Gandha Banik Bania in Bangladesh


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Bania Gandha Banik are called the "businessmen" of Bangladesh and northeast India. Their chief occupation is trade. They were originally sellers of spices, incense and perfume.

Today the Gandha Banik are known for selling almost anything except alcohol. Some of them are informal pharmacists for traditional Indian medicine. When an Indian gets ill, he or she will frequently go to a shop owned by a Gandha Banik for a herbal potion designed to heal the health issue.

Some Gandha Banik are classified in the Vaishya or merchant caste of Hinduism. Others are seen as being in the fourth laboring caste.

The primary language of the Gandha Banik is Bengali.


Where Are they Located?

The Gandha Banik of Bangladesh live in the states of Rajshahi and Dhaka. Most of this people live in the nation of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The lives of the Gandha Banik vary depending on their income. Some are very wealthy business owners while others run small grocery stores in villages.

The Gandha Banik generally marry within their own community. They have an unusual wedding ceremony in which the groom climbs a tree or log and the bride is carried around the tree seven times. The Gandha Banik practice adult marriage arranged by the families of the bride and groom. Their dead are cremated. The Gandha Banik are not vegetarians but as Hindus they will not eat beef.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Gandha Banik practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of the Indian subcontinent. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They give special attention to Vishnu, the preserver god, and his avatars of Rama and Krishna. Hindus believe that by performing rituals and good works that they will attain moksha or freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The Gandha Banik visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers and incense to their gods. There are many forms of Hinduism, each with its own deities and beliefs.

The main yearly holidays of the Gandha Banik people are Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights, Navratri, the celebration of autumn and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Gandha Banik of Bangladesh need to hear the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. They need to see Christianity lived out before them in practical ways. There may be no believers among the Gandha Banik of Bangladesh at the present time.


Prayer Points

Pray that God sends laborers to the Gandha Banik to live among them and tell them about Jesus.
Pray the Lord will start a movement of Gandha Banik families experiencing God's blessings.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Gandha Banik people love for God's Word and a desire to spread its influence.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Gandha Banik in Bangladesh.


References

http://indpaedia.com/ind/index.php/Gandha_Banik
http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Banik


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Bania Gandha Banik
People Name in Country Bania Gandha Banik
Natural Name Gandha Banik Bania
Pronunciation gahnd-HA BA-nik BAHN-yah
Alternate Names Aut Asram; Bania; Chhatri Asram; Desa Asram; Gandha Banik; Gandhabania; Gandhabanik; Putali; Putali Bene; Putuli Bene; Sankha Asram; बनिया, गंधा बनिक
Population this Country 4,300
Population all Countries 337,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19698
ROP3 Code 115150
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 3
Largest States
Dhaka
2,700
Rajshahi
1,300
Khulna
300
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 3
  Dhaka 2,700
  Rajshahi 1,300
  Khulna 300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (4,300 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bengali (4,300 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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Photo Source (Representative photo)
Nydegger René - Pixabay 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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