The Bania of India

The Bania people are also called Vania or Mahajan. The word Vania is derived from ‘Vaniji’, which means ‘trader’ in Sanskrit. Business, trade, jewelry-making, and agriculture are the traditional occupations of the Bania. They live in villages and towns throughout India, and their heaviest concentration is in the northwest portion of the country. Floor painting and folk songs represent the Bania’s art and culture.

The Bania are Hindu by religion. They are Vaishnavite and devotees of Shrinathji. A section of them are from the Jain community, another religious division. The Bania maintain inter-community linkages with the Brahman, Valand, Soni, and other communities through trade and service. The Bania in the state of Maharashtra are mostly the followers of the Lingayat Cult.

Primary Religion:  Hinduism

% Christian Adherents:  0.00%

% Evangelical:  Unknown, but few – less than 2%

Primary Language:  Hindi

Status:  Less than 2% Evangelical. Widespread church planting within past 2 years

Persecution Rank:  32

Prayer Points:

• For the salvation of the Bania people, that God may send Christian workers among them, and that through those workers, God would meet their spiritual and physical needs.
• Pray for developmental and literacy programs among the people.

Information and graphics taken from Joshua Project. For more see also Operation World.