The Bania Gandha Banik are called the "businessmen of northeast India". Their chief occupation is trade. They were originally sellers of spices, incense and perfume.
Today the Gandha Banik are known for selling almost anything except alcohol. Some of them are informal pharmacists for traditional Indian medicine. When an Indian gets ill, he or she will frequently go to a shop owned by a Gandha Banik for a herbal potion designed to heal the health issue.
Some Gandha Banik are classified in the Vaishya or merchant caste of Hinduism. Others are seen as being in the Shudra or fourth laboring caste.
The primary language of the Gandha Banik is Bengali. Many also speak English and Hindi.
The vast majority of the Gandha Banik live in the Indian state of West Bengal.
The lives of the Gandha Banik vary depending on their income. Some are very wealthy business owners while others run small grocery stores in villages.
The Gandha Banik generally marry within their own community. They have an unusual wedding ceremony in which the groom climbs a tree or log and the bride is carried around the tree seven times. The Gandha Banik practice adult marriages arranged by the families of the bride and groom. Their dead are cremated. The Gandha Banik are not vegetarians but as Hindus they will not eat beef.
The Gandha Banik practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They give special attention to Vishnu, the preserver god, and his avatars of Rama and Krishna. Hindus believe that by performing rituals and good works that they will attain moksha or freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The Gandha Banik visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers and incense to their gods. There are many forms of Hinduism, each with its own deities and beliefs.
The main yearly holidays of the Gandha Banik people are Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights, Navratri, the celebration of autumn and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.
The Gandha Banik need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. They need to see Christianity lived out before them in practical ways. There may be no believers among the Gandha Banik at the present time.
* Scripture Prayers for the Bania Gandha Banik in India.
* Pray that God sends laborers to the Gandha Banik to live among them and tell them about Jesus.
* Pray the Lord will start a movement of Gandha Banik families experiencing God's blessings.
* Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Gandha Banik people a love for God's Word and a desire to spread its influence.
http://indpaedia.com/ind/index.php/Gandha_Banik
http://en.banglapedia.org/index.php?title=Banik
Profile Source: David Kugel |
People Name General | Bania Gandha Banik |
People Name in Country | Bania Gandha Banik |
Pronunciation | gahnd-HA BA-nik bah-NEE-ah |
Natural Name | Gandha Banik Bania |
Population this Country | 285,000 |
Population all Countries | 292,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 2 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 6 |
Alternate Names | Aut Asram; Bania; Chhatri Asram; Desa Asram; Gandha Banik; Gandhabania; Gandhabanik; Putali; Putali Bene; Putuli Bene; Sankha Asram; बनिया, गंधा बनिक |
People ID | 19698 |
ROP3 Code | 115150 |
Country | India | |||||||||
Region | Asia, South | |||||||||
Continent | Asia | |||||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||||||||
National Bible Society | Website | |||||||||
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||||||||
Total States on file | 8 | |||||||||
Largest States |
|
|||||||||
Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | India |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 8 |
West Bengal 244,000 | |
Assam 16,000 | |
Jharkhand 10,000 | |
Odisha 8,800 | |
Bihar 3,500 | |
Tripura 1,400 | |
Andaman and Nicobar 700 | |
Meghalaya 40 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Bengali (231,000 speakers) | ||||||
Language Code | ben Ethnologue Listing | ||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||
Total Languages | 5 | ||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Bengali (231,000 speakers) |
Language Code | ben Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 5 |
Secondary Languages | |
Hindi 38,000 | |
Assamese 8,700 | |
Odia 7,300 | |
Maithili 500 | |
People Groups | Speaking Bengali |
Primary Language: Bengali
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1800-1980) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1801-1984) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1832-2016) |
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 |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching (GRN) |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament - Bangla Version (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament - Mussolmani Version (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament- Common Version (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online Scripture (Talking Bibles) |
Audio Recordings | Oral Bible stories in Bengali |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | Following Jesus (India, JF Project) |
Film / Video | God's Love Story |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Bengali |
Film / Video | Magdalena (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | Rivka (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project) |
Film / Video | The Prophets' Story |
Film / Video | The Savior 3 - Woman at the Well |
Film / Video | The Savior 8 - Jesus is Risen |
General | Bible Visuals |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
100.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |