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Who were Indian banyans?
Banyan merchants is an expression used widely in the Indian Ocean trade to refer to Indian merchants who are clearly distinguished from others, by their clothing, by their religious and cultural dietary choices, and by the manner in which they conduct trade.
Where does the term banyan come from?
Etymology. The name was originally given to F. benghalensis and comes from India, where early European travelers observed that the shade of the tree was frequented by Banyans (a corruption of Baniyas, a community of Indian traders).
Is Peepal and banyan same?
The Peepal is also known as the Sacred Fig, and the peepal botanical name is Ficus religiosa. The familiar and popular Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) is a relative of the Peepal, as are Gular/Dumar (Ficus racemosa), Pukar (Ficus benjamina) and Kamarup (Ficus microcarpa).
Why are there so many Gujaratis in Kenya?
A large number of Gujaratis had migrated to Africa when the British started the railway line connecting Mombasa and Kisumu. “People from Kutch and Saurashtra comprise the largest chunk of Indians in Kenya,” said former Kutch MP Babubhai Shah.
What was the economic role of Zanzibar?
Zanzibar’s major exports were ivory, slaves, and eventually cloves, but the real “engine” of its transformation was the continuous growth of ivory exports. A very rapid rise in the British demand for ivory in the Bombay market boosted trade between India and the East African ports.
What do you mean banyan tree?
Definition of banyan : a large fig tree (Ficus benghalensis) native to India and Pakistan that starts as an epiphyte and has spreading branches which send out aerial roots that grow down to the ground and form secondary trunks around the host tree The banyan kills the host tree by preventing its trunk from growing.
What does a banyan tree symbolize?
Banyan trees are sacred and represent eternal life because it supports its expanding canopy by growing special roots from its branches.
Is it good to keep banyan tree at home?
Banyan Tree (Ficus Benghalensis) These plants are also not recommended as per Vastu shastra. These plants are also not good to plant logically, near your home because they are very strong and even have the strength to hamper the architect of your home with its strong root.
Why do we pray banyan tree?
Having its roots firmly set in the Hindu mythology, the banyan tree is believed to be a symbol of stability, permanence and security. Some women claim that worshipping the tree is not mainly a tradition but one that could be applied in our day-to-day life to achieve inner peace.
Is India a tribe in Kenya?
NAIROBI, Kenya Less than two weeks before general elections, Kenya’s government on Saturday officially recognized Asians of Indian descent as the 44th tribe of the East African Nation. Indians in Kenya had filed a petition to President Uhuru Kenyatta in May requesting to be formally recognized as tribe.
Why was Zanzibar so important?
Zanzibar was the centre of the east African slave trade. In 1822, the British consul in Muscat pressed Sultan Said to end the slave trade. Said signed the Moresby Treaty, the first of a series of anti-slavery treaties with Britain.