Dhusar 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 of the Dhusar people group comes from a legend about a woman being troubled by the devil. As the story goes, the woman went to Brahma, the Hindu god of creation, to tell him about this problem. She wept as she spoke to him. As she wept, a river miraculously appeared, and Brahma named the river Vasudhara. The Dhusars derive their name from Vasudhara because they live along the banks of the Vasudhara River. Their name as refers to the color grey. Most speak Hindi.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Members of the Bania caste are among the wealthiest people in India and even the world. Today they are still involved with businesses and money lending. A Bania might be the proud owner of a giant business, a small one, or he might be working in a bank. He often owns the bank. Others work in government ministries or as lawyers, judges, teachers, scholars, stockbrokers or engineers.

Dhusar Bania fathers teach their children business skills. From an early age children are drilled in math and detailed calculations with the end purpose of winning in money transactions. Bania parents often teach their children to "never give; always bargain and make money." This attitude does not make them popular with other communities. Other castes often resent them because they lend much needed money at high 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 their farms or their gold up for collateral in case they cannot pay back their loans.

Floor painting and folk songs are a major part of the Bania's art and culture.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Nearly all Dhusar Banias claim the Hindu religion, but as merchants they have chosen gods that reflect their profession. They worship the god of wealth, the god of good fortune and the god of money. The rupee (Indian currency) is sacred with the Bania, and this is an instance of the preservation of old coins for religious ceremonies. Ganesh (the god who helps overcome obstacles) and Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) are among their favorites. They are many Vaishnavite and devotees of Shrinathji among the Hindu Banias. Some are Jains, a reform movement of Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

Banias need a spiritual transformation that will bring them to the point where they want to follow the ways of Jesus and abandon the old ways that leave them spiritually empty.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Dhusar Banias will see that the only true wealth are the spiritual riches gained through a loving relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pray that Christ's disciples will be called to work among them and share Christ in a culturally relevant way.
Pray for a Disciple Making Movement to emerge among every Bania community, blessing them for eternity.
Pray for the Lord to give Dhusar Bania leaders dreams and visions that will draw them to the King of kings.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Dhusar in India.


References

India Missions Association, Edited by Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bania_(caste)
https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/banias
http://www.li


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bania Dhusar
People Name in Country Bania Dhusar
Natural Name Dhusar Bania
Alternate Names Bhargava; Dhusar; Dhusar Banias; Dusar; बनिया, धूसर
Population this Country 225,000
Population all Countries 225,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 2  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
PeopleID3 19696
ROP3 Code 115148
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
Uttar Pradesh
161,000
Rajasthan
27,000
Gujarat
8,400
Haryana
8,100
Maharashtra
7,600
Madhya Pradesh
7,400
Delhi
3,600
Uttarakhand
1,400
Chhattisgarh
500
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
  Uttar Pradesh 161,000
  Rajasthan 27,000
  Gujarat 8,400
  Haryana 8,100
  Maharashtra 7,600
  Madhya Pradesh 7,400
  Delhi 3,600
  Uttarakhand 1,400
  Chhattisgarh 500
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 (156,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 15
Secondary Languages
Kanauji
12,000
Gujarati
8,100
Wagdi
4,400
Marwari (India)
4,300
Marathi
3,700
Dhundari
2,400
Bhojpuri
2,300
Bundeli
1,500
Mewari
1,500
Braj Bhasha
900
Shekhawati
900
Awadhi
900
Haryanvi
500
Chhattisgarhi
90
Primary Language Hindi (156,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 15
Secondary Languages
  Kanauji 12,000
  Gujarati 8,100
  Wagdi 4,400
  Marwari (India) 4,300
  Marathi 3,700
  Dhundari 2,400
  Bhojpuri 2,300
  Bundeli 1,500
  Mewari 1,500
  Braj Bhasha 900
  Shekhawati 900
  Awadhi 900
  Haryanvi 500
  Chhattisgarhi 90
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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Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
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