Pinjara 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.

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 3,729,000
Population all Countries 4,005,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 75
PeopleID3 17877
ROP3 Code 113353
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 24
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Uttar Pradesh
2,095,000
Bihar
735,000
Madhya Pradesh
422,000
Karnataka
193,000
Maharashtra
96,000
West Bengal
54,000
Andhra Pradesh
35,000
Odisha
24,000
Uttarakhand
17,000
Rajasthan
16,000
Chhattisgarh
10,000
Haryana
9,000
Telangana
9,000
Jharkhand
5,600
Tamil Nadu
3,900
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 24  (only 20 largest shown)
  Uttar Pradesh 2,095,000
  Bihar 735,000
  Madhya Pradesh 422,000
  Karnataka 193,000
  Maharashtra 96,000
  West Bengal 54,000
  Andhra Pradesh 35,000
  Odisha 24,000
  Uttarakhand 17,000
  Rajasthan 16,000
  Chhattisgarh 10,000
  Haryana 9,000
  Telangana 9,000
  Jharkhand 5,600
  Tamil Nadu 3,900
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 (1,328,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 28
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Hindi
1,117,000
Bhojpuri
350,000
Kannada
152,000
Marathi
72,000
Bengali
53,000
Awadhi
44,000
Telugu
43,000
Kanauji
29,000
Maithili
20,000
Malvi
10,000
Bundeli
8,300
Odia
5,700
Bagheli
4,900
Angika
3,700
Mewari
3,400
Primary Language Urdu (1,328,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 28
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Hindi 1,117,000
  Bhojpuri 350,000
  Kannada 152,000
  Marathi 72,000
  Bengali 53,000
  Awadhi 44,000
  Telugu 43,000
  Kanauji 29,000
  Maithili 20,000
  Malvi 10,000
  Bundeli 8,300
  Odia 5,700
  Bagheli 4,900
  Angika 3,700
  Mewari 3,400
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)
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
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 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 Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
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
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 Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kitab e Muqaddas Urdu General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Urdu Devnagri Bible (उर्दू बाइबिल) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Urdu Injeel Sharif General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Urdu Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Ek Rasta Urdu General / Other
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Urdu YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Urdu Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
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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