The Sikh Bawaria or Bawariya are a people who live across north and central India. There are also Hindus and Muslims in this people. Their name comes from the word for "net or noose" in Hindi. According to Bawaria legends, they were Rajputs or nobles before the coming of the Moghuls. The Muslims defeated them and they were banished to the forests where they became hunters, trappers and gatherers.
Now the Bawaria are viewed as outcastes by Indian society. They are considered a Scheduled caste in which they are eligible for special public jobs and extra university admissions.
Today most Sikh Bawaria are employed in agriculture. They cultivate land owned by higher castes. They grow wheat, millet, vegetables, fruit and sugarcane. Many Bawaria are illiterate. Some educated Bawaria work as administrators, teachers, attorneys and businessmen. The primary language of the Sikh Bawaria is Eastern Punjabi. Many also speak Hindi.
A high percentage of the Sikh Bawaria live in the Indian state of Punjab. Smaller groups live in other states across the nation of India.
Some Bawaria live a seminomadic lifestyle. They harvest products and animals from a forest and move on to another place.
A Sikh Bawaria may choose to eat meat or not to eat meat. At Sikh temples only dairy products and plants are served.
The Sikh Bawaria marry only within their group but they will not marry someone in their particular clan or family. Bawaria may live in multi-caste villages where they will live in their own section.
A caste council promotes their interests and settles legal disputes among Bawaria.
Guru Nanak Dev who lived in the 15th century was the originator of Sikhism. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma, you reap what you sow in your previous life. Sikhs have a reputation of being some of the finest soldiers in the Indian army. A Sikh is not allowed to use alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco.
A Sikh man may be recognized by his turban. All the Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair and wear a ceremonial dagger at all times.
The Sikh Bawaria must come to see that the true God is found in Jesus Christ and the Bible not in the teachings of Guru Nanak Dev. The Bawaria need to see Christ lived out before them in practical ways. They would benefit by workers coming to them to help their children learn how to read and write. Since some of the Bawaria are illiterate, the gospel will have to be presented to them in oral form.
Prayer Points
Pray that God creates a hunger for the Word of God among the Bawaria.
Pray the Lord will start a movement of Sikh Bawaria families experiencing God's blessings.
Ask God to deliver families and communities within the Bawaria people from fears that hinder them from embracing His blessings.
Scripture Prayers for the Bawaria (Sikh traditions) in India.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bawariya
religioustolerance.org/sikhism2.htm
Profile Source: David Kugel |
People Name General | Bawaria (Sikh traditions) |
People Name in Country | Bawaria (Sikh traditions) |
Pronunciation |
bah-wah-ree-AH
|
Alternate Names | Bauria; Bhatti; Naribut; बावारिया (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 129,000 |
Population all Countries | 129,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 3 |
People ID | 16348 |
ROP3 Code | 111485 |
ROP25 Code | 300982 |
ROP25 Name | Bawaria / Bauria |
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 | 21 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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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 | 21 (only 20 largest shown) |
Punjab 118,000 | |
Haryana 5,800 | |
Maharashtra 1,300 | |
Madhya Pradesh 600 | |
Jammu and Kashmir 600 | |
Jharkhand 400 | |
Uttarakhand 400 | |
West Bengal 300 | |
Rajasthan 300 | |
Gujarat 200 | |
Chhattisgarh 200 | |
Odisha 100 | |
Uttar Pradesh 90 | |
Bihar 80 | |
Karnataka 70 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Other / Small |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.01 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
99.99 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Punjabi, Eastern (79,000 speakers) | ||||||||||||
Language Code | pan Ethnologue Listing | ||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||||||||
Total Languages | 12 | ||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Punjabi, Eastern (79,000 speakers) |
Language Code | pan Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 12 |
Secondary Languages | |
Hindi 19,000 | |
Bagri 8,200 | |
Bauria 1,800 | |
Haryanvi 400 | |
Dogri 300 | |
Dhundari 60 | |
Garhwali 40 | |
Bengali 40 | |
Chhattisgarhi 20 | |
Shekhawati 20 | |
Marwari 10 | |
People Groups | Speaking Punjabi, Eastern |
Primary Language: Punjabi, Eastern
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1818-1954) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1815-2011) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1959-2021) |
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 |
Photo Source |
(Representative photo) Dimitris Vetsikas - Pixabay |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | David Kugel |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |