# Banajiga

Banajigas are a Kannada speaking mercantile community primarily living in the Indian state of Karnataka. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana they are known as Balijas.
Banajiga (vanik, tradesman) are Canarese traders, many of whom are Lingayats.

## Etymology

Variations of the name in use in the medieval era were Balanja, Bananja, Bananju, Banajiga and Banijiga, with probable cognates Balijiga, Valanjiyar, Balanji, Bananji and derivatives such as Baliga, all of which are said to be derived from the Sanskrit term Vanik or Vanij, for trader.

## Occupation

Banajigas are traders and business people. Some are also professionals such as teachers, doctors, and engineers.

## Sub groups

* Adi Banajiga
* Balajiga / Banajiga / Gowda Banajiga
* Balegara
* Dasa Banajiga
* Dudi Banajiga
* Ele Banajiga or Thota Banajiga. Ele Banajigas are betel gardeners
* Gandudi Banajiga
* Gazula Banajiga
* Goni Banajiga / Croni Banajiga
* Gopala Banajiga
* Gopati Banajiga
* Janappan
* Jidipalli Banajiga
* Joti Banajiga
* Linga Balija / Linga Banajiga
* Musu Kamma
* Nayudu / Naidu Banajiga
* Panchama Banajiga
* Punavalu Banajiga
* Puvulu Banajiga
* Rajamahendram or Musu Kamma
* Raut / Ravut / Rahutar Banajiga
* Setty Balija / Setty Banajiga / Banajiga Setty
* Shilvant / Sheelavant Banajiga
* Sukamanchi Banajiga
* Telaga Balija / Telaga Banajiga
* Uppar Banajiga
* Dasa Banajigas
The Dasa Banajigas of Mysore style themselves Jaina Kshatriya Ramanujas Dasa Banajigas are as they call themselves Jaina Kshatriya Ramanuja-Dasa Vaniyas say they were formerly Jain Kshatriyas, and were converted into Vaishnavism by Ramanujachsrya. They are very clean in their habits, pure vegetarians, and follow the doctrines of Ramanujacharya. They are found in large numbers in Chennapatna (Bangalore District). They do not eat food cooked even by Brahmans, who are not Sri Vaishnavas.
* Dudi Banajiga
Dudi Banajigas are traders in cotton. They are also strict vegetarians, and abstain from eating in the houses of persons other than Brahmans. They have some (eponymous) exogamous clans, e.g., Govila and Babhruvahana, and are found in small numbers in the Kolar District. They have a Purana known as Lakshminarayana Puranam, written for them by their guru Lakshminārayana Sastri.
* Ele Banajigas
Ele Banajigas, as their name implies are betel growers. Some of them are vegetarians.
* Gazulu Banajiga
The Gazulu are the glass bangles section is also known as Setti Banajiga. This is considered a very respectable division, and it is not unusual for persons of other sections to claim it as their own. They are the dealers in glass bangles, and are at the head of the 18 phanas. Setti is the title applied to persons of this section.
* Linga Banajiga
The Linga Balijas (traders) are summed up, in the Madras Census Report, 1901, as a Lingayat sub-caste of Balija. In a note on Lingayats, Mr. R. C. C. Carr records that the Linga Banjigs or Banajigas are essentially traders, though many are now cultivators, and that Telugu Lingayats often call them-selves Linga Balijas.
In a note on the Linga Balijas of the North Arcot district, Mr. H. A. Stuart writes that "Linga Balija appears rather to be the name of the followers of a religious faith than of a distinct caste, for the Linga Balijas state that their caste contains eleven sub-divisions, each with a separate occupation, viz., Jangam (priests), Reddi (cultivators), Gandla (oil mongers), and the like. Almost all the Linga Balijas of North Arcot are traders, who speak Canarese and are immigrants from Mysore, in which their gurus (religious preceptors) live, and whither they still refer their caste disputes. At one time they enjoyed much importance in this district, particularly in its large trading towns. Headmen among them, styled Chettis, were by the Arcot Nawabs assigned districts, in which they possessed both magisterial and civil authority, and levied taxes from other merchants for their own personal use. They carried on very extensive trade with Mysore and the Ceded districts, and are said to have had enormous warehouses, which they enclosed and fortified. Breaches of the peace are also described as not infrequent, resulting from the interference of one Linga Balija Chetti with matters relating to the district of another. Their authority has long since disappeared, and is only a matter of tradition. Every Linga Balija wears a Siva lingam, usually encased in a silver casket (or gold casket set with precious stones), and suspended from the neck, but the very poor place theirs in a cloth, and sometimes tie it to their arm. It is a strict rule that one should be tied to a child's neck on the tenth day of its birth, otherwise it is not entitled to be classed as a Linga Balija. The Siva lingam worn by these people differs from the Buta or Preta lingams used by Pandarams, Kaikolans, or others who profess the Lingayat faith. They acknowledge two puranams, called respectively the Siva and Basava puranams, and differ in very many respects from other Hindus. They bury and do not burn their dead, and do not recognise the five kinds of pollution resulting from a birth, death, spittle, etc., and they do not therefore bathe in order to remove such pollution. Widow remarriage is allowed even where the widow has children, but these are handed over to the relatives of her first husband. To widow remarriages no women who are not widows are admitted, and, similarly, when a maiden is married, all widows are excluded. Unlike most Hindus, Linga Balijas shave off the whole of the hair of their heads, without leaving the usual lock at the back. They deny metempsychosis, and believe that after death the soul is united with the divine spirit. They are particular in some of their customs, disallowing liquor and flesh-eating, and invariably eating privately, where none can see them. They decline even to eat in the house of a Brāhman."
A Linga Banajiga (Canarese trader), whom I interviewed at Sandur, was smeared with white marks on the forehead, upper extremities, chest, and abdomen in imitation of a Hubli priest. Some orthodox Lingayat traders remove their lingam during the transaction of the day's work, on the ground, as given to me, that it is necessary to tell little falsehoods in the course of business.
* Puvulu Banajiga
Puvvalu Banajigas are flower sellers, are also said to belong to the Gazulu division.
* Nayudu Banajiga
The Nayadu division is said to be the same as Kota division above referred to. On behalf of these, it is claimed that they are Kshatriyas of the Lunar Race, and that the term which is a corrupted form of the Sanskrit 'Nayak,' came to be applied to them when, at the zenith of Vijayanagar rule, the king divided his whole realm into nine districts or provinces and placed at the head of each a man of this caste with the title of Nayak. This division has become much mixed up, the title Nayadu being appropriated by many persons of doubtful origin, such as the children of dancing girls.
* Rajamahendram Banajiga
The Jidipalli and Rajamahendram originated from the places inhabited by them, but they subse-quently came to denote caste sub-divisions. The members of the latter division are the immigrants from the districts of Nellore, Cuddapah, Anantapur, North Arcot and Chinglepet.
* Raut / Ravut / Rahutar Banajiga
The Ravut are a small section living specially in the town of Mysore. They are also known as Oppana Banajigas, because they are said to have been sent into the Mysore country from Vijayanagar to collect the tribute due to that king, oppana meaning appointment. They were all soldiers, and were hence known as Ravuts.
* Setty Banajiga
Setty Balija or Setty Banajiga are also known as Balija, Kapu, Balija Settlu, Chetty Balija or Banajiga in the different areas of their habitation. Rao, Naidu, Nayudu and Setti are the synonyms of the community . Rao , Naidu , Nayudu and Setty are their titles. They have jati puranam namely " Balija vamsapuranam " which mainly deals with the origin of the community.

