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{{Short description|Custom of North India and Pakistan}}
'''Bohni''' ([[Hindustani language|Hindustani]]: बोहनी or بوہنی) is a social and commercial custom of [[ India]] and [[Pakistan]] that is based on the belief that the first sale of a day (or other selling period) establishes the seller's luck for subsequent choti transactions during the remainder of the day.<ref name="dofphs1986">{{Citation | title=The Panjab past and present | year=1986 | publisher=Department of Punjab Historical Studies, Punjabi University | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0wpDAAAAYAAJ| quote=''... The first sale of the morning was bohni. A good bohni was always regarded as auspicious ...''}}</ref><ref name="ascca1980">{{Citation | title=Central Asia, Issues 5-7| year=1980 | publisher=Area Study Centre (Central Asia), University of Peshawar | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HIxxAAAAMAAJ| quote=''... customer called "Bohni". They do not give goods on credit early in the morning thinking that if they do so, all the day only customers buying ...''}}</ref> In practical terms this means that sellers try to ensure that the first (or ''bohni'') sale happens on a cash-only basis, and ideally without any discounts (i.e. at full-price), though the social protocol associated with ''bohni'' sales varies by region.<ref name="ascca1980"/> Unless the price is egregious, it is considered good manners for customers to be generous if they are engaged in a ''bohni'' transaction with the seller. If the buyer is trusted, the seller will sometimes allow the buyer to state a price that is binding on both, with the expectation that the buyer will demonstrate generosity.<ref name="singh1990">{{Citation | title=Delhi | author=[[Khushwant Singh]] | year=1990 | publisher=Penguin Books | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ivJaAAAAMAAJ | quote=''... Give me whatever you wish; a taxi would cost you over ten rupees. You are my first customer, so this will be my boni ...''}}</ref>
==Variations in the custom==
Although sellers have a daily ''bohni'', the concept also applies to sales at the beginning of a calendar year or at the launch of an enterprise. Often, for a newly launched business, family or friends of the seller will make a ''bohni'' purchase in an attempt to secure luck for the new business. Depending on individual beliefs, some sellers may pass on smaller transactions until they secure a large-enough ''bohni'' sale, while others may lower prices in an attempt to complete a ''bohni'' sale as soon as possible.<ref name="sinha1970">{{Citation | title=The depiction of folk-culture in Vidyapati's prose (विद्यापति पदावली में लोक-संस्कृति का चित्रण) | author=Pramod Kumar Sinha | year=1970 | publisher=Kalpana Teerth | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VbVHAAAAMAAJ | quote=''... at the time of bohni, prices are low in the market so that sales can begin and luck is maintained (बोहनी करने के समय शुरू में ... )...''}}</ref><ref name="nazir2010">{{Citation | title=Travel of the Hijrat (سفر ہجرت) | author=Mubashir Nazir | access-date=2010-06-16 | url=http://www.mubashirnazir.org/ER/L0014-08-Safarnama.htm | quote=''... In our part of the world, special consideration is given to the customer that does the bohni (ہمارےیہاں بوہنی کروانے والے کو خصوصاً رعایت دی جاتی ہے) ...'' | archive-date=2010-03-23 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323010327/http://www.mubashirnazir.org/ER/L0014-08-Safarnama.htm | url-status=dead }}</ref> In some areas, it is considered rude to ask the seller to make change during a ''bohni'' sale, as any outflow of cash during the ''bohni'' can spoil the seller's luck for the remainder of the day.<ref name="kakar2005">{{Citation | title=Over a cup of coffee | author=V.N. Kakar | year=2005 | isbn=81-223-0916-X | publisher=Pustak Mahal | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jHc0sn3uTiMC | quote=''... "Don't you have a rupee?" he asked angrily ... "Early morning," shouted he, "is the time for my boni (first sale), and here you come asking me to part with nine rupees." ...''}}</ref>
In some regions, it is considered inauspicious to allow the first prospective customer to walk away without a sale being completed. To prevent this, the first potential buyer that engages with a seller may receive special treatment, such as being offered a seat at the shop and a cup of tea, or a [[freebie]] being included with the sale.<ref name="kapur2010">{{Citation | title=How to get the First Sale of the Day | author=Sundeep Kapur | publisher=EmailYogi | access-date=2010-06-16 | url=http://www.emailyogi.com/2010/05/how-to-get-first-sale-of-day.html | quote=''... The first customer was thanked, even given a freebie, offered a cup of tea ... a bad omen if the first customer walked away without making a purchase so merchants were very careful to not let that happen, this practice is called Boni ...'' | archive-date=2011-07-10 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710184919/http://www.emailyogi.com/2010/05/how-to-get-first-sale-of-day.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Treatment of bohni proceeds==
Some regions and communities in North India and Pakistan have developed specific practices in how the money made in a ''bohni'' transaction is treated. Sometimes the ''bohni'' money is [[spitting|spit]] upon, which is a custom believed to ward-off nazar (evil eye).<ref name="fallon1879">{{Citation | title=A new Hindustani-English dictionary: with illustrations from Hindustani literature and folk-lore | author=S.W. Fallon | year=1879 | publisher=Medical Hall Press | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mxsYAAAAYAAJ| quote=''... bohni ... the first money received during the day, or the first ready-money sale ... no credit being given as a rule for the article first sold ... many superstitious people will spit on ... bohni thoni, rad bala ...''}}</ref> Alternatively, the seller may apply the ''bohni'' cash to each eye in turn, which denotes reverence and thankfulness.<ref name="sinha1978">{{Citation | title=Readings in Hindi-Urdu linguistics | author=Kripashankar Sinha | year=1978 | publisher=National | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eYdjAAAAMAAJ| quote=''... Cash received from the very first sale of the day (bohni) is greeted by applying the same to the eyes of the salesman/ shopkeeper ...''}}</ref>
==References==
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[[Category:Culture of India]]
[[Category:Culture of Pakistan]]