Rastaogi Bania 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

Rastoogi people live in northern India, primarily Uttar Pradesh. They are among the Bania peoples, a business community. The name "Bania" is derived from Vaniji, which means "trader" in Sanskrit, an ancient South Asian language. The Rastaogi are a sub-group of the Bania peoples who live in India, mainly in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. 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. This particular subgroup has a lineage that traces to the mythical king Harishchandra.

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.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Ironically, the Banias are often resented by others. They are known to charge excessive 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 up their land and farms for collateral in case they cannot pay back their loans.

Rastaogi Bania children learn early to "never give; always bargain and make money." From an early age, children are drilled in math and detailed calculations with the end purpose of getting the upper hand in business transactions. Fathers pass business skills to their sons. Rastaogi Bania parents strongly encourage their children, especially the boys, to obtain graduate degrees related to business.

Monogamy or marriage to one spouse is the norm among Bania groups. Rastaogi is a clan name. They only marry within their group, but they have limitations regarding whom they marry within their social network. They have a connection with the Rohtari Rajput group, but they don’t intermarry with them.


What Are Their Beliefs?

This prominent caste traces its Hindu beliefs back to when they selected "Surya" the Hindu sun god as their clan deity. Surya is portrayed as a red man with three eyes and four arms, riding in a chariot. They worship him as the god of healing and fortune. His picture is in Rastoogi-owned shops and homes because they firmly believe he will bring them blessings.


What Are Their Needs?

With almost no known followers of Christ in Uttar Pradesh or Rajasthan, the Rastoogi people need an influx of loving missionaries to tell them about Christ's glory. Pray that many Rastoogi people will come to know God's truth, life and ways.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out the right workers to the Rastoogi Bania community.
Pray that the Rastoogi people will soon get to hear the good news that Jesus Christ offers life to the full for all who surrender to him.
Pray for the Rastoogi Banias to have a Holy Spirit generated hunger for spiritual truth.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Rastaogi in India.


References

Some information from “The Scheduled Castes” K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rastogi
http://rastogi.org/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bania Rastaogi
People Name in Country Bania Rastaogi
Natural Name Rastaogi Bania
Alternate Names Rastaugi; बनिया, रस्त्गी
Population this Country 65,000
Population all Countries 65,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19720
ROP3 Code 115173
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 6
Largest States
Uttar Pradesh
56,000
Rajasthan
5,200
Bihar
1,900
Delhi
1,000
Madhya Pradesh
900
Uttarakhand
700
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 6
  Uttar Pradesh 56,000
  Rajasthan 5,200
  Bihar 1,900
  Delhi 1,000
  Madhya Pradesh 900
  Uttarakhand 700
Website South Asia Peoples
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.
Primary Language Hindi (47,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
Bhojpuri
4,600
Kanauji
2,200
Marwari (India)
1,500
Wagdi
1,400
Dhundari
500
Garhwali
300
Mewari
100
Bundeli
50
Primary Language Hindi (47,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 9
Secondary Languages
  Bhojpuri 4,600
  Kanauji 2,200
  Marwari (India) 1,500
  Wagdi 1,400
  Dhundari 500
  Garhwali 300
  Mewari 100
  Bundeli 50
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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Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Hindi Literacy & Evangelism International
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Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
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.


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