Pinjara in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Subgroups: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Soria 35,000

Introduction / History

The Pinjara (Pinja, Penja, Bahna or Dhunia) derive their name from the term pinjala meaning 'cotton weaver.' Their traditional occupation is naturally one of cleaning and reeling cotton to make pillows, quilts or even mattresses. Most likely the Muslim Pinjara converted to Islam about 500 years ago during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.
The Pinjara can today be found in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They live in over 500 districts of India and Nepal and speak more than a dozen different languages depending on their location. The Pinjara speak primarily Bhojpuri, Nepali, Maithili and Urdu.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Pinjara are not vegetarian. As Muslims they refrain from eating pork. They occupy a higher than unclean status and can be found as both skilled and unskilled workers.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Although they are well over 90% Muslim the Pinjara can be found to keep Hindu festivals, even making vows to Hindu gods. Pinjara are sometimes looked down on religiously because of their mixture of Islam and Hinduism beliefs.


What Are Their Needs?

Very little ministry has been focused on the Pinjara. Many Urdu resources are available although there is a severe lack of workers to this sizable Muslim group.


Prayer Points

Pray the hearts of the Pinjara people in India would be stirred to hunger after God, to drink of living water.
Pray for family-based Disciple Making Movements to soon transform Pinjara society, blessing them spiritually and economically.
Pray for the Lord to move in the hearts of believers to give up their own rights and sacrifice their lives to see the Pinjara people blessed by the work of Jesus Christ, the only savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Pinjara in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Pinjara
People Name in Country Pinjara
Pronunciation pin-JAR-ah
Alternate Names Bahana; Bahna; Behana; Behna; Daffali; Dhunia; Dhunkar; Kahrar; Laliwala; Mansoor; Mansoori; Nadaf; Naddaf; Noor; Panjara; Panjora; Panjwara; Penja; Pinara; Pinja; Pinjali; Pinjar; Pinjari; Pinjia; Punji; Shaikh Mansoor; Sheikh Monsoori; Soria; Sulia; Tai; पिंजरा
Population this Country 3,907,000
Population all Countries 4,178,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 78
People ID 17877
ROP3 Code 113353
ROP25 Code 306724
ROP25 Name Pinjara
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 23
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
2,189,000
Bihar
773,000
Madhya Pradesh
444,000
Karnataka
203,000
Maharashtra
101,000
West Bengal
57,000
Andhra Pradesh
36,000
Odisha
26,000
Uttarakhand
18,000
Rajasthan
17,000
Chhattisgarh
11,000
Haryana
9,400
Telangana
9,400
Jharkhand
5,900
Tamil Nadu
4,100
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 23  (only 20 largest shown)
  Uttar Pradesh 2,189,000
  Bihar 773,000
  Madhya Pradesh 444,000
  Karnataka 203,000
  Maharashtra 101,000
  West Bengal 57,000
  Andhra Pradesh 36,000
  Odisha 26,000
  Uttarakhand 18,000
  Rajasthan 17,000
  Chhattisgarh 11,000
  Haryana 9,400
  Telangana 9,400
  Jharkhand 5,900
  Tamil Nadu 4,100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Urdu (2,658,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 27
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bhojpuri
214,000
Kannada
152,000
Marathi
72,000
Bengali
52,000
Telugu
41,000
Awadhi
30,000
Maithili
20,000
Malvi
10,000
Kanauji
9,700
Bundeli
6,900
Odia
5,700
Bagheli
4,900
Angika
3,700
Mewari
3,400
Marwari
2,800
Primary Language Urdu (2,658,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 27
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bhojpuri 214,000
  Kannada 152,000
  Marathi 72,000
  Bengali 52,000
  Telugu 41,000
  Awadhi 30,000
  Maithili 20,000
  Malvi 10,000
  Kanauji 9,700
  Bundeli 6,900
  Odia 5,700
  Bagheli 4,900
  Angika 3,700
  Mewari 3,400
  Marwari 2,800
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1747-1894)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Forum Bible Agencies
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Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Urdu Jesus Film Project
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 Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
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General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
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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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
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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