Majhi 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
Dandachatra 1,100

Introduction / History

India is one of the most culturally, linguistically, and geographically diverse countries on the face of the earth. The nation's geography ranges from the lofty crags of the Himalayas to the deserts of Rajasthan. Isolated, primeval jungles can be found in the northeast, and growing masses of people cover the plains in the central states.

The Manjhi are only one of the many hundreds of ethnic groups living in India. They live mainly in the Gumla district in the eastern-central state of Bihar. Other Manjhi live spread throughout the plains of the states of Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.

The Manjhi are a dark-complexioned people. They are said to be strong, loving, clever, and industrious. Their primary language is Manjhi, but they also speak Sadri and a little Bihari.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Life in India has been traditionally governed by the "caste" system, which is a strict and complex social class order. For the Hindu Indian, people are born into their caste. Each caste has its own specific profession, which nearly all its members follow. Members of a caste are expected to marry only within their own caste.

The word Manjhi means "ferryman." However, if the Manjhi once followed that profession, they no longer do so. Instead, they are now farmers who earn their livelihood by cultivating rice, wheat, and vegetables. Very few Manjhi own their own land; thus, most of them work as laborers on others' property. In addition to farming, many Manjhi also make bamboo baskets and sell them in the markets.

Manjhi houses are made of mud and are roofed with tiles or thatch. The men wear the common Indian lungis (colorful pieces of cloth wrapped as skirts) and kurtas (knee-length, collar-less shirts. Women wear saris (long pieces of cloth wrapped around their waists and draped over their shoulders) with petticoats and blouses.

Rice is the staple food for the Manjhi. Although their Hindu religion forbids the eating of meat, most of them are not very concerned with this restriction and enjoy meats of all kinds. For this reason, they still are not accepted by mainstream Hindu society and have been given the lowest rank in the caste system. They were traditionally avoided and abhorred by higher caste Hindus.


What Are Their Beliefs?

In the past, the Manjhi were animists. (Animists believe that animals, plants, and forces of nature all have spirits.) Today, even though they are shunned by other Hindus, they call themselves Hindus and follow most Hindu customs.

Hindus believe in millions of gods and goddesses, with the chief ones being Brahman (the creator of the universe), Vishnu (its preserver), Shiva (its destroyer), and Kali (Shiva's wife). According to the Hindu doctrine of reincarnation, a person's soul is reborn into another body after death. They believe that if a person has lived a good life, he will be reborn into a higher caste; but if he has led an evil life, he will be reborn into a lower caste or even as an animal. This process of birth and death supposedly continues until the soul achieves spiritual perfection and enters a higher dimension of existence.


What Are Their Needs?

The Manjhi are a poor people. Health care, sanitation, hygiene, education, transportation, and communication are all inadequate. Girls are not sent to school at all, and even men have a low literacy rate. In addition, the Manjhi have a strong addiction to haria, their native alcoholic beverage which is consumed during every special occasion.

More urgent than their physical needs are their spiritual ones. The Manjhi follow Hinduism and tradition. They need Christian laborers who are willing to share the Gospel with them in a clear and easily understood way.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send Christian doctors and teachers to minister the love of Jesus to the Manjhi of India.
Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Manjhi who will boldly declare the Gospel.
Pray that God will give Manjhi believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
Ask God to raise up an army of intercessors who will stand in the gap for the Manjhi.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a holy and zealous Manjhi church for the glory of His name!


Scripture Prayers for the Majhi in India.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Majhi
People Name in Country Majhi
Pronunciation MAH-gee
Alternate Names Deshwali Majhi; Kewat; Maghi; Mallah; Manjhi; Nabik; Panjabi; माझी
Population this Country 143,000
Population all Countries 240,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
People ID 13231
ROP3 Code 106076
ROP25 Code 304968
ROP25 Name Deswali Majhi
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 8
Largest States
Chhattisgarh
80,000
Madhya Pradesh
59,000
West Bengal
1,100
Odisha
1,000
Jharkhand
600
Bihar
500
Sikkim
400
Uttar Pradesh
60
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 8
  Chhattisgarh 80,000
  Madhya Pradesh 59,000
  West Bengal 1,100
  Odisha 1,000
  Jharkhand 600
  Bihar 500
  Sikkim 400
  Uttar Pradesh 60
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.08 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.29 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.16 %
Islam
0.15 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.31 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (79,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 33
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Chhattisgarhi
27,000
Odia
4,000
Santhali
3,300
Majhi
2,500
Bundeli
1,800
Bengali
1,000
Nepali
400
Malvi
300
Kurux
200
Telugu
200
Korwa
100
Marathi
100
Bhojpuri
100
Maithili
90
Munda
70
Primary Language Hindi (79,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 33
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Chhattisgarhi 27,000
  Odia 4,000
  Santhali 3,300
  Majhi 2,500
  Bundeli 1,800
  Bengali 1,000
  Nepali 400
  Malvi 300
  Kurux 200
  Telugu 200
  Korwa 100
  Marathi 100
  Bhojpuri 100
  Maithili 90
  Munda 70
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)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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