Lohar (Hindu traditions) in India


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

Lohar people of India are nomadic smiths who travel in to sell their goods. They are descendants of high-caste weapon makers of the Mewar Kingdom in India. Unfortunately, they became poor nomads when the kingdom fell in 1568, and they remain poor today. Although they are nomads, most Lohar people live in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Lohar people lead difficult lives. Although they work hard, they live in extreme poverty. This is partly because most people prefer to buy goods from stores and factories, not handmade items, which are more expensive and are of poorer quality. Also, many are cannot read or write because of the nomadic lifestyle they lead; few have attended school. Also, because of the Hindu caste system in India, they are despised. There are stereotypes about nomads, such as the idea that they are all thieves or corrupt, even though they generally work up to 14 hours a day.


Although they work hard, they live in extreme poverty.
What Are Their Beliefs?

As with most of modern-day India, Lohar people are mostly Hindu, the ancient religion of India. Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense out of their poverty to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and needed benefits.


What Are Their Needs?

Their most dire need is to know the love of God. They are low-caste and are often misunderstood because of stereotypes. They are the perfect example of a people in need of God's healing touch.
They need either more people to buy from them or become sedentary (the opposite of nomadic, meaning they settle down in one place like we do) and take up an entire other career, which would be difficult since so few of them (or maybe even none) have had the chance to go to school.


Prayer Points

Pray for their careers. Pray that their business success increases, or, if it is God's will that they become sedentary, that they receive the education they need.
Pray that more audio and video resources already existing in Hindi (their spoken language) will be made available to them since very few can read or write.
Pray that missionaries would go to Lohar people and show them that God shows no favoritism. He accepts all people.
Above all, pray for their hearts; pray for them to be open to Christ and His love.


Scripture Prayers for the Lohar (Hindu traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Lohar (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Lohar (Hindu traditions)
Pronunciation LOW-har
Alternate Names Ahangar; Barhi; Battarha; Dodai; Dodo; Kamar; Kammara; Khar; Lohandia; Lohar; Loharia; Lohura; Lonar; Luhar; Luhara; Luharani; Mistri; Mistry; Nar; Ojali; Ojula; Ozulu; Panchal; Raj; Raj Mistri; Ramgarhia; Sandhan; Sejwani; Shilpakar; Shilpkar; Silpkar; Sree Panchal; Sri Panchal; Thawai; Vishwakama; Vishwakarma; Viswabrahma; Viswakarma; Vojali; लोहार (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 10,857,000
Population all Countries 11,195,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 217
PeopleID3 17379
ROP3 Code 112774
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 31
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
2,376,000
Bihar
1,251,000
Madhya Pradesh
913,000
Odisha
850,000
Jharkhand
779,000
Maharashtra
737,000
Haryana
544,000
Rajasthan
500,000
Gujarat
450,000
Chhattisgarh
423,000
Andhra Pradesh
396,000
West Bengal
360,000
Telangana
341,000
Punjab
257,000
Himachal Pradesh
190,000
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 31  (only 20 largest shown)
  Uttar Pradesh 2,376,000
  Bihar 1,251,000
  Madhya Pradesh 913,000
  Odisha 850,000
  Jharkhand 779,000
  Maharashtra 737,000
  Haryana 544,000
  Rajasthan 500,000
  Gujarat 450,000
  Chhattisgarh 423,000
  Andhra Pradesh 396,000
  West Bengal 360,000
  Telangana 341,000
  Punjab 257,000
  Himachal Pradesh 190,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.10 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.01 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.88 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (4,413,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 78
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bhojpuri
823,000
Telugu
666,000
Odia
648,000
Marathi
515,000
Bengali
391,000
Gujarati
352,000
Chhattisgarhi
283,000
Punjabi, Eastern
223,000
Maithili
134,000
Tamil
111,000
Magahi
97,000
Marwari (India)
94,000
Haryanvi
90,000
Kanauji
74,000
Kannada
66,000
Primary Language Hindi (4,413,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 78
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bhojpuri 823,000
  Telugu 666,000
  Odia 648,000
  Marathi 515,000
  Bengali 391,000
  Gujarati 352,000
  Chhattisgarhi 283,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 223,000
  Maithili 134,000
  Tamil 111,000
  Magahi 97,000
  Marwari (India) 94,000
  Haryanvi 90,000
  Kanauji 74,000
  Kannada 66,000
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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 DAVAR Partners recording, Old Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hindi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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