Introduction / History

Any people with the name "Dhed" as part of it eat carcasses. They are notified when an animal dies, at which time they make a meal of the meat. They even eat buffalo, which is considered to be beef by most Hindus. Despite this stark lowest of the low characteristic, some of them are regarded as gurus by members of other scheduled castes. Such people are given high honor and money, though they are few in number. Most Bawa Dhed people work as unskilled laborers. Unfortunately, child labor is very common among them.

Where Are they Located?

This people group of 12,000 lives in India's western Gujarat state, and they speak the Gujarati language. They intermingle with other Hindu peoples at shrines and festivals.

What Are Their Needs?

More Bawa Dhed children are attending school than in previous generations. They are also taking advantage of modern conveniences like mass media, roads, and electricity.

Prayer Points

Pray that Christian Gujarati language resources will become common in Bawa Dhed households. Pray that the Holy Spirit will give them a desire for spiritual transformation that will be satisfied by submission to Jesus Christ.

References

Some information from "The Scheduled Castes" K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)