Aray Mala in India

The Aray Mala 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

The Aray Mala are a subgroup of the greater Mala peoples who are from southern India. They are beneath the four major Hindu caste groupings, which mean they have very low status in India. However, because of their low status, they are eligible for public jobs and special consideration for university admissions.

The main language of the Aray is Telegu. Smaller groups also speak Kannada and Marathi as their first language. Many Christian resources are available in Telugu including a whole Bible and JESUS Film.


Where Are they Located?

The small Aray Mala people group is scattered throughout Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of the Aray Mala work in agriculture as landless laborers. Their children often have to join their parents working in the fields to help support their families. Most are illiterate or functionally illiterate. The Aray Mala live lives of poverty. If local crops fail, they can face starvation. They receive discrimination with regards to employment and education. Even if an Aray person learns a new job skill, they are often not hired due to their low caste status.

The most rural Aray live in villages without electricity, indoors plumbing and access to modern medicine. Clean water is also an issue and many Aray children die young due to the unsafe water they drink. Life expectancy is low for the Aray Mala.
Many young people are moving to cities seeking a better life for themselves and for their children. They take any job they can get including as factory workers, streets, sweepers, ditch diggers, and security guards.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Aray Mala people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Hindus believe that by performing rituals and good works that they will attain moksha or freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are many forms of Hinduism, each with its own deities and beliefs.

The main yearly holidays of the Aray Mala people are Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Aray have many needs. They need help in educating their children and in gaining new job skills. They need the benefits of modern medicine. Solar panels could bring electricity to Aray villages. Most of all, the Aray need to hear and understand the message of Jesus Christ. He alone can forgive their sins and bring them hope for a better tomorrow.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Aray Mala people teachable and understanding hearts.
Pray that a strong movement of the Holy Spirit will bring entire Aray Mala families into a rich experience of God's blessing.
Pray for Aray Mala families to be drawn by the Holy Spirit to seek forgiveness, and to understand the adequacy of Christ's work on the cross.
Pray for teams of believers to do sustained, focused prayer for the Lord to open the hearts of Aray Mala family leaders to experience God's blessing through a movement of family-based discovery Bible studies.


Scripture Prayers for the Aray Mala in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mala_(caste)
https://malasinformation.wordpress.com/


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Aray Mala
People Name in Country Aray Mala
Pronunciation ah-RAY MAH-lah
Alternate Names Areval; अरे माला
Population this Country 5,100
Population all Countries 5,100
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 16233
ROP3 Code 111349
ROP25 Code 300475
ROP25 Name Aray Mala
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 6
Largest States
Telangana
2,400
Andhra Pradesh
1,700
Tamil Nadu
600
Maharashtra
300
Karnataka
100
Goa
10
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 6
  Telangana 2,400
  Andhra Pradesh 1,700
  Tamil Nadu 600
  Maharashtra 300
  Karnataka 100
  Goa 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.14 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.86 %
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 Telugu (3,600 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Kannada
500
Tamil
100
Marathi
90
Primary Language Telugu (3,600 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Kannada 500
  Tamil 100
  Marathi 90
People Groups Speaking Telugu

Primary Language:  Telugu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1966)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1818-1989)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1854-2022)
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 Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
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 Jesus Film: view in Telugu 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 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 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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Sumanth Garakarajula - 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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