Porwal Bania in India

The Porwal 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

"Rishabh! Don't ever forget our past!" The old man called to his grandson as he lounged on the couch. "Let me tell you about the time our ancestors built the Adinath Temple. It was the year 961 AD by the time they even finished…" he began. He went on to describe the details of how they built the impressive Jain temple, despite many obstacles. The boy settled himself in to hear the story yet again.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Porwal (also called Porvad or Porwad) are a community of Banias who, long ago, were great in number and in riches. They built many of the most famous Jain temples. Now other Jain communities are larger and wealthier than the Porwals. They are still a wealthy people, but their numbers have fallen when compared to the other Jain groups around them. Today they number less than four million out of India's more than 1,215,000,000 people.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Far smaller is the number of Christ followers among them. Their Jain beliefs offer them some good moral guidelines regarding the sanctity of life. But without a church or a Bible or any appropriate evangelistic tools, the Porwals remain without knowledge of a Savior who offers not only solid moral teachings about the importance of life, but also the chance to have a personal relationship with the God who created them.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Porwal people will soon get to hear the good news that Jesus Christ died for their sins.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Porwal in India.


References

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


Profile Source:   Global Prayer Digest  

Additional Info
Bania profile for Children and Family Missions Activities
Global Prayer Digest: 2011-08-18
Global Prayer Digest: 2017-09-18
People Name General Bania Porwal
People Name in Country Bania Porwal
Natural Name Porwal Bania
Alternate Names Bania Seth; Jangada; Jangada Porwal; Marwadi; Parwar; Ponwar; Porwad; Porwal; Porwal Jain; Porwar; Purwar; बनिया, पोरवाल
Population this Country 394,000
Population all Countries 394,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 8
People ID 19719
ROP3 Code 115172
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 23
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Rajasthan
84,000
Maharashtra
66,000
Gujarat
52,000
Uttar Pradesh
39,000
Madhya Pradesh
32,000
West Bengal
28,000
Andhra Pradesh
20,000
Assam
18,000
Delhi
8,500
Telangana
8,200
Tamil Nadu
5,100
Punjab
5,100
Chhattisgarh
4,300
Karnataka
4,200
Jharkhand
3,500
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 23  (only 20 largest shown)
  Rajasthan 84,000
  Maharashtra 66,000
  Gujarat 52,000
  Uttar Pradesh 39,000
  Madhya Pradesh 32,000
  West Bengal 28,000
  Andhra Pradesh 20,000
  Assam 18,000
  Delhi 8,500
  Telangana 8,200
  Tamil Nadu 5,100
  Punjab 5,100
  Chhattisgarh 4,300
  Karnataka 4,200
  Jharkhand 3,500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
69.91 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
30.09 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (145,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 29
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarati
55,000
Marwari
54,000
Marathi
17,000
Dhundari
12,000
Bengali
10,000
Telugu
7,600
Mewari
5,700
Nimadi
3,400
Bhojpuri
3,300
Kacchi
2,800
Konkani
2,800
Shekhawati
2,800
Assamese
2,700
Bagri
1,400
Kanauji
1,300
Primary Language Hindi (145,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 29
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Gujarati 55,000
  Marwari 54,000
  Marathi 17,000
  Dhundari 12,000
  Bengali 10,000
  Telugu 7,600
  Mewari 5,700
  Nimadi 3,400
  Bhojpuri 3,300
  Kacchi 2,800
  Konkani 2,800
  Shekhawati 2,800
  Assamese 2,700
  Bagri 1,400
  Kanauji 1,300
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  (1835-2022)
Bible-NT Audio Online
Bible-NT Text Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, Old Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hindi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Global Prayer Digest  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.