Karmali 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 Karmali people of India are a scheduled tribe.


Where Are they Located?

Karmali people live in the state of Jharkhand.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Karmali people build their rectangular homes with mud walls, tiles, bamboo, and wooden walls.
They breed and eat pigs; as a result, other tribes regard them as having low status and do not accept food and water from them.

They have one spouse except in cases of barrenness or the death of a spouse. They don't marry within the same clan or with members of a different tribe. A bride price in paid in cash or with goods by the father of the groom. Fathers or guardians arrange the marriage. The boy's father contacts the girl's father, and the village priest helps to arrange the date of the marriage. A soil digging ritual is performed by women in both houses. The couple has bathing and food regulations. Oil is put on the couple and they are blessed by the families, and a feast follows. The bride stays for a week, then her father takes her home where she stays for one year. Karmali kinship is determined according to parentage and marriage. Lineage is through the father.

Karmali people make baskets, axes and sickles. They sharpen and repair tools and sell them to agricultural tribes and castes. They have difficulty getting raw materials, and daily wage earning has become a common source of income.

Karmali have a community Panchayat (association) and all family leaders are members. The leader is called Mahato and is also the village chief. Panchayats hear cases having to do with divorce.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Karmali people are Hindus who worship many gods. They also believe that spirits of their ancestors live in their houses. They make sacrifices to gods and spirits along with their priests. They also practice witchcraft and celebrate festivals.


What Are Their Needs?

Various visual, audio, and written Christian resources are available in the Hindi language, but Karmali people are still unreached.
They do not see their need for the Savior; their gods have blinded them to God's truth.


Prayer Points

Pray that Karmali people will be drawn to Hindi Christian radio broadcasts.
Pray that Almighty God will raise up Indian churches to lovingly and boldly evangelize this unreached people group resulting in entire Karmali families putting their faith in Jesus Christ and discipling others.
Pray for the Lord to raise up two Karmali believers this year who will spread Christ's fame throughout India.
There are Karmali believers in neighboring Bangladesh; pray that they will make disciples of their kinsmen in India.


Scripture Prayers for the Karmali in India.


References

www.indianetzone.com/56/karmali_tribe.htmhttps://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17102


Profile Source:   Karen Hightower  

People Name General Karmali
People Name in Country Karmali
Pronunciation kar-MAH-lee
Alternate Names Kamalia; Karnalia; करमाली
Population this Country 155,000
Population all Countries 160,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 3
People ID 17102
ROP3 Code 112444
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 6
Largest States
Jharkhand
76,000
Odisha
73,000
West Bengal
3,800
Bihar
400
Delhi
100
Uttar Pradesh
90
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 6
  Jharkhand 76,000
  Odisha 73,000
  West Bengal 3,800
  Bihar 400
  Delhi 100
  Uttar Pradesh 90
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.01 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.13 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
94.84 %
Islam
0.11 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
4.91 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (44,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Odia
39,000
Santhali
17,000
Kui
3,500
Bengali
1,200
Kurux
1,000
Maithili
800
Magahi
700
Mundari
300
Kuvi
200
Juang
200
Marathi
200
Ho
60
Kharia
50
Munda
50
Bhojpuri
30
Primary Language Hindi (44,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Odia 39,000
  Santhali 17,000
  Kui 3,500
  Bengali 1,200
  Kurux 1,000
  Maithili 800
  Magahi 700
  Mundari 300
  Kuvi 200
  Juang 200
  Marathi 200
  Ho 60
  Kharia 50
  Munda 50
  Bhojpuri 30
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
Bible-NT Audio 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 DAVAR Partners recording, Old Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hindi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
Photo Source (Representative photo)
India Water Portal - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Karen Hightower 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.