_Bania, Bani, Vani, Mahajan, Seth, Sahukar._--The occupational
caste of bankers, moneylenders and dealers in grain, _ghi_ (butter),
groceries and spices. The name Bania is derived from the Sanskrit
_vanij_, a merchant. In western India the Banias are always called
Vania or Vani. Mahajan literally means a great man, and being applied
to successful Banias as an honorific title has now come to signify a
banker or moneylender; Seth signifies a great merchant or capitalist,
and is applied to Banias as an honorific prefix. The words _Sahu_,
_Sao_ and _Sahukar_ mean upright or honest, and have also, curiously
enough, come to signify a moneylender. The total number of Banias in
the Central Provinces in 1911 was about 200,000, or rather over one
per cent of the population. Of the above total two-thirds were Hindus
and one-third Jains. The caste is fairly distributed over the whole
Province, being most numerous in Districts with large towns and a
considerable volume of trade.