Pao in India

The Pao 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

India is a complex mosaic of ethnic, linguistic, religious, and social groupings. Because of this diversity, it is extremely difficult to adequately describe any single people group.


We may divide India into four major regions: the Himalayas, the northern river-plains region, the Deccan Plateau, and the Eastern and Western Ghats Mountains. Because of many geographical features, climatic conditions are also widely diverse on both a seasonal and regional basis, ranging from tropical to temperate extremes.


The Pao community stands in the midst of this complexity. They are located mainly in the Satna District of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Their language is a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family. We know very little about their specific lifestyle, especially how they are living in the 21st century.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of India's population lives in rural areas and is engaged in some form of agriculture. Many are farmers growing barely enough to survive. Their farms are extremely small and are often very fragmented. The raising of livestock, particularly horned cattle, buffalo, horses, and mules is a central feature of the agricultural economy. Because of Hindu influence, however, they use these animals only as beasts of burden rather than sources of meat.


Indian culture is primarily Hindu-oriented. Many Hindu institutions, including the rigid caste (social class) system, have wide-ranging effects on secular Indian society. We divide Indian society into hierarchical castes which are usually endogamous (marriage only within the caste). Occupation may define castes or by kinship and lineage, although there are some exceptions. Caste is so fundamental to the social organization of India that it prevails in all parts, except some of the tribal populations.


We don't know enough about the Pao community to accurately place them in the caste system. Therefore, we cannot describe their particular lifestyle. It will take researchers to live among them to learn about how they live.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Pao are virtually all Hindu and follow the basic Hindu customs and traditions. The term "Hinduism" came into use about 1200A.D., but clearly identifying what Hindus believe is difficult. The religion has no founder, no prophet, and no instructional system. It is a way of living much more than a theology; it is a philosophy more than a religion. Contrary to popular belief in the West, Hinduism is not an ancient, fixed set of beliefs. Rather, it is a body of customs, practices, and beliefs that go through major changes every few hundred years.


The majority, though not all, of Hindus believe in a supreme being. Some respect all life and eat only vegetables, while others will gladly eat meat from sacrifices in the temple. To some, their religion is highly personal; to others, it is impersonal. While most Hindus worship Brahman (the creator), Shiva (the destroyer), Vishnu (the preserver), and the goddess Shaktri, they also worship a pantheon of minor gods, their incarnations, spouses or offspring. A belief in reincarnation (continual cycle of death and rebirth) is one of the few unifying features of Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

There are only a few known Christ followers among the Pao. These believers desperately need materials that will encourage and strengthen them in their walk with the Lord. The Pao people need God's people to pray for his abundant blessings.


Prayer Points

Pray that God will send culturally sensitive missionaries who will show them the way to the cross.


Pray for a Christ-ward movement to flourish among this people group in the 2020s.


Pray for the Pao community to be blessed with peace, joy and spiritual prosperity as they follow Jesus Christ.


Pray for their leaders to have dreams and visions that will open their hearts to Jesus Christ and his ambassadors.


Scripture Prayers for the Pao in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Pao
People Name in Country Pao
Alternate Names Pobia; पाओ
Population this Country 69,000
Population all Countries 69,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17842
ROP3 Code 113316
ROP25 Code 306536
ROP25 Name Pao
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 2
Largest States
Madhya Pradesh
53,000
Chhattisgarh
17,000
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 2
  Madhya Pradesh 53,000
  Chhattisgarh 17,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.02 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.08 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.49 %
Islam
0.14 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
0.25 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (45,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
Chhattisgarhi
13,000
Bagheli
500
Odia
200
Gondi, Northern
100
Bengali
40
Kurux
20
Marathi Korwa Punjabi, Eastern
Halbi Bhili Munda
Primary Language Hindi (45,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
  Chhattisgarhi 13,000
  Bagheli 500
  Odia 200
  Gondi, Northern 100
  Bengali 40
  Kurux 20
  Marathi 10
  Korwa 10
  Punjabi, Eastern 10
  Halbi 0
  Bhili 0
  Munda 0
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 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 for Children Bible for Children
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 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 Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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