The growth of the Marwaris in Calcutta has not been a one-day affair but a culmination of process. While they were only a handful in the late eighteenth century, their important increased in the early nineties. They nested in Burrabazar in ever-large numbers. From the mid-nineteenth century they came to control the crucial inland trade in jute and cotton goods. They emerged a strong community of the BIRLAS, The Kotharis. The Bagris, The Jalans, etc. which was indicated by the foundation of the Marwari Association in 1898 and the Marwari Chamber of Commerce in 1901. They bought the small plots of land flanking the M.G.Road.

With the growing impatience to storm the English Political citadel at the start of 20^th century the Marwari took the initiation of striking the British at their true base – the economic during the World War I, the Birlas became the leading raw jute exporters to London. Under G.D.Birla’s leadership, there began great offensive against British economic power in India.

From now onwards, we discern more and more clearly a change in the attitude of the Marwari community in Calcutta. Their interests are still paramount in the city’s economy. The society has endowed the city with temples, schools, colleges, hospitals, auditoriums, dharmshala, and various charitable institutions. In recent times educated Marwari women have also played a part in the city’s intellectual, cultural and philanthropic activities.

As all these indicate, the community has been changing its ethos, swiftly and consciously. Today, the diffluent and wealthy Marwari have moved out of Burrabazar and have clustered in Ballygunge, Salt Lake and Alipore. Yet Marwari of all deception are still held together by certain deep values and traditions. They have a pronounced in group loyalty, marked above all in their social communication, food habits and marriage custom.