The Khatris are an important mercantile caste of the Punjab, who in the opinion of most authorities are derived from the Rajputs.

The name is probably a corruption of Kshatri or Kshatriya.

The Banias are the great mercantile, banking and shopkeeping caste among the Hindus and a large proportion of the trade in grain and _ghi_ (preserved butter) is in their hands, while they are also the chief moneylenders.

Most of the important Bania subcastes belonged originally to Rajputana and Central India, which are also the homes of the Rajputs, and reasons have been given in the article on Bania for holding that they are derived from the Rajputs.

They, however, are now commonly called Vaishyas by the Hindus, as, I think, under the mistaken impression that they are descended from the original Vaishyas.