Basith (Sikh traditions) in India

The Basith (Sikh traditions) 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

Though most Basith people are Hindu, some of them are Sikh. Unlike most Sikh communities that live mainly in Punjab, most of the Basith live further north in Jammu and Kashmir.


Where Are they Located?

The Sikhs among the Basith people live in Jammu and Kashmir.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Basith people are mainly farmers. The men drink alcohol which they buy at local markets. Relationships between men and women are unusual in Basith communities. When there is a divorce, the man is responsible for the children. Daughters share in parental inheritance that usually only goes to sons in most other South Asian cultures. Women contribute to the family income by doing odd jobs and enjoy equal status with men. Basith couples prefer small families with about three children.
Though there is relatively good relationships between Hindu and Sikh communities, there is no intermarriage between these religious groups, even among the Basith people.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Basith people are Sikhs. Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.

One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They worship their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.

There are roughly the same number of Sikhs as there are Jews in the world, but Sikhs are most concentrated in Punjab, their homeland. However, you will find smaller numbers of Sikhs all over the world. Many of the best Indian restaurants in the West are owned and operated by Sikhs.


What Are Their Needs?

Be they Hindu or Sikh, the Basith people need to put their trust in the Risen Savior who has victory over death and sin.


Prayer Points

Pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done among the Basith people, be they Hindu or Sikh.
Pray for a movement of Basith households to study the Bible and accept the blessings of Christ.
Pray for a spiritual hunger that will drive the Basith people to the arms of Jesus.
Pray for workers who are filled with the fruit and the power of the Holy Spirit to go to the Basith people.


Scripture Prayers for the Basith (Sikh traditions) in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16528/IN


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Basith (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Basith (Sikh traditions)
Pronunciation BAH-sit
Alternate Names बासिथ (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 9,000
Population all Countries 9,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18059
ROP3 Code 113557
ROP25 Code 300931
ROP25 Name Basith
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)
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 1
  Jammu and Kashmir 9,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
1.38 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
98.62 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Dogri (4,800 speakers)
Language Code dgo   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
Punjabi, Eastern
900
Hindi
800
Kashmiri
600
Gujari
500
Primary Language Dogri (4,800 speakers)
Language Code dgo   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
  Punjabi, Eastern 900
  Hindi 800
  Kashmiri 600
  Gujari 500
People Groups Speaking Dogri
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Adam Jones - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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