Example: Ganiga or Ghanchi or Bene(Israel) Category: Other Backward Class in India From ancient time in India, vegetable oils were obtained by crushing oilseeds in village, using an oil-press - or ghana. A ganiga is a person who extracts oil using a ghana and it is now considered a caste in the Hindu religion. In Sanskrit literature of about 500 BC there is a specific reference to an oil-press, or ghanis, although it was never described (by Monier-Williams, M. 1899. A Sanskrit-English dictionary, Delhi, India, Motilal Banarsidass. Reprinted 1963). Ganiga People speak Kannada, Tulu, or Telugu as their mother tongue. The Ganiga community includes some castes such as Shiva Jyothipana (Synonym: Jyothipana, Ontettu Ganigaru, Kiru Ganigaru), Jyothinagara (Synonym: Ayodhyenagaradavaru, Jodettu Ganigaru, Hegganigaru, Vaishya ganigaru, Nagartha, Namdhari), Sajjana (Synonym: Lingayath), Sapaliga, etc. This community of oil extractors is known by different names in different states in India. They are known as Ganiga in Karnataka, Gandla (Deva Gandla, Sajjana Gandla), in Andhra Pradesh; as Vaniya Chettiar or Vaaniga vysya in Tamil Nadu ; as Teli in Maharashtra and in North India. All Ganigas do not come under Shudras: Ganigas (Jyothi Nagaras) in Karnataka, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu have Rushi Gothram and can be considered as Vaishyas. They wear janivar, the sacred thread, and are eligible for recitation of Gayathri (hymns or mantras) and have rituals of the Vysyas and Brahmins. In the different states of India, they are called in different names - In Andhra, Ganigas are known as Gandla,Telikula and in which they are called devagandla,devatelikula or Sajjanagandla. In Kerala, Ganigas are known as Chekkala nair and Vaniya Chettiar. In Kasaragod district of Kerala and Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, they are known as Patali. Perne Muchilot Temple near Kumble is their place of worship. In Tamil Nadu, They are known as Vaniya Chettiar. There is no relation between Reddy gandla and ganiga, as reddy gndla is a sub caste of reddy group. In Gujarat, They are known as Gaanchi/Teli / Modi. Mr Narendra Modi PM of India is member of this community. Ganiga people mainly live in different parts of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. In South Karnataka Ganiga people mainly speak Tulu. Ganiga people are living the following districts of Karnataka, India - Bijapur, Bagalkot, Davanagere, Ballery, Belgaum, Bangalore, Bhadravati, Chikamaglur, Chintamani,Gadag, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, KGF, Kolar, Mulbagal, Uttanur, Mandya, Mysore, Shimoga, Tumkur, Tiptur Udupi, Uttara Kannada.Besides Karnataka, Ganiga community settled in some parts of Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad and many other cities in India. In overseas countries members of Ganiga Community have settled in the USA (Christian ganiga & Hindu ganiga), Canada (Christian ganiga & Hindu ganiga), UAE (Muslim ganiga & Hindu ganiga), Pakistan (Muslim ganiga), Indonesia (Muslim ganiga), Africa (nigro ganiga), China (Chinee ganiga) and India (Muslim ganiga & Hindu ganiga) many more ganigas all over the world. Deprived of this age old profession continued for generations, Gandla community found their way in business such as setting up of shops, hotels, agriculture, politics.etc. Enterprising Ganiga entrepreneurs set up many Udupi Hotels in Bangalore and other prominent cities in Karnataka. Some took up odd jobs to meet both the ends where some are very good settled. Many remained economically backward even after 60 years of independence, due representations were made from time to time to the successive governments. . Ganiga is also called ghanchi in Gujarat, Maharastra, and other parts of northern India, and there are Muslim ghanchi in India and Pakistan, and Israel ghanchi called as bene Israel, settled in Mumbai.
