The Bhottada or Bhottara are a tribal people who live in west central India. Their name comes from words meaning "land" and "chase." They are thought to be among the original inhabitants of their region of India. Illiteracy is a major Bhottara problem since only 37% of the men and 11% of the women can read and write. They speak Kuvi among themselves and Odia with outsiders. They are a Scheduled Caste, which means they are eligible for special public jobs and college admission.
The primary occupation of the Bhottara is agriculture. They grow rice in paddies and ragi, also called finger millet. The Bhottara supplement their food supply by hunting, fishing and raising animals. They build their huts near streams to have a continual water source. The Bhottara weave bamboo baskets to use and trade. In times of scarcity they will collect food from the forest. In multiethnic villages they live in an area by themselves so as to not lose their identity.
Almost all Bhottara live in the Indian state of Odisha. A few others live in areas around the nation of India.
In the distant past the Bhottara were a hunter-gatherer people. Hundreds of years ago, they settled down to live in villages in the hills and forests of Odisha.
The Bhottara are a strictly endogamous people. Cousin marriages are common. Parents arrange marriages for the young people. The parents of the groom pay a bride price in money and goods to the family of the bride. Newly married couples live near the family of the groom. Sons inherit the property of their father. If the family has no sons, the daughters gain the property. Women hold a higher status than in most Indian tribal societies. Their own priests and elders officiate at important life ceremonies like births, weddings and funerals. If children die, they are buried in a far off section of the forest. Adult dead are cremated.
The main foods of the Bhottara are rice, millet, fish, tubers and seasonal vegetables.
Bhottara live in rural villages without electricity or indoor plumbing.
Some experts classify the Bhottara are Hindus while others say they are animists. The Bhottara practice elements of both belief systems. They attempt to appease evil spirits and the spirits of their ancestors with offerings of prayer, liquor and food. Each village also has a shrine to Hindu gods such as Shiva, the destroyer god, Durga, the mother-earth goddess and Kali, the goddess of death, violence and sex.
The Bhottara participate in the yearly Hindu holidays such as Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali the festival of lights and Navratri, the celebration of autumn.
The Bhottara have tremendous spiritual and physical needs. Most of all they need to hear the message of Jesus Christ in an oral form since so few of them can read. They would benefit by Christian workers who could help educate their children and introduce modern medicine. Agricultural experts could increase crop yields that would give the Bhottara a surplus to buy things they need.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to work powerfully through those ministering to the Bhottara people.
Pray for a movement to Jesus to multiply among Bhottara families and communities.
Pray that God will overthrow spiritual forces of darkness opposing the spread of His Gospel among the Bhottara.
Scripture Prayers for the Bhottada in India.
ethnologue.com/language/bgw
peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=41510#topmenu
thetide.org/bhottada-new-language/
Profile Source: David Kugel |
People Name General | Bhottada |
People Name in Country | Bhottada |
Alternate Names | Battada; Bhotora; Bhottada Bodo; Bhottara; Dhotada; Dhottada; Muriabhattada; Sanobhattada; भोत्तदा |
Population this Country | 548,000 |
Population all Countries | 548,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 11 |
People ID | 16435 |
ROP3 Code | 111586 |
ROP25 Code | 301168 |
ROP25 Name | Bhottada |
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 | 14 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States |
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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 | 14 |
Odisha 542,000 | |
Karnataka 1,700 | |
Assam 1,400 | |
Jharkhand 1,200 | |
West Bengal 600 | |
Goa 500 | |
Andhra Pradesh 400 | |
Chhattisgarh 300 | |
Delhi 100 | |
Manipur 90 | |
Tripura 60 | |
Maharashtra 60 | |
Madhya Pradesh 40 | |
Kerala 10 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
1.48 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
98.23 %
|
Islam |
0.19 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.01 %
|
Unknown |
0.09 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Kuvi (254,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | kxv Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 37 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Kuvi (254,000 speakers) |
Language Code | kxv Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 37 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Kui 79,000 | |
Odia 73,000 | |
Pengo 16,000 | |
Bhatri 14,000 | |
Telugu 6,400 | |
Hindi 5,800 | |
Chhattisgarhi 4,300 | |
Desiya 2,300 | |
Kurux 1,600 | |
Duruwa 900 | |
Konkani, Goan 700 | |
Kannada 500 | |
Gondi, Northern 500 | |
Koya 500 | |
Assamese 400 | |
People Groups | Speaking Kuvi |
Primary Language: Kuvi
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1916-1962) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1987-2022) |
Bible-Complete | No |
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 | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Kuvi | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | Gospel website in this language | General / Other |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Kuvi | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Kuvi | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Jesus Messiah comic book | General / Other |
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. |