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 322,000 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 from cruel Islamic rulers. Most Mahajans today speak Hindi, but Marathi, Punjabi, and Dogri are also spoken among them.


Where Are they Located?

Though they are most commonly found in Rajasthan, Mahajans live throughout India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The name Mahajan is found among castes outside the Bania fold. In some states Mahajan is not used as a family name, but as a title. For others, Mahajan means "elder." In all cases, high status and often high caste comes with the Mahajan name.
An economically and socially powerful people, they 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.


Prayer Points

Ask the heavenly Father to connect the Hindu Mahajans with 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 real 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:   Global Prayer Digest  

Additional Info
Bania profile for Children and Family Missions Activities
Global Prayer Digest: 2011-08-25
Global Prayer Digest: 2015-08-08
People Name General Bania Mahajan
People Name in Country Bania Mahajan
Natural Name Mahajan Bania
Alternate Names Mahajan; बनिया, महाजन
Population this Country 229,000
Population all Countries 229,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 5
People ID 19711
ROP3 Code 115163
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
42,000
Maharashtra
21,000
Gujarat
19,000
West Bengal
19,000
Andhra Pradesh
19,000
Assam
14,000
Madhya Pradesh
7,600
Telangana
7,000
Uttarakhand
7,000
Delhi
4,900
Jammu and Kashmir
3,200
Odisha
2,900
Punjab
2,600
Haryana
2,100
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 42,000
  Maharashtra 21,000
  Gujarat 19,000
  West Bengal 19,000
  Andhra Pradesh 19,000
  Assam 14,000
  Madhya Pradesh 7,600
  Telangana 7,000
  Uttarakhand 7,000
  Delhi 4,900
  Jammu and Kashmir 3,200
  Odisha 2,900
  Punjab 2,600
  Haryana 2,100
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 (101,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 21
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari
28,000
Gujarati
16,000
Marathi
10,000
Bengali
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 (101,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 21
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari 28,000
  Gujarati 16,000
  Marathi 10,000
  Bengali 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  (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
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.