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, Banajigas now identified as a Lingayats. But Historical records indicate that Banajigas were originally Jains engaged in trade and historically recorded as "Jain Merchants" only later around 16-17th century community gradually converted to Lingayat through the influence of Lingayat priests. Today, Banajigas are regarded as one of the wealthiest sub-caste of Lingayatism, noted for their contributions to temples, monasteries, and religious institutions.