Raji 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

Raji people are also called "Banrawats," "Ben-Manus" and "cave dwellers." They are a scheduled tribe.


Where Are they Located?

The Raji tribe lives in the Pithoragarh region of Uttar Pradesh in India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Raji people enjoy eating wild fruits and tree roots. The Raji women wear large and heavy jewelry that is admired. Not many Raji dress in the customary tribal way. They are very artistic, and make handbags to sell in the markets of India.

Most Raji people live in the interior forest regions. They work as gatherers, collecting honey from bee hives, fishing, hunting, and in agriculture, growing their cereal crops, hunting, and fishing. They also make and sell farming tools.

Women have a respected position among Raji people.

They do not marry within their group, and there are no child marriages. The oldest man is the leader of the family. They speak within their tribe in the Raji language, although Hindi and Urdu are also spoken in Uttar Pradesh. This is important, because written, audio, and visual Bible resources exist in these languages.

Raji are the smallest tribe in Uttar Pradesh.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They worship Hindus gods, and they worship nature. They worship to please, and to be blessed by their gods. Raji people celebrate Hindu festivals, and their own rituals. There are many forms of Hinduism with their own deities and beliefs.


What Are Their Needs?

The most desperate need of Raji people is to know their Creator, whose creation they worship, and who paid the penalty for their sins.

Although Bible resources have been produced in Hindi and Urdu, Raji people remain unreached. Someone needs to bring these resources to them. Who will it be?

Uttar Pradesh also is restricted by an anti-conversion law which persecutes any who leave the Hindu religion.


Prayer Points

Pray for God's blessing, strengthening and healing of families and communities within the Raji peple through the abundant life and love Jesus offers to all tribes and nations.
Pray for deliverance from the fear that hinders God's blessing from multiplying through the Raji tribe.
Pray that God's people will make long-lasting, intentional contact with Raji people that will result in many disciples reaching their own people.


Scripture Prayers for the Raji in India.


References

www.indianetzone.com/9/raji_tribe.htm


Profile Source:   Karen Hightower  

People Name General Raji
People Name in Country Raji
Alternate Names Ban Manush; Ban Raja; Ban Raji; Ban Rawat; Banmari; Faas; Fans; Janggali; Raute; Rawat; राज़ी
Population this Country 2,300
Population all Countries 7,800
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 14514
ROP3 Code 108272
ROP25 Code 306911
ROP25 Name Raji
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
Uttar Pradesh
1,500
Uttarakhand
800
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
  Uttar Pradesh 1,500
  Uttarakhand 800
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.85 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
89.26 %
Islam
9.78 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.05 %
Unknown
0.05 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (1,300 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Kumaoni
500
Garhwali
70
Bhojpuri
40
Rawat
20
Bengali Chhattisgarhi
Kannada Bagri Marathi
Sikkimese Urdu Malayalam
Nepali Punjabi, Eastern Pahari
Primary Language Hindi (1,300 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Kumaoni 500
  Garhwali 70
  Bhojpuri 40
  Rawat 20
  Bengali 10
  Chhattisgarhi 10
  Kannada 10
  Bagri 10
  Marathi 10
  Sikkimese 0
  Urdu 0
  Malayalam 0
  Nepali 0
  Punjabi, Eastern 0
  Pahari 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 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 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
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Karen Hightower 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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