Batwal (Hindu traditions) in India

The Batwal (Hindu traditions) 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 Batwal people of Punjab trace their ancestry to the Kashmir Valley in north India. The word 'Batwal' in Punjabi means literally "the inhabitants of valley." The community provided the traditional watchmen for the villages of the Punjab. According to the community's own tradition, the Batwal people were forced to flee their settlements when India was attacked by Alexander the Great. Once the Greek armies retreated, the Batwal people found that their neighbors had seized their lands and they were forced to become village watchmen. For many generations they had two roles:village watchmen, and those who summoned the village for work. During colonial days many were allocated land by British authorities, and this caused a transformation towards becoming farmers. Some believe that the Batwal people were tied to the land by Dogra landowners, and the word 'Bat' in the Dogri language means someone who is bonded. They were for generations bonded to particular families of Dogra as serfs. Like other communities of similar status, the Batwal people have been granted Scheduled Caste status, which allows them to avail a number of affirmative action plans by the government of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many rural Batwal people have started to migrate to towns and cities. The main occupations of the Batwal are agriculture, government jobs, transport, trade and commerce. The Batwal people are divided into 13 clans. Like other neighboring Hindu communities, the Batwal are strictly exogamous, never marrying within the clan. The Batwal people share the customs and traditions of the locally dominant Dogra ethnic group and speak Dogri. The Batwal community have produced a renowned Punjabi singer from Punjab, India, popularly known as Lal Chand Yamla.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Batwal consider themselves to be Hindus. Each Batwal clan has its male deity and gods. Once a year, the members of each clan organize congregations at their temples before which they prostrate themselves, each head of a family sacrificing a goat in honor of his eldest son. A huge segment of Batwal people worship Sri Guru Gyagi Ji Maharaj and follow his teachings. Every year they celebrate his birthday with enthusiasm. Most Batwal people have been strongly influenced by the Arya Samaj Movement, while some Batwal have come under the influence of other Hindu reformist sects.


What Are Their Needs?

The Batwal community people are economically impoverished. The government of India in 1994 ordered the Planning Commission of India to undertake an ethnographic study. Unfortunately, no steps have yet been taken by the government to enhance the economic position of the Batwal community. The Batwal need to hear and understand the good news about Jesus Christ. He alone can forgive their sins and give them eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray for a spiritual desire to come to the Batwal so that they will seek and find the Holy One of God, Jesus Christ. Pray that answers to prayer will give the Batwal a thirst to know more about the Lord Jesus. Pray for believers to go to the Batwal people and help them with both their physical and spiritual needs. Pray for a disciple making movement to Christ among the Batwal people in this decade.


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


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Batwal (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Batwal (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Barwala; Haukara; Hokadena; Karaock; बटवाल (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 97,000
Population all Countries 97,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 16342
ROP3 Code 111478
ROP25 Code 300966
ROP25 Name Batwal
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 9
Largest States
Jammu and Kashmir
52,000
Punjab
24,000
Himachal Pradesh
20,000
Haryana
800
Delhi
700
Chandigarh
200
Uttarakhand
50
Rajasthan
50
Uttar Pradesh
20
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 9
  Jammu and Kashmir 52,000
  Punjab 24,000
  Himachal Pradesh 20,000
  Haryana 800
  Delhi 700
  Chandigarh 200
  Uttarakhand 50
  Rajasthan 50
  Uttar Pradesh 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.04 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
1.96 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Dogri (31,000 speakers)
Language Code dgo   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
Hindi
19,000
Punjabi, Eastern
16,000
Kangri
12,000
Chambeali
1,700
Kashmiri
1,600
Gujari
300
Pahari
200
Churahi
60
Bagri
40
Bhadrawahi
20
Bilaspuri Ladakhi
Primary Language Dogri (31,000 speakers)
Language Code dgo   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 19,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 16,000
  Kangri 12,000
  Chambeali 1,700
  Kashmiri 1,600
  Gujari 300
  Pahari 200
  Churahi 60
  Bagri 40
  Bhadrawahi 20
  Bilaspuri 10
  Ladakhi 0
People Groups Speaking Dogri
Photo Source Anonymous 
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.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024