Banijiga 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.

Subgroups: 3

Subgroup Name Population
Athnikar 52,000
Chilni 52,000
Dhulpavad 52,000

Introduction / History

The Lingayat have a subgroup called the Banajiga who live in Karnataka in India. They speak, read and write in Kannada. They live in Belgaum and other regions of Karnataka.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They have cousin marriages and have birth and marriage rituals. The dead are buried in a sitting position, and they have yearly ancestor worship ceremonies.

They work in cultivation, trading and business. Most are vegetarians who each wheat and rice as their staple foods. There are professionals among them such as teachers, doctors and engineers. Their children go to school.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Banijiga people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.

Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Banijiga people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray for them to understand and respond to Christ.

Pray God will have mercy on the Banijiga doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.

Ask God to open the hearts of the Banijiga to the gospel.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.


Scripture Prayers for the Banijiga in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Banijiga
People Name in Country Banijiga
Alternate Names Adi Banijiga; Agni; Balegara; बनिजिगा
Population this Country 849,000
Population all Countries 849,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 17
PeopleID3 16473
ROP3 Code 111639
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 9
Largest States
Karnataka
801,000
Maharashtra
19,000
Tamil Nadu
16,000
Andhra Pradesh
5,500
Telangana
4,300
Kerala
1,400
Goa
1,300
Delhi
200
Gujarat
80
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 9
  Karnataka 801,000
  Maharashtra 19,000
  Tamil Nadu 16,000
  Andhra Pradesh 5,500
  Telangana 4,300
  Kerala 1,400
  Goa 1,300
  Delhi 200
  Gujarat 80
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.12 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.75 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
1.14 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kannada (604,000 speakers)
Language Code kan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
Telugu
123,000
Tulu
14,000
Tamil
6,100
Marathi
4,100
Konkani
1,400
Konkani, Goan
600
Primary Language Kannada (604,000 speakers)
Language Code kan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
  Telugu 123,000
  Tulu 14,000
  Tamil 6,100
  Marathi 4,100
  Konkani 1,400
  Konkani, Goan 600
People Groups Speaking Kannada

Primary Language:  Kannada

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1988)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1827-2023)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1827-2024)
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
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kannada Jesus Film Project
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 Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Kannada Bible (ಕನ್ನಡ ಬೈಬಲ್) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Kannada Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Kannada Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kannada YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Kannada Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Kannada Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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