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.
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.
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.
The Agarwals generally do not feel the need for Christ. They need the desire to see beyond the natural world.
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.
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) |
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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) |
|
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) |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
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. |