Portrait of three unidentified people of the Labana tribe of Lahore, ca.1862–72
Lubana (also spelled Lubana, Labana, Lavana, Lubhana; lit. 'salt trader') is a merchant and transportation community in India engaged in maritime trade and land trade which includes trading and transportation of goods like saltpetre, silk, diamonds, etc. In the Punjab region, during socio-economic reforms, Labanas overwhelmingly became agriculturists. The Labanas of Punjab and Haryana are mostly Sikhs and Hindus and speak mainly Punjabi or Hindi.
Etymology
The term Lobana appears to have been derived from Lun or Lavan (salt) and the Bana (trade)[1] The Lobanas were the salt-carrying and salt-trading community In Punjab,Labanas started leaving merchant work and shifted to agriculture profession which turns them to landholding community since times of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.Some of the Labans claim that they are Gaur Brahmins who migrated to Punjab during reign of Aurengzeb.[2]
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