It is obvious that very little is known about our state in the rest of India. Maharashtrians generally knwo more about the rest of the country because we travel quite a lot. There are numerous tour organizers and even at the height of insurgency in J&K Marathi tourist dared to tour there and this was appreciated by Kashmiris because it gave them some relief to their beseiged tourist industry. We are a generaous people, the fact that Mumbai is home to so many from other states actually proves that. It is not only Mumbai but even at taluka places people from the northern states are now found in noticeable strength. how do you explain that. To say that Maharashtrians did not build Mumbai is travesty of truth. During the British rule, no Indian could trade in Madras or Calcutta because strong cartels of British traders conspired to do that. Brother of Gurudev Tagore attempted to start a shipping company for China trade, but british companies offered to carry cargo free of cost to cut out the competition. Such thing did not happen in Bombay because a strong Maratha power sat on Bombay's border, prepared to intervene if Indian (Hindu) interests were harmed, just as they did in Mysore and Hyderabad in 18th century. The enterprising Chettiars had to start their venture in Indonesia, not in Madras because the British kept them out by means foul or fair as they suited them. During the British times there were numerous wealthy Marathi traders and craftsmen. (Cont:)
