Saraogi Bania in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Other / Small (Jainism)
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 Banias originated over 5,000 years ago, and they are also called Vania or Mahajan. Their name is derived from Vaniji, which means "trader" in Sanskrit, an ancient South Asian language.

Of the four major varnas (caste clusters), Banias are in the third one, the Vaishyas. This caste cluster has always been about trade, business, and money lending. They were usually traders of grain and spices throughout history.

Despite their high incomes, the Banias have only modest status in the Hindu caste pyramid. They resent the higher two varnas, the Brahmins and the Kshatryas, and thus Banias have often been leaders in caste reform movements. Mahatma Gandhi is one example, but there have been many others throughout India's long history.


Where Are they Located?

Banias originated in the western Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Today Saraogi Banias live in just about all of India's northern states.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Members of the Bania caste are among the wealthiest people in India and even the world. Today they are still involved with businesses and money lending. A Bania might be the proud owner of a giant business, a small one, or he might be working in a bank. He might even own the bank. Others work in government ministries or as lawyers, judges, teachers, scholars, stockbrokers, or engineers.

They are often resented by other castes, because they lend much needed money at high interest rates. A pre-literate farmer might take a loan from a Bania only to find that a high percentage of his harvest will be taken away as interest. Customers often must put their farms or their gold up for collateral in case they cannot pay back their loans.

The lessons such as "never give; always bargain and make money" are often learned at young ages by Bania children. Business skills are passed down from father to son, and from an early age children are drilled in math and detailed calculations with the end purpose of winning in money transactions.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Saraogi Banias are mainly part of the Jain religion, an offshoot of Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

Saraogi Banias need a spiritual transformation that will bring them to the point where they want to follow the ways of Jesus, and abandon the old ways that have left them spiritually empty and other castes economically devastated and resentful.


Prayer Points

Pray that the veil of deception will be lifted from the eyes of the Saraogi Banias and that they will see that the only true wealth is the spiritual riches gained through a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pray that Christ's disciples will be called to work among them and share Christ in a loving, culturally relevant way.
Pray for a disciple making movement to emerge among every Bania community.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Saraogi in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19722/IN
http://www.peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/bania/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bania_(caste)
http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/LIA5OcknCv3zQw2hJi0GDN/The-peculiar-pedigree-of-the-business-class.html
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16318/IN
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/2008/08/08
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/2007/09/16
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/2009/08/25


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Bania Saraogi
People Name in Country Bania Saraogi
Natural Name Saraogi Bania
Alternate Names Khandelwal; Saroji; बनिया, सरावगी
Population this Country 85,000
Population all Countries 85,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 19722
ROP3 Code 115175
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 9
Largest States
Madhya Pradesh
38,000
Rajasthan
33,000
Gujarat
8,400
Delhi
2,400
Uttar Pradesh
1,300
Nagaland
500
Manipur
300
Odisha
300
Uttarakhand
200
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 9
  Madhya Pradesh 38,000
  Rajasthan 33,000
  Gujarat 8,400
  Delhi 2,400
  Uttar Pradesh 1,300
  Nagaland 500
  Manipur 300
  Odisha 300
  Uttarakhand 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small (Jainism)
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
37.79 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
62.21 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (43,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
Wagdi
13,000
Gujarati
9,200
Shekhawati
2,600
Marwari (India)
2,400
Dhundari
2,200
Malvi
1,800
Bundeli
700
Bhojpuri
100
Primary Language Hindi (43,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
  Wagdi 13,000
  Gujarati 9,200
  Shekhawati 2,600
  Marwari (India) 2,400
  Dhundari 2,200
  Malvi 1,800
  Bundeli 700
  Bhojpuri 100
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Hindi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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