Agarwal Bania in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The name "Bania" is derived from Vaniji, which means "trader" in Sanskrit, an ancient South Asian language. The Agarwal are a sub-group of the Bania peoples who live across India. A much smaller population lives in Pakistan. Many Hindus in Pakistan moved to India during the 1947 Partition of India.
Of the four major varnas (caste clusters of Hinduism), Banias are in the third one, the Vaishyas. They were usually traders of grain and spices throughout history. Since Bangladesh is primarily a Muslim nation, the Hindu caste system is not as influential as it is in India.
Despite their high incomes, the Banias have only modest status in the Hindu caste pyramid. The Bania tend to resent the higher two varnas, the Brahmins and the Kshatriyas. 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. Agarwal is one of the Bania groups.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Like most other Bania subgroups, the Agarwal work as businessmen and traders. Some have risen to become very wealthy.
Agarwals have enough economic clout that they have sometimes been given the right to skirt India's laws. About 100 years ago a court case went all the way to the Indian Supreme Court that included the comment that Agarwals are known for their unwillingness to follow Hindu rules. Not much has changed.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Agarwal Banias who feel a need for God in a Hindu context are likely to try to fill it with Hindu rituals. An Agarwal Bania might visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. Others might try to fill the God-shaped void with philosophy.


What Are Their Needs?

The Agarwals generally do not feel the need for Christ. They need the desire to see beyond the natural world.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Holy Spirit will create a hunger in the hearts of prominent Agarwal businessmen.
Pray for a powerful church to reach the Agarwal Bania people.
Pray that Agarwal believers can demonstrate the love and character of Christ to their kinsmen.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Agarwal in India.


References

Some information from “The Scheduled Castes” K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bania Agarwal
People Name in Country Bania Agarwal
Natural Name Agarwal Bania
Pronunciation AG-ur-wahl BAHN-yah
Alternate Names Agarwal; Aggarwal; Agrabalia; Arya; Arya Vysya; Bania; Chetti; Gupta; Jain; Komati; Marwadi; Vaisya Agarwal; Vysya; बनिया, अ‍ॅगर्वल
Population this Country 5,789,000
Population all Countries 5,815,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 116
People ID 19688
ROP3 Code 115140
ROP25 Code 300836
ROP25 Name Bania
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 34
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Rajasthan
1,338,000
Uttar Pradesh
1,203,000
Gujarat
456,000
Madhya Pradesh
440,000
Maharashtra
385,000
Andhra Pradesh
360,000
Delhi
342,000
West Bengal
273,000
Telangana
191,000
Haryana
186,000
Assam
167,000
Punjab
86,000
Bihar
58,000
Uttarakhand
57,000
Chhattisgarh
46,000
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 34  (only 20 largest shown)
  Rajasthan 1,338,000
  Uttar Pradesh 1,203,000
  Gujarat 456,000
  Madhya Pradesh 440,000
  Maharashtra 385,000
  Andhra Pradesh 360,000
  Delhi 342,000
  West Bengal 273,000
  Telangana 191,000
  Haryana 186,000
  Assam 167,000
  Punjab 86,000
  Bihar 58,000
  Uttarakhand 57,000
  Chhattisgarh 46,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
88.41 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
11.59 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (2,575,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 46
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari
651,000
Gujarati
294,000
Telugu
274,000
Sindhi
187,000
Dhundari
146,000
Bengali
143,000
Marathi
125,000
Shekhawati
66,000
Assamese
54,000
Bhojpuri
48,000
Mewari
48,000
Awadhi
36,000
Kanauji
35,000
Bagri
25,000
Punjabi, Eastern
20,000
Primary Language Hindi (2,575,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 46
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari 651,000
  Gujarati 294,000
  Telugu 274,000
  Sindhi 187,000
  Dhundari 146,000
  Bengali 143,000
  Marathi 125,000
  Shekhawati 66,000
  Assamese 54,000
  Bhojpuri 48,000
  Mewari 48,000
  Awadhi 36,000
  Kanauji 35,000
  Bagri 25,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 20,000
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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Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hindi Jesus Film Project
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Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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