Mahajan Bania in India

The Mahajan Bania have only been reported 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

Their name is Mahajan, a Bania subgroup of north India, meaning "great people." Maha means "great" and jan means "people." Most of the Mahajans come from present-day Rajasthan. Historically, they are a people who fled into the foothills of the Himalayas during the Mogul Era to escape cruel Islamic rulers. Most Mahajans today speak Hindi, but Marathi, Punjabi, and Dogri are also spoken among them. Though they are most often found in Rajasthan, Mahajans live throughout India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

An economically and socially powerful people, Mahajan Bania are highly respected by Hindu society. In the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Maharashtra, Mahajans work as landlords, traders and businessmen. Ironically, few Mahajans are involved in money lending, a primary job of Banias.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Nearly all Mahajan Banias claim the Hindu religion, but as merchants they have chosen gods that reflect their profession. They worship the god of wealth, the god of good fortune and the god of money. The rupee (Indian currency) is sacred with the Bania, and they use old coins for religious ceremonies. Ganesh (the god who helps overcome obstacles) and Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) are among their favorites. Many are devoted to Vishnu and Shrinathji. Some are Jains, a reform movement of Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

Though they live all over India, the Mahajan Banias probably don’t have a single Christ follower among them. They need contact with vibrant, Christ loving believers.


Prayer Points

Ask the heavenly Father to connect the Hindu Mahajans with loving Christ followers.
Pray that they will realize that their power and prestige can only bring peace and joy if they have a personal relationship with their Creator, the one true living God.
Pray that they would have a desire to serve and respect him as Lord of their lives and of their business practices.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Mahajan 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 Mahajan
People Name in Country Bania Mahajan
Natural Name Mahajan Bania
Alternate Names Mahajan; बनिया, महाजन
Population this Country 228,000
Population all Countries 228,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 5
People ID 19711
ROP3 Code 115163
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 24
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Rajasthan
48,000
Uttar Pradesh
43,000
Maharashtra
21,000
Gujarat
20,000
West Bengal
19,000
Andhra Pradesh
19,000
Assam
14,000
Madhya Pradesh
7,700
Telangana
7,300
Uttarakhand
7,100
Delhi
4,900
Jammu and Kashmir
3,200
Odisha
3,000
Punjab
2,700
Haryana
2,200
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 24  (only 20 largest shown)
  Rajasthan 48,000
  Uttar Pradesh 43,000
  Maharashtra 21,000
  Gujarat 20,000
  West Bengal 19,000
  Andhra Pradesh 19,000
  Assam 14,000
  Madhya Pradesh 7,700
  Telangana 7,300
  Uttarakhand 7,100
  Delhi 4,900
  Jammu and Kashmir 3,200
  Odisha 3,000
  Punjab 2,700
  Haryana 2,200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.82 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.18 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (99,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 23
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari
28,000
Gujarati
16,000
Bengali
12,000
Marathi
10,000
Dhundari
8,800
Telugu
8,300
Assamese
4,100
Bhojpuri
2,300
Mewari
2,200
Shekhawati
2,100
Sourashtra
900
Kanauji
800
Bagri
500
Konkani
400
Awadhi
400
Primary Language Hindi (99,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 23
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari 28,000
  Gujarati 16,000
  Bengali 12,000
  Marathi 10,000
  Dhundari 8,800
  Telugu 8,300
  Assamese 4,100
  Bhojpuri 2,300
  Mewari 2,200
  Shekhawati 2,100
  Sourashtra 900
  Kanauji 800
  Bagri 500
  Konkani 400
  Awadhi 400
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 God's Story video God's Story
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Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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