Their name is Mahajan, a Bania subgroup of north India, meaning "great people." Maha means "great" and jan means "people." Most of the 322,000 Mahajans come from present-day Rajasthan. Historically, they are a people who fled into the foothills of the Himalayas during the Mogul Era to escape from cruel Islamic rulers. Most Mahajans today speak Hindi, but Marathi, Punjabi, and Dogri are also spoken among them.
Though they are most commonly found in Rajasthan, Mahajans live throughout India.
The name Mahajan is found among castes outside the Bania fold. In some states Mahajan is not used as a family name, but as a title. For others, Mahajan means "elder." In all cases, high status and often high caste comes with the Mahajan name.
An economically and socially powerful people, they are highly respected by Hindu society. In the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Maharashtra, Mahajans work as landlords, traders, and businessmen. Ironically, few Mahajans are involved in money lending, a primary job of Banias.
* Scripture Prayers for the Bania Mahajan in India.
* Ask the heavenly Father to connect the Hindu Mahajans with Christ followers.
* Pray that they will realize that their power and prestige can only bring peace and joy if they have a personal relationship with their real Creator, the one true living God.
* Pray that they would have a desire to serve and respect Him as Lord of their lives and of their business practices.
Some information from "The Scheduled Castes" K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)
Profile Source: Global Prayer Digest |
Global Prayer Digest: 2011-08-25 |
Global Prayer Digest: 2015-08-08 |
People Name General | Bania Mahajan |
People Name in Country | Bania Mahajan |
Natural Name | Mahajan Bania |
Population this Country | 187,000 |
Population all Countries | 188,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 4 |
Alternate Names | Mahajan; बनिया, महाजन |
People ID | 19711 |
ROP3 Code | 115163 |
Country | India | |||||||||||||||
Region | Asia, South | |||||||||||||||
Continent | Asia | |||||||||||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||||||||||||||
National Bible Society | Website | |||||||||||||||
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||||||||||||||
Total States on file | 24 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | India |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 24 (only 20 largest shown) |
Rajasthan 41,000 | |
Uttar Pradesh 36,000 | |
Maharashtra 17,000 | |
Gujarat 17,000 | |
West Bengal 16,000 | |
Andhra Pradesh 16,000 | |
Assam 9,700 | |
Madhya Pradesh 6,200 | |
Telangana 6,000 | |
Uttarakhand 5,900 | |
Delhi 4,100 | |
Jammu and Kashmir 2,700 | |
Odisha 2,500 | |
Punjab 2,200 | |
Haryana 1,800 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Hindi (100,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 24 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Hindi (100,000 speakers) |
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 24 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Marwari 27,000 | |
Gujarati 16,000 | |
Marathi 9,300 | |
Dhundari 8,800 | |
Telugu 8,200 | |
Bengali 4,500 | |
Assamese 2,800 | |
Bhojpuri 2,200 | |
Mewari 2,200 | |
Shekhawati 2,100 | |
Merwari 1,300 | |
Saurashtra 900 | |
Kanauji 600 | |
Bagri 500 | |
Konkani 400 | |
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 (1835-2012) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching (GRN) |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online Scripture (Talking Bibles) |
Audio Recordings | Oral Bible stories in Hindi |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | A Beautiful Hope (EngSub) |
Film / Video | Coconuts |
Film / Video | Creation to Christ |
Film / Video | Father's Love Letter |
Film / Video | Following Jesus (India, JF Project) |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Hindi |
Film / Video | Magdalena (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | Rivka (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project) |
Film / Video | The Hope Video |
General | Bible Visuals |
General | Four Spiritual Laws |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
99.82 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.18 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Map Source | People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Global Prayer Digest |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |