Nema Jain Vaishya

Nema (or Neema or Neva) is a merchant community which is mainly found in Madhya Pradesh. it has also spread to Rajasthan. It originated from the Nimar region of western Madhya Pradesh, where this community is still concentrated.

Several old Jain inscriptions mentioning the Neva community has been found in Madhya Pradesh.The Nemas are largely devout Vaishnavas. A group of Nemas that migrated toVidarbha region a few centuries ago, follows Digambar Jainism. Some in Gujarat and Malwa region of MP follow Svetambara Jainism.

Nema means one who lives in accordance with 'Niyams',(Codes of conducts), this is from Vedic Puran’s, stories wherein it is depicted that decedents of Shastrajuna were solemnized to pursue code of conducts prescribed for them by sage Bhrigu.

It is in saying that Bhrigu saved about 30 Khastriya student Childs decedents of Shastrajuna,under 14 Rishis,in his school, on pretext, that they are trained for the duties of Vaishya from Parshuram who was destroying Khastriyas.Accordingly Nema are in 14 Gotra, each after the name of respective Rishi as follows:

To best of estimates Nema were mainly practicising the Banking business, in those days when there were many currencies of many kings and Britishers in India. These persons were known as Seth or Mahajan. They used to perform other Merchant business to hide their main wealth and business. In those days even Kings fell short of wealth and these persons,have supplelied it to them. They also influenced politics of that time by Money. Although only one of them 'Bhamaashah' of Rana Pratap's time is in light.

The native place of Nema was in Jaipur (Rajasthan, India) Kingdom.In between 1700 to 1800 AD large scale migration from Jaipur to central India occurred, because of decay of Rajput Kingdom in Jaipur, and for want of peaceful and better prospective life in calm fertile land of Gondwana, in areas, adjacent to rivers like Narmada and tributaries. The population migrated was Rajput and Banias in majority, and they remained and still are in the collaboration of process of migration. However it is evident that only the distressed groups fled away for goods. With these Nema also owing their obligations to warriors and Kings were invited to settle, in Gondwana., and central parts of India.

Thereafter in colonial days, at time of world wars, and inland revolt against Colony, many of the aboriginals (Indians) were shipped to countries like, Africa, Australia, Mauritius, and so. These persons also included Nema and decedents.

Consequently now on today presence of Nema is worldwide. Although they had to adjust, their code, conducts, languages, etc. and even religion, according to the place. of accommodation. At present there is a local saying "All Nema's are from Narsinghpur", as all the nema have at least there one relative in Narsinghpur and it is considered now as a Base location for Nema's.In central part of India people use to write "Nema' with their name and near Malwa, Gujrat region they spell "Neema". "Phulera" is also one of the gotras of beesa nema who are basically residents of Bhopal and nearby areas.

Today if anybody gives a search of Nema in Google search, results are kaleidoscopic. This in a corner of heart, hesitantly leads to think, if Nema who dared mass migration in past are reluctant to Globalization now?

The reference above (Russell's) is quoted here in full Bania, Nema. This subcaste numbers nearly 4000 persons, the bulk of whom reside in the Saugor, Damoh, Narsinghpur and Seoni Districts. The Nemas are most largely returned from Central India, and are probably a Bundelkhand group; they will eat food cooked without water with Golapūrab Banias, who are also found in Bundelkhand. They are mainly Hindus, with a small minority of Jains. The origin of the name is obscure; the suggestion that it comes from Nimār appears to be untenable, as there are very few Nemas in that District. They say that when Parasurāma was slaying the Kshatriyas fourteen young Rājpūt princes, who at the time were studying religion with their family priests, were saved by the latter on renouncing their Kshatriya status and declaring themselves to be Vaishyas. These fourteen princes were the ancestors of the fourteen gotras of the Nema subcaste, but the gotras actually bear the names of the fourteen Rīshis or saints who saved their lives. These sections appear to be of the usual Brāhmanical type, but marriage is regulated by another set of fifty-two subsections, with names which are apparently titular or territorial. Like other Bania groups the Nemas are divided into Bīsa and Dasa subdivisions or twenties and tens, the Bīsa being of pure and the Dasa of irregular descent. There is also a third group of Pacha or fives, who appear to be the offspring of kept women. After some generations, when the details of their ancestry are forgotten, the Pachas probably obtain promotion into the Dasa group. The Bīsa and Dasa groups take food together, but do not intermarry. The Nemas wear [155] the sacred thread and apparently prohibit the remarriage of widows. The Nemas are considered to be very keen business men, and a saying about them is, “Where a sheep grazes or a Nema trades, what is there left for anybody else?”". Nemas or Neemas are known for their intellect, honesty and hard-work. In recent time they have proved to be successful lawyers, bankers, doctors, engineers, software professionals and business men.

Ref: The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India Volume II (Bania, Nema) Nemas of Rajasthan/ Gujrat

People of India Rajathan Part II (By Kumar Suresh Singh , B. K. Lavania, D. K. Samanta, S. K. Mandal, Anthropological Survey of India, N. N. Vyas, Anthropological Survey of India Published 1998 Popular Prakashan), at Page 704-708, tells about Nemas of Rajasthan