamous philosophy of life which advocates the trampling down of the servile classes to sustain the power and glory of the governing class? I know of none

    BUT THE INDIAN DUDS DO NOT GET IT !

    THHE ENTIRE POST PRODUCTION SUPPLY CHAIN IS CONTROLLED BY BANIAS WHO ARE O/S THE FISCAL NET.IF FARMER GETS RS 1 THE USER PAYS RS 10 !

    THAT RS 9 OF VALUE HAS A ECONOMIC VALUE ADDITION OF RS 2 ! IT CAN BE OUTSOURCED TO WALMARRT FOR RS 1.5

    IF YOU ELIMNINATE THE BANIA - YOU HAVE PARADISE !

    CHAIWALA IS A BANIA !

    MORE THAN A 1000 YEARS AGO THE WHITE HUNS DESTROYED THE GUPTA EMPIRE TO BITS ! THE INDIAN DALITS ARE WAITING FOR A TURKISH/MONGOL AND PAKISANI/TALIBAN ATTACK !

    THAT IS THE ONLY HOPE FOR INDDIAN DESTITUTES ! dindooohindoo


    ReplyDelete