Gujar in Pakistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Gujar are comprised of three very closely related people groups that are known collectively as the Gujar Rajasthani.
As various Muslim groups began invading India and Pakistan in the eleventh century, many Gujar Hindus converted to Islam. When this happened, their resentful Hindu neighbors began to rise and take control of the area. The Gujar were forced to leave the region and search for good pastures elsewhere. Their wanderings took them into Pakistan and Afghanistan, where thousands have remained until this day.
The partition of Pakistan and India in 1947 also caused many tribal migrations. Masses of Muslims immigrated to Pakistan, while the Hindus flocked to India. There are still small Hindu communities in Pakistan, including the Gujar people.
The Gujar are in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and several states in northeastern India (Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, Kashmir, and Rajasthan). In addition, the Gujarat district of western India is named after the historic Gujar peoples.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Ever since their conversion to Islam in the eleventh century, the Gujar have been bound by a life of poverty, illiteracy and social oppression. In general, they are a simple, inoffensive people with a generous, hospitable nature. Today, most of the Gujar living in Pakistan live as law-abiding shepherds and farmers. Unfortunately, they are still belittled by others and often labeled as thieves and vagrants.
The Gujar are divided into hundreds of clans. Their societies are patrilineal, which means that inheritances are passed down through the males. Marriages are usually arranged by the parents, and a bride price of either cash or buffalo is paid to the girl's family. They are permitted to marry outside their clans, and young couples generally live near the grooms' parents.
All three Gujar groups speak Gujari, an Indo-Aryan language. This common factor has helped to identify them as a distinct sub-group. The Gujar of Afghanistan also speak Pashto and/or Dari, which are Persian languages (and are spoken by three-quarters of the Afghani population).


What Are Their Beliefs?

A majority of the Gujar are Hindu, but there is also a significant number of Muslims among the Gujar, as well as a smaller number of Sikhs.
Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.
Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Gujar people in Pakistan have few if any chances to hear of the one who offers life to the full. How will they hear?


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to send forth loving laborers into India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to share Christ with the Gujar.
Pray that God will encourage the small number of Gujar believers and give them a vision to reach their own people.
Ask God to send Christian teachers to live and work among the Gujar.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Gujar so that they will be receptive to allowing Christ to abundantly bless their families and communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Gujar in Pakistan.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gujar (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Gujar
Pronunciation GOO-jar
Alternate Names Chaudhari; Gujarani; Gurjar; गुजर (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 17,000
Population all Countries 8,768,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 16878
ROP3 Code 112160
ROP25 Code 302843
ROP25 Name Gujar
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 1
  Sindh 17,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sindhi (12,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Dhatki
5,100
Saraiki
600
Primary Language Sindhi (12,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Dhatki 5,100
  Saraiki 600
People Groups Speaking Sindhi

Primary Language:  Sindhi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1825-1981)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1890-1992)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1954)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sindhi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Sindhi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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