Newari Banias (

Devanagari Devanagari ( ; in script: , , ) is an Indic script used in the Indian subcontinent. It is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental Writing systems#Segmental systems: alphabets, writing system), based on the ancient ''Brāhmī script, Brā ...

: बनिया) are a Bania caste from the

Newar Newar (; , endonym: Newa; , Pracalit script: ), or Nepami, are primarily inhabitants in Kathmandu Valley of Nepal and its surrounding areas, and the creators of its historic heritage and civilisation. Page 15. Newars are a distinct linguisti ...

community of the

Kathmandu Valley The Kathmandu Valley (), also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley (, Newar language, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः), National Capital Area, is a bowl-shaped valley located in the Himalayas, Hima ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

. The name ''Bania'' is derived from the Sanskrit word ''vaṇij'' (merchant); by preference,

Bania (caste) Bania (also spelled Baniya, Banija, Banya, Vaniya, Vani, Vania, and Vanya) is a mercantile caste primarily from the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat, with significant diasporic communities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, M ...

. Banias belong to the Urāy group which includes

Tuladhar Tulādhar (Devanagari: तुलाधर) is a Nepali/Nepalese caste from the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Tuladhar is derived from the Sanskrit words "tula" (weighing scale) and "dhar" (possessor), thus meaning scal ...

, Kansakar,

Tamrakar Tāmrakār (Devanagari: ताम्राकार) is a caste of coppersmiths and other metal casters found in Nepal and India. In Nepal, the Tamrakars are found among the Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley and other regions of Nepalthey ar ...

, Sthapit, Sindurakar, Selalik and other castes. They speak

Nepal Bhasa Newar (; , ) is a Sino-Tibetan language spoken by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The language is known officially in Nepal as Nepal Bhas ...

as a mother tongue and follow

Newar Buddhism Newar Buddhism is a form of Vajrayana Buddhism practiced by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It has developed unique socio-religious elements, which include a non-monastic Buddhist society based on the Newar caste system and pa ...

Traditional occupation

Banias are traditionally herbalists and wholesalers of raw materials for Newar, Tibetan and Āyurvedic traditional medicines. Traditional Bania neighborhoods in Kathmandu are Itum Bahal, Bania Chuka and Jhwabahal where the streets are lined with herbal shops.

Cultural life

Banias participate in the performance of

Gunla Bajan Gunlā Bājan () is Buddhist devotional music played by the Newars of Nepal. "Gunla" is the name of the tenth month in the Nepal Sambat calendar, which corresponds to August in the Gregorian calendar and "bajan" means "music" and "music playin ...

religious music.

Samyak Samyak () is an almsgiving Buddhist festival celebrated in the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. During the ceremony which is held on a large open ground, hundreds of Dīpankara Buddha images are assembled, and gifts of different types of food are made ...

is the greatest Newar Buddhist festival held every 12 years in Kathmandu where statues of

Dipankara Buddha Dipankara (Pali: ''Dīpaṅkara''; Sanskrit: ', "Lamp bearer") or Dipankara Buddha is one of the Buddhas of the past. He is said to have lived on Earth four asankheyyas and one hundred thousand kalpas ago. According to Buddhists, Dipankara was ...

are displayed. During this festival, each Urāy caste has been assigned a duty from ancient times, and Banias have the task of preparing and serving "sākhahti", a soft drink made by mixing brown sugar and water.

Notable Banias

* Dharmachari Guruma (1898-1978), Buddhist nun who helped to restore Theravada Buddhism and built the first nunnery in Nepal, formerly Laxmi Nani Bania (née Tuladhar) Page 152. * Iswarananda Shresthacharya, author and linguist * Salin Man Bania (Actor)

References

{{Reflist Newar Society of Nepal Social groups of Nepal Buddhist communities of Nepal Newar caste system