Anglo-Ind. Also 6 banjara, 7–9 bunjara, 8 bandjarrah, benjarry, brinjary, 8–9 binjarree, -jarry, 9 brinjaree, -jarree, bunjarrah, -jarree, vanjarrah. [corruption of Urdū banjārā, according to Wilson deriv. of Skr. vaṇij trade: influenced, some think, by Pers. birinj rice (Col. Yule). Called in Bombay vanjārā.] A travelling grain and salt merchant of the Deccan.
[c. 1632. Life of Mohabut Khan, in J. Briggs, Acc. Bunjaras (Y.). The very first step … was to present the Bunjaras of Hindostan with elephants, horses, and cloths.]
1793. Dirom, Camp. India, 2 (Y.). His convoy of brinjarries had been attacked.
1794. E. Moor, Narr. Little’s Detachm., 131. The Bandjarrahs…. This very useful class of Hindoos, generally, but we think, improperly called Brinjarries, have customs and manners peculiar to themselves.
1798. Webbe, in Owen’s Disp. Wellington, 9. To open our rear for the admission of Brinjaries.
1799. Kirkpatrick, ibid., 173. As many Benjarries as possible.
1800. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., I. 146. No Brinjarries in yet. Ibid. (1804), in Owen’s Desp., 425. His Highness shall collect as many Bunjarrahs as possible.
1813. Forbes, Oriental Mem., I. 206 (Y.). We met there a number of Vanjarrahs, or merchants.
a. 1876. Meadows Taylor, in Life, II. 17 (Y.). Brinjarries, or carriers of grain.
