Agarwal 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

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.


What Are Their Lives Like?

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.


What Are Their Beliefs?

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.


What Are Their Needs?

The Agarwals generally do not feel the need for Christ. They need the desire to see beyond the natural world.


Prayer Points

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.


References

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 5,543,000
Population all Countries 5,568,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 111
PeopleID3 19688
ROP3 Code 115140
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)
Rajasthan
1,260,000
Uttar Pradesh
1,219,000
Gujarat
434,000
Madhya Pradesh
418,000
Maharashtra
366,000
Delhi
325,000
Andhra Pradesh
324,000
West Bengal
259,000
Haryana
177,000
Telangana
175,000
Assam
159,000
Punjab
82,000
Bihar
55,000
Uttarakhand
54,000
Chhattisgarh
44,000
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 1,260,000
  Uttar Pradesh 1,219,000
  Gujarat 434,000
  Madhya Pradesh 418,000
  Maharashtra 366,000
  Delhi 325,000
  Andhra Pradesh 324,000
  West Bengal 259,000
  Haryana 177,000
  Telangana 175,000
  Assam 159,000
  Punjab 82,000
  Bihar 55,000
  Uttarakhand 54,000
  Chhattisgarh 44,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
88.65 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
11.35 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (2,509,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 45
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari (India)
476,000
Telugu
369,000
Gujarati
294,000
Wagdi
208,000
Bhojpuri
196,000
Bengali
144,000
Marathi
126,000
Sindhi
120,000
Dhundari
76,000
Shekhawati
56,000
Assamese
52,000
Mewari
47,000
Kanauji
27,000
Punjabi, Eastern
20,000
Konkani
19,000
Primary Language Hindi (2,509,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 45
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari (India) 476,000
  Telugu 369,000
  Gujarati 294,000
  Wagdi 208,000
  Bhojpuri 196,000
  Bengali 144,000
  Marathi 126,000
  Sindhi 120,000
  Dhundari 76,000
  Shekhawati 56,000
  Assamese 52,000
  Mewari 47,000
  Kanauji 27,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 20,000
  Konkani 19,000
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

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Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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Mobile App Android Bible app: पवित्र बाइबिल Hindi Bible Biblica
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Hindi 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 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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