Bania (caste)

Bania (also spelled Baniya, Banija, Banya, Vaniya, Vani, Vania and Vanya) is a mercantile caste mainly from the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, with strong diasporic communities in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra (mainly Mumbai) and other northern states. Traditionally, the main occupations of the community are merchants, bankers, money-lenders, and (in modern times) owners of commercial enterprises.

For the Nepalese community, see Bania (Newar caste).

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