## Dynasty

* Later Keladi Nayakas
* Chennapatna Nayakas

## Rulers

* Shivappa Nayaka (1645–1660)
* Chikka Venkatappa Nayaka (1660–1662)
* Bhadrappa Nayaka (1662–1664)
* Somashekara Nayaka I (1664–1672)
* Keladi Chennamma (1672–1697)
* Basavappa Nayaka (1697–1714)
* Somashekara Nayaka II (1714–1739)
* Kiriya Basavappa Nayaka (1739–1754)
* Chenna Basappa Nayaka (1754–1757)
* Queen Virammaji (1757–1763).
* Belawadi Mallamma (1624–1678)
* Rana Peda Jagadeva Raya
* Rana Immadi Jagadeva Raya
* Rana Ankusa Raya
* Rana Kumara Jagadeva Raya
* Immadi Ankusa Raya

## Status

Banajigas are high in social status. The Banajiga caste is included in the Central List of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) for the state of Karnataka.

## Notable people

* B. S. Yediyurappa Chief Minister of Karnataka
* S. Nijalingappa Chief Minister of Karnataka
* J. H. Patel Chief Minister of Karnataka
* S. R. Kanthi Chief Minister of Karnataka
* Veerendra Patil Chief Minister of Karnataka
* Jagadish Shettar Chief Minister of Karnataka
* B. D. Jatti Chief Minister of Karnataka