Ummad Bania in India

The Ummad Bania have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
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. The Ummads are a large Bania caste that is scattered all over India.


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?

Nearly all Ummad 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. These are the gods who drive their lives, gods that leave them with empty hearts.


What Are Their Needs?

Ummad 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 Ummad 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 culturally relevant way.
Pray for a disciple making movement to emerge among every Bania community.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Ummad in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/19726/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 Ummad
People Name in Country Bania Ummad
Natural Name Ummad Bania
Alternate Names Humad; Humbad; Humbada; Ummad; बनिया, उम्मद
Population this Country 337,000
Population all Countries 337,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 7
People ID 19726
ROP3 Code 115180
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 12
Largest States
Uttar Pradesh
155,000
Maharashtra
56,000
Rajasthan
50,000
Gujarat
44,000
Madhya Pradesh
21,000
Delhi
5,000
Chhattisgarh
2,600
Bihar
1,200
Karnataka
1,000
Haryana
800
Uttarakhand
600
Jharkhand
400
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 12
  Uttar Pradesh 155,000
  Maharashtra 56,000
  Rajasthan 50,000
  Gujarat 44,000
  Madhya Pradesh 21,000
  Delhi 5,000
  Chhattisgarh 2,600
  Bihar 1,200
  Karnataka 1,000
  Haryana 800
  Uttarakhand 600
  Jharkhand 400
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
72.20 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
27.80 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (163,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 21
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarati
52,000
Marathi
33,000
Kanauji
10,000
Wagdi
6,200
Bhojpuri
5,700
Marwari (India)
5,600
Bundeli
5,300
Mewari
4,400
Konkani
2,300
Dhundari
1,600
Khandesi
800
Chhattisgarhi
600
Malvi
600
Kannada
400
Shekhawati
400
Primary Language Hindi (163,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 21
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Gujarati 52,000
  Marathi 33,000
  Kanauji 10,000
  Wagdi 6,200
  Bhojpuri 5,700
  Marwari (India) 5,600
  Bundeli 5,300
  Mewari 4,400
  Konkani 2,300
  Dhundari 1,600
  Khandesi 800
  Chhattisgarhi 600
  Malvi 600
  Kannada 400
  Shekhawati 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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Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
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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
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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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