With Diwali approaching, I can’t help but think of small business owners across the Diaspora and around the world who are busily preparing for the start of a new fiscal year.

Religion and culture have great influence in the business practices of merchants. The South Asian tradition is no different.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights is important for a number of reasons: for Hindus, it represents the triumph of good over evil through Lord Rama’s vanquishing of the demon Ravana; it marks a date of celebration of the Sikh calendar over the release of Guru Gobind Singh from prison.

It is also the time when Laxmi, Goddess of Wealth becomes the focus of special prayers and offerings, as business owners and householders invite her into their homes. Shops and houses are cleaned till they shine, debts are cleared, new clothes are worn, and new sets of books are started, all part of an attempt to create the best conditions for wealth and luck to come in.

For customers, thanks to the custom of “Bohni”, Diwali is also a good time to get a great deal.

In northern India, and parts of Pakistan, Bohni is best described as a custom based on the belief that the first sale of a day, or other selling period, establishes the seller's luck for subsequent transactions during the remainder of the day.

For some merchants, letting the first customer of the day, week, month, quarter or year walk away without a successful sale is considered to be very inauspicious. A merchant may therefore be willing to come down in price, or offer incentives or extras to prevent that from happening.

My first experience with Bohni came in Hong Kong of all places, where a Punjabi tailor who spoke flawless Cantonese was making blazers and suits for me. We agreed on a three piece suit, a long jacket, and a two-piece Chanel inspired skirt suit. I wanted to do one more – but this guy was a businessman first and foremost. I couldn’t talk him down in price. A half-dozen fittings later, I arrived in his crowded shop in Kowloon to pick up the goods.

It was September 1^st, my last morning before flying home, a date, as I would learn, much more important in his mind than mine.

“What about that fourth suit you were thinking of?” he asked.

 “I can’t spend anymore here!”

“I’ll do you a really good deal.”

“You know I’m out of money,” I shook my head, smiling.  

“Please this is for my Bohni. I have to make a good sale to have a good month. You can’t say no.”

In the end, I couldn’t. He made it worth my while to relent. And about a week later, another outfit arrived via courier.

A caveat: Bohni goes both ways. The “luck” established from that first sale is also based on the presumption that the buyer, as well as the seller will be generous and show good will.

So, if you find yourself with a merchant a few dollars apart, and you know Bohni is at stake, find a way to get the deal done. Goddess Laxmi may just smile on both of you.