Janughanta in India

The Janughanta have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Janughantas are a caste of mendicant beggars. Their name comes from their habit of tying a bell (ghanta) to their knees (janu) which they ring as they approach a community to tell them it's time to offer alms. When begging they carry an ax as a reminder of Parasurama, a great warrior they consider themselves to be a descendent of whom also carried an ax. Though they consider themselves to be from the Brahman caste, others would not agree.


Where Are they Located?

The Hindu Janughanta live in a few villages of Cuttack and Puri districts of Odisha.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Janughanta live in small communities in both nuclear and extended families. They practice adult marriage, and the marriages are monogamous, meaning there is one husband and one wife.

They are a landless community that survives mostly by begging, but sometimes through working as day laborers.

This people group is not known for their arts or crafts, though they maintain their oral traditions through their own music.


What Are Their Beliefs?

These mendicants have sacred specialists from their own community, and they worship a variety of family, village and local deities.


What Are Their Needs?

They need to find a constructive way to earn a living. Like all over people groups, the Janughanta community needs to have the chance to seek and find the only Savior, Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that the sheer wonder of knowing Jesus and the impact He has on their lives and the joy He brings spur believers to share Christ with the Janughanta people.
Pray the hearts of the Janughanta people would be stirred by a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit readying them for the time when they hear the gospel message being shared with them.
Pray they will experience dreams and visions of Jesus leading their families into a saving relationship with Him.
Pray for an unstoppable disciple-making movement among Janughanta families.


Scripture Prayers for the Janughanta in India.


References

https://www.peoplegroups.org/explore/GroupDetails.aspx?peid=49014
http://indpaedia.com/ind/index.php/Janughanta
Peoples of India: Odisha, vol XVI, part 1, pp. 737-739


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Janughanta
People Name in Country Janughanta
Alternate Names जानुघनटा
Population this Country 2,000
Population all Countries 2,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 16989
ROP3 Code 112300
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)
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 1
  Odisha 2,000
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 Odia (2,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Odia (2,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Odia
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more