Kharva (Hindu traditions) 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

The Kharva people are scattered throughout the southern two thirds of India. A small number are in Pakistan's Sindh Province where they speak Sindhi. Those in India speak Gujarati.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The primary occupation of the Kharva has been salt extraction and preparation. Others are involved with farming, and some are fishermen. The necklace and colored powder worn as a dot on the forehead (kumkum) are the symbols of a married woman. They cremate their dead but children below eighteen months of age are buried. On the thirteenth day, they offer balls of rice cooked in milk to the dead.

They usually maintain close and cordial social relations with neighboring communities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Their deities are Shakti, Mahakali Katyayani, and Bhuvaneshwari. Some are followers of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

The Hindu Kharva community speaks several languages in India, as do most people groups in South Asia. Separate church planting projects may be needed for each language subgroup. Please pray that Christian evangelists and church planters will be sent to the Hindu Kharva people in the Lord's timing.


Prayer Points

Please pray those who will soon come to faith in Christ will be quick to confess sin when it occurs and will learn to live in the power of the Lord's Spirit, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord. Pray the Kharva community will be completely set free from worshipping deities that have no power to bring good into the lives of the people, and instead will be brought into the dominion of the creator God who loves them.


Scripture Prayers for the Kharva (Hindu traditions) in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharwa_caste


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kharva (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Kharva (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Kharvi; Kharwa; Khavas; Khawas; Konkan Kharvi; खारवा (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 467,000
Population all Countries 480,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 9
PeopleID3 17156
ROP3 Code 112506
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 20
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarat
203,000
Maharashtra
183,000
Karnataka
39,000
Madhya Pradesh
17,000
Goa
13,000
Telangana
6,500
Tamil Nadu
1,200
Chhattisgarh
700
Andhra Pradesh
600
Daman and Diu
600
Dadra and Nagar Have
400
Kerala
400
Uttar Pradesh
200
Delhi
200
Rajasthan
200
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 20
  Gujarat 203,000
  Maharashtra 183,000
  Karnataka 39,000
  Madhya Pradesh 17,000
  Goa 13,000
  Telangana 6,500
  Tamil Nadu 1,200
  Chhattisgarh 700
  Andhra Pradesh 600
  Daman and Diu 600
  Dadra and Nagar Have 400
  Kerala 400
  Uttar Pradesh 200
  Delhi 200
  Rajasthan 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
1.20 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.23 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.57 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gujarati (181,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
Marathi
114,000
Konkani
43,000
Konkani, Goan
33,000
Kannada
18,000
Hindi
18,000
Telugu
2,800
Nimadi
1,600
Marwari (India)
700
Kacchi
700
Chhattisgarhi
100
Indo-Portuguese
100
Ahirani
60
Wagdi
10
Primary Language Gujarati (181,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
  Marathi 114,000
  Konkani 43,000
  Konkani, Goan 33,000
  Kannada 18,000
  Hindi 18,000
  Telugu 2,800
  Nimadi 1,600
  Marwari (India) 700
  Kacchi 700
  Chhattisgarhi 100
  Indo-Portuguese 100
  Ahirani 60
  Wagdi 10
People Groups Speaking Gujarati

Primary Language:  Gujarati

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1809-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1823-2021)
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Mobile App Android Bible App: Gujarati Bible (ગુજરાતી બાઇબલ) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Gujarati Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Gujarati Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
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Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Gujarati Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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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