OCCUPATION

The caste's business was to load bullocks with wheat and go from place to place to sell it. They went down to Ghats, and to the Konkan districts. Once they used to carry their wares to Surat, Navsariand Kalyan in the west and Namad, Nagpur and Jabalpur in the Northeast, with their bullocks packed and in bands or armies of thousands. With the growth of their trade they began to earn good sum of money and then started settling in Maharashtra,Rajastan and Andhra.They purchased land with whatever money they had . Later on they worked very hard on their farm and became the mainstream farmers in Maharashtra. Vanjari community in Nashik District is economically and socially advanced and has sound standing in cultural arena. The most common surnames of Vanjari are: Sanap,Shelke,Munde,Wanve,Hange, Bodke, Ghule,Khade, Khedkar, Kharmate, Karad, Funde, Chaudhar,Sangle, Tandale,Andhale, Nagargoje, Gite, Ugalmugale,Kangane,Katkade,Jain,Dhakne, Dhatrak,Darade,Kute,Ghuge, Phad, Chate, Lahane, Garje, Bade, Vare, Bangar, Rakh, Lahane, and many more. Vanjari from Thane district have nature related last names such as Wade, Bore, Pimple, and most common Sankhe. Most of the community is very well educated and business minded.