Bania (Newar caste)
Newari Banias (
Newar community of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The name Bania is derived from the Sanskrit word vanijya (merchant); by preference, Bania (caste)
.
Banias belong to the
Nepal Bhasa as a mother tongue and follow Newar Buddhism
.
Traditional occupation
Banias are traditionally herbalists and wholesalers of raw materials for Newar, Tibetan and Āyurvedic traditional medicines.[1] Traditional Bania neighborhoods in Kathmandu are Itum Bahal, Bania Chuka and Jhwabahal where the streets are lined with herbal shops.[2][3]
Cultural life
Banias participate in the performance of
Dipankara Buddha 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.[4]
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)[5][6]
- Iswarananda Shresthacharya, author and linguist
References
- ^ Lewis, Todd T. (January 1996). "Notes on the Uray and the Modernization of Newar Buddhism" (PDF). Contributions to Nepalese Studies. Retrieved 15 April 2012. Page 110.
- ^ Tuladhar, Suman Kamal (coordinator) (2012) Udaaya Research. Kathmandu: Udaaya Samaj. Pages 29-30.
- ISBN 978-99946-2-534-5. Page 9.
- ^ Lewis, Todd T. (1995). "Buddhist Merchants in Kathmandu: The Asan Twah Market and Uray Social Organization" (PDF). Contested Hierarchies. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Retrieved 15 April 2012. Page 47.
- ISBN 9780674019089. Page 47. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- ^ Gellner, David N. & LeVine, Sarah. "All in the Family: Money, Kinship, and Theravada Monasticism in Nepal". Occasional Papers, Vol 10. Retrieved 15 April 2012. Page 152.