Bhottada in India

The Bhottada have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Bhottada or Bhottara are a tribal people who live in west central India. Their name comes from words meaning "land" and "chase." They are thought to be among the original inhabitants of their region of India. Illiteracy is a major Bhottara problem since only 37% of the men and 11% of the women can read and write. They speak Kuvi among themselves and Odia with outsiders. They are a Scheduled Caste, which means they are eligible for special public jobs and college admission.

The primary occupation of the Bhottara is agriculture. They grow rice in paddies and ragi, also called finger millet. The Bhottara supplement their food supply by hunting, fishing and raising animals. They build their huts near streams to have a continual water source. The Bhottara weave bamboo baskets to use and trade. In times of scarcity they will collect food from the forest. In multiethnic villages they live in an area by themselves so as to not lose their identity.


Where Are they Located?

Almost all Bhottara live in the Indian state of Odisha. A few others live in areas around the nation of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In the distant past the Bhottara were a hunter-gatherer people. Hundreds of years ago, they settled down to live in villages in the hills and forests of Odisha.

The Bhottara are a strictly endogamous people. Cousin marriages are common. Parents arrange marriages for the young people. The parents of the groom pay a bride price in money and goods to the family of the bride. Newly married couples live near the family of the groom. Sons inherit the property of their father. If the family has no sons, the daughters gain the property. Women hold a higher status than in most Indian tribal societies. Their own priests and elders officiate at important life ceremonies like births, weddings and funerals. If children die, they are buried in a far off section of the forest. Adult dead are cremated.

The main foods of the Bhottara are rice, millet, fish, tubers and seasonal vegetables.

Bhottara live in rural villages without electricity or indoor plumbing.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Some experts classify the Bhottara are Hindus while others say they are animists. The Bhottara practice elements of both belief systems. They attempt to appease evil spirits and the spirits of their ancestors with offerings of prayer, liquor and food. Each village also has a shrine to Hindu gods such as Shiva, the destroyer god, Durga, the mother-earth goddess and Kali, the goddess of death, violence and sex.

The Bhottara participate in the yearly Hindu holidays such as Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali the festival of lights and Navratri, the celebration of autumn.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bhottara have tremendous spiritual and physical needs. Most of all they need to hear the message of Jesus Christ in an oral form since so few of them can read. They would benefit by Christian workers who could help educate their children and introduce modern medicine. Agricultural experts could increase crop yields that would give the Bhottara a surplus to buy things they need.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through those ministering to the Bhottara people.
Pray for a movement to Jesus to multiply among Bhottara families and communities.
Pray that God will overthrow spiritual forces of darkness opposing the spread of His Gospel among the Bhottara.


Scripture Prayers for the Bhottada in India.


References

ethnologue.com/language/bgw
peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=41510#topmenu
thetide.org/bhottada-new-language/


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Bhottada
People Name in Country Bhottada
Alternate Names Battada; Bhotora; Bhottada Bodo; Bhottara; Dhotada; Dhottada; Muriabhattada; Sanobhattada; भोत्तदा
Population this Country 548,000
Population all Countries 548,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
People ID 16435
ROP3 Code 111586
ROP25 Code 301168
ROP25 Name Bhottada
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 14
Largest States
Odisha
542,000
Karnataka
1,700
Assam
1,400
Jharkhand
1,200
West Bengal
600
Goa
500
Andhra Pradesh
400
Chhattisgarh
300
Delhi
100
Manipur
90
Maharashtra
60
Tripura
60
Madhya Pradesh
40
Kerala
10
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 14
  Odisha 542,000
  Karnataka 1,700
  Assam 1,400
  Jharkhand 1,200
  West Bengal 600
  Goa 500
  Andhra Pradesh 400
  Chhattisgarh 300
  Delhi 100
  Manipur 90
  Maharashtra 60
  Tripura 60
  Madhya Pradesh 40
  Kerala 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
1.48 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.23 %
Islam
0.19 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.09 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kuvi (254,000 speakers)
Language Code kxv   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 37
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Kui
79,000
Odia
73,000
Pengo
16,000
Bhatri
14,000
Telugu
6,400
Hindi
5,800
Chhattisgarhi
4,300
Desiya
2,300
Kurux
1,600
Duruwa
900
Konkani, Goan
700
Kannada
500
Gondi, Northern
500
Koya
500
Assamese
400
Primary Language Kuvi (254,000 speakers)
Language Code kxv   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 37
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Kui 79,000
  Odia 73,000
  Pengo 16,000
  Bhatri 14,000
  Telugu 6,400
  Hindi 5,800
  Chhattisgarhi 4,300
  Desiya 2,300
  Kurux 1,600
  Duruwa 900
  Konkani, Goan 700
  Kannada 500
  Gondi, Northern 500
  Koya 500
  Assamese 400
People Groups Speaking Kuvi

Primary Language:  Kuvi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1916-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1987-2022)
Bible-Complete No
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 Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kuvi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kuvi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kuvi YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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