BANYAN, or BANIAN (an Arab corruption, borrowed by the Portuguese from the

See also:

• SANSKRIT

Sanskrit vanij, "

See also:

• MERCHANT (O. Fr. marcheant, modern marchand; from Lat. mercari, to trade, merx, goods, merchandise)

merchant ")  , the Ficus Indices, or Bengalensis, a tree of the fig genus . The name was originally given by Europeans to a particular tree on the Persian Gulf beneath which some Hindu " merchants " had built a pagoda . In Calcutta the word was once generally applied to a native broker or head clerk in any business or private house, now usually known as sircar . Bunya, a corruption of the word common in Bengal generally, is usually applied to the native grain-dealer . Early writers sometimes use the term generically for all Hindus in western India . Banyan was long Anglo-Indian. for an undershirt, in allusion to the body garment of the Hindus, especially the Banyan . Banyan days is a nautical slang term, In the British navy there were formerly two days in each week on which meat formed no part of the men's rations . These were called banyan days,, in allusion to the vegetarian diet of the Hindu merchants . Banyan hospital also became a slang term for a hospital for animals, in reference to the Hindu's humanity and his dislike of taking the life of any animal .