The Kharva people are scattered throughout the southern two thirds of India. A small number are in Pakistan's Sindh Province where they speak Sindhi. Those in India speak Gujarati.
The primary occupation of the Kharva has been salt extraction and preparation. Others are involved with farming, and some are fishermen. The necklace and colored powder worn as a dot on the forehead (kumkum) are the symbols of a married woman. They cremate their dead but children below eighteen months of age are buried. On the thirteenth day, they offer balls of rice cooked in milk to the dead.
They usually maintain close and cordial social relations with neighboring communities.
Their deities are Shakti, Mahakali Katyayani, and Bhuvaneshwari. Some are followers of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism.
The Hindu Kharva community speaks several languages in India, as do most people groups in South Asia. Separate church planting projects may be needed for each language subgroup. Please pray that Christian evangelists and church planters will be sent to the Hindu Kharva people in the Lord's timing.
Please pray those who will soon come to faith in Christ will be quick to confess sin when it occurs and will learn to live in the power of the Lord's Spirit, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord. Pray the Kharva community will be completely set free from worshipping deities that have no power to bring good into the lives of the people, and instead will be brought into the dominion of the creator God who loves them.
Scripture Prayers for the Kharva (Hindu traditions) in India.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharwa_caste
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Kharva (Hindu traditions) |
People Name in Country | Kharva (Hindu traditions) |
Alternate Names | Kharvi; Kharwa; Khavas; Khawas; Konkan Kharvi; खारवा (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स) |
Population this Country | 491,000 |
Population all Countries | 503,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 10 |
People ID | 17156 |
ROP3 Code | 112506 |
ROP25 Code | 303949 |
ROP25 Name | Kharwa |
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 | 20 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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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 | 20 |
Gujarat 214,000 | |
Maharashtra 193,000 | |
Karnataka 40,000 | |
Madhya Pradesh 18,000 | |
Goa 14,000 | |
Telangana 6,900 | |
Tamil Nadu 1,200 | |
Andhra Pradesh 900 | |
Chhattisgarh 700 | |
Daman and Diu 600 | |
Dadra and Nagar Have 400 | |
Kerala 400 | |
Uttar Pradesh 200 | |
Rajasthan 200 | |
Delhi 200 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
1.20 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
0.23 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
98.57 %
|
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 | Gujarati (181,000 speakers) | ||||||||||||
Language Code | guj Ethnologue Listing | ||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||||||||
Total Languages | 13 | ||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Gujarati (181,000 speakers) |
Language Code | guj Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 13 |
Secondary Languages | |
Marathi 115,000 | |
Konkani 43,000 | |
Konkani, Goan 33,000 | |
Kannada 18,000 | |
Hindi 18,000 | |
Telugu 2,200 | |
Nimadi 1,600 | |
Marwari 700 | |
Kacchi 700 | |
Chhattisgarhi 100 | |
Indo-Portuguese 100 | |
Ahirani 60 | |
People Groups | Speaking Gujarati |
Primary Language: Gujarati
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1809-1965) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1820-1985) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1823-2021) |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
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Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Photo Source |
(Representative photo) Copyrighted © 2023 Isudas All rights reserved. Used with permission |
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. |