Bhil in Pakistan
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The Bhil peoples are low on the social totem pole in Hindu India, which spills over into neighboring Pakistan where the caste system is still in effect despite Islam being the dominant religion. Most of the information on the Bhil peoples is about the Hindu Bhils in India, since there are many more of them in that country than in Pakistan.
The Bhils are mostly in India, but those in Pakistan live in the Tharparkar District of Sindh Province.
The Bhils live mostly in rural areas, where many are migrant farm workers who follow the seasonal crops to bring extra income to their suffering families. In Pakistan many work for Muslim landowners. Wheat and millet are staple food crops, followed by rice, cotton lint, and corn. For the farmers, the arid land requires irrigation. Monsoon rains are the key to their existence.
The Bhil have lost much of their traditional culture, and the gospel can easily be seen as a way to replace their religion, one of the things they have left.
In India most Bhils are Hindu or animistic, but in Pakistan they mix Islam with traditional religion. There are many Hindus among the Bhil people in Pakistan. In the 1960s there was work among the Bhils that lasted for a couple of decades. We don't know if the fruit of this work is still in existence.
There is no future in being a landless farmer like many of these people are. The Bhil peoples in Pakistan need education that will help them get good jobs for today's job market.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers for the Bhil peoples in Pakistan.
Pray for a church planting movement among the Bhils in Pakistan.
Pray for the Bhil peoples to "gossip the gospel" to others, leading to Christ-followers in India and Pakistan.
Scripture Prayers for the Bhil in Pakistan.
http://www.evangelical-times.org/archive/item/983/Pakistan/Missionary-Spotlight---Pakistan---The-Marwari-Bhils-of-Pakistan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhil_people
http://www. Prayway.com/unreached/peoplegroups1/712.html
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=6381
| Profile Source: Global Prayer Digest |
| People Name General | Bhil |
| People Name in Country | Bhil |
| Pronunciation |
beel
|
| Alternate Names | Arejo; Arijo; Bhil Garasia; Bhilala; Bhim; Bilalla; Billava; Billavaor; Billawa; Dholi Bhil; Dugri Garasia; Dungra Bhil; Dungri Girasia; Garasia; Pacima; Pascima; Pujari; Tulu Bhillava; भील |
| Population this Country | 612,000 |
| Population all Countries | 15,274,000 |
| Total Countries | 2 |
| Indigenous | Yes |
| Progress Scale | 1 ● |
| Unreached | Yes |
| Frontier People Group | No |
| GSEC | 4 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
| Pioneer Workers Needed | 12 |
| People ID | 16414 |
| ROP3 Code | 111565 |
| Country | Pakistan | |||
| Region | Asia, South | |||
| Continent | Asia | |||
| 10/40 Window | Yes | |||
| National Bible Society | Website | |||
| Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||
| Total States on file | 3 | |||
| Largest States |
|
|||
| Country | Pakistan |
| Region | Asia, South |
| Continent | Asia |
| 10/40 Window | Yes |
| National Bible Society | Website |
| Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
| Total States | 3 |
| Sindh 558,000 | |
| Balochistan 18,000 | |
| Punjab 7,600 | |
| Website | South Asia Peoples |
| Primary Religion: | Islam |
| Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
|---|---|
| Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
| Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
3.26 %
|
| Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
| Hinduism |
23.10 %
|
| Islam |
73.64 %
|
| Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
| Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
| Unknown |
0.00 %
|
|
* From latest Pakistan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
|
| Primary Language | Sindhi (301,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
| Language Code | snd Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
| Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
| Total Languages | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
| Primary Language | Sindhi (301,000 speakers) |
| Language Code | snd Ethnologue Listing |
| Total Languages | 16 |
| Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
| Marwari 78,000 | |
| Sindhi Bhil 58,000 | |
| Urdu 57,000 | |
| Dhatki 46,000 | |
| Saraiki 28,000 | |
| Sansi 11,000 | |
| Kacchi 10,000 | |
| Bhili 9,100 | |
| Koli, Kachi 5,500 | |
| Punjabi, Eastern 2,900 | |
| Koli, Parkari 2,300 | |
| Koli, Wadiyari 1,600 | |
| Punjabi, Western 800 | |
| Balochi, Southern 500 | |
| Bagri 100 | |
| People Groups | Speaking Sindhi |
Primary Language: Sindhi
| Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
|---|---|
| Bible-Portions | Yes (1825-1981) |
| Bible-New Testament | Yes (1890-1992) |
| Bible-Complete | Yes (1954) |
| Bible-NT Audio | Online |
| Possible Print Bibles | |
|---|---|
| Amazon | |
| World Bibles | |
| Forum Bible Agencies | |
| National Bible Societies | |
| World Bible Finder | |
| Virtual Storehouse | |
| Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2023 Arun Sambhu Mishra - Shutterstock All rights reserved. Used with permission |
| Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
| Video Source | The Waiting World |
| Profile Source | Global Prayer Digest |
| Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |
