Rauniar Bania in Nepal


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 Rauniar are a sub-group of the Bania peoples who live in India and Nepal. 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.
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.


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.
Rauniar 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 monetary transactions. Fathers pass business skills to their sons. Rauniar 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.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They devote their spiritual lives to Hindu gods like Lakshmi. By contrast, those who follow Christ know that true spirituality is found in knowing the One, True God. The one who created us can direct our lives so that those around us can see the fruit of his holiness, love, and guidance. Unfortunately, few Raunair Banias have any contact with Christ's followers.


What Are Their Needs?

Rauniar Bania communities live throughout India, but they probably don’t have a single Christ follower among them. Do they lack gospel resources? Or do they lack the will to seek and find?


Prayer Points

Pray that Christ's followers will reach out to them.
Pray that Raunair Hindus will know who Jesus really is.
Pray that they will understand that in him comes the true blessings in life such as peace, joy, humbleness, long suffering and love.


Scripture Prayers for the Bania Rauniar in Nepal.


References

Some information from “The Scheduled Castes” K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bania Rauniar
People Name in Country Bania Rauniar
Natural Name Rauniar Bania
Alternate Names Bailkachnath; Nauniyar; Pachanaha; Purbia; Raunihar; Roniaur; Roniyar; बनिया, रऔनिअर
Population this Country 3,200
Population all Countries 153,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19721
ROP3 Code 115174
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 4
Largest States
Narayani
1,500
Lumbini
800
Janakpur
600
Sagarmatha
200
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 4
  Narayani 1,500
  Lumbini 800
  Janakpur 600
  Sagarmatha 200
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 Nepal census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bhojpuri (1,600 speakers)
Language Code bho   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Maithili
900
Hindi
200
Awadhi
80
Primary Language Bhojpuri (1,600 speakers)
Language Code bho   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Maithili 900
  Hindi 200
  Awadhi 80
People Groups Speaking Bhojpuri

Primary Language:  Bhojpuri

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1911-1982)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1998-2007)
Bible-Complete No
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Amazon
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Forum Bible Agencies
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Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bhojpuri Jesus Film Project
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 and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
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 Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
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 direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bhojpuri YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bhojpuri YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Bhojpuri Literacy & Evangelism International
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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