The Idayan are part of the larger Adi Dravida community. They have Scheduled Caste status in India and Sri Lanka.
Having low status, the Idayan community has had to fight to get their rights, all the while facing opposition from the higher castes.
The Idayan people speak Tamil. They live in the South Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Some live in Maharashtra or in neighboring Sri Lanka.
Marginalized and discriminated against, the Idayan people live in poverty. They have strong connections as a community, joined together by their own culture and traditions.
The Idayan people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of South Asia. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.
Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.
The Idayan people need the Holy Spirit to direct them into a loving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray for Idayan culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among their family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Idayan people.
Pray that soon the Idayan people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the savior.
Scripture Prayers for the Idayan in India.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Idayan |
People Name in Country | Idayan |
Alternate Names | Edaya; Ethayar; Golla; Gopalan; Idaiyan; Idaiyar; Idayar; Idayer; Konar; Mond Golla Asthanthra Golla; Naicker; Nainar; Nainer; Pillai; Puran; Purnam; Sudarman; Udayar; Vaduga Ayar; Vaduga Idaiyar; Yadav; Yadava; Yadavan; Yadavar; इदायन |
Population this Country | 81,000 |
Population all Countries | 91,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 2 |
People ID | 16962 |
ROP3 Code | 112267 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Hindu - other |
People Group | Idayan |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Hindu - other |
People Group | Idayan |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Total Subgroups | 22 (only 15 largest shown) |
Samban 1,300 | |
Maniyakkaran 1,000 | |
Sholia 1,000 | |
Aunvallur 800 | |
Ayar 800 | |
Kalkatti 800 | |
Kalla 800 | |
Karutthakadu 800 | |
Pal 800 | |
Pancharamkotti 800 |
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 | 7 | |||||||||
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 | 7 |
Kerala 45,000 | |
Tamil Nadu 27,000 | |
Maharashtra 7,200 | |
Karnataka 500 | |
Andhra Pradesh 100 | |
Delhi 100 | |
Jharkhand 10 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
100.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Tamil (36,000 speakers) | |||
Language Code | tam Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||
Total Languages | 3 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Tamil (36,000 speakers) |
Language Code | tam Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 3 |
Secondary Languages | |
Malayalam 35,000 | |
Tulu 200 | |
People Groups | Speaking Tamil |
Primary Language: Tamil
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1714-1956) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1715-1998) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1727-2021) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |