Mala (Hindu traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 2

Subgroup Name Population
Asadi 17,000
Chokamala Unknown

Introduction / History

The Mala are also known as Adi-Andhra. They can be found in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Karnataka. They speak the Telugu language along with the regional languages and write in the Devanagari script. The Mala have various sub-groups such as Charu, Reddi, Parayan, and Bandari. The traditional occupation of the Mala is agricultural labor in the fields of land owning communities, and cotton weaving.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Now they work as shopkeepers and vegetable vendors and some work in cotton and oil mills. Some are employed in various government offices as teachers, doctors, administrators, engineers and in defense services.

Their staple cereals are rice and finger millets or ragi. Mala people smoke an indigenous cheroot or Chutta. Both men and women habitually drink toddy and arrak, both alcoholic drinks. They make crude drums out of cattle hides and are customarily employed to play these drums during village festivals. They participate in cultural activities during the Ambedkar Jayanthi festival.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mala people worship family deities such as Yellamma and ancestral spirits. Urkondi Irrana in Andhra Pradesh is their sacred center. The Mala Dassari or Mala Jangam is a specialist who looks into sacred matters. Their services are always sought for funerals. They sing songs known as Pogatha in praise of the departed soul. They also sing devotional songs to Hindu gods.


What Are Their Needs?

The Mala people need to put their hope in the King of kings, realizing that he is the one who gives them worth and dignity.


Prayer Points

Pray for God to send several Christian workers to meet their spiritual and physical needs.

Pray that God may deliver Mala people from the smoking cheroot and drinking toddy and arrak.

Pray for spiritual hunger leading to a movement to Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Mala (Hindu traditions) in India.


References

India Missions Association, Edited by Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mala_(caste)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Mala (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Mala (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Adi Andhra; Adi-Andhra; Antyaja; Arava Mala; Bajagiri; Banda; Chakkitakaray; Dhed; Harijan; Kalladimangan; Kalladisiddan; Kori; Landa; Landar; Landewaru; Mondi; Mondi Banda; Mondiwaru; Mondollu; Panchama; Parayan; माला (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 6,486,000
Population all Countries 6,486,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 130
PeopleID3 17425
ROP3 Code 112826
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 28
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Andhra Pradesh
4,634,000
Telangana
1,752,000
Chhattisgarh
30,000
Karnataka
23,000
Maharashtra
17,000
Madhya Pradesh
5,500
Tamil Nadu
4,300
Puducherry
4,200
Gujarat
4,100
Delhi
3,100
West Bengal
2,900
Odisha
1,600
Jharkhand
1,200
Kerala
900
Assam
700
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 28  (only 20 largest shown)
  Andhra Pradesh 4,634,000
  Telangana 1,752,000
  Chhattisgarh 30,000
  Karnataka 23,000
  Maharashtra 17,000
  Madhya Pradesh 5,500
  Tamil Nadu 4,300
  Puducherry 4,200
  Gujarat 4,100
  Delhi 3,100
  West Bengal 2,900
  Odisha 1,600
  Jharkhand 1,200
  Kerala 900
  Assam 700
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.19 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.16 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.64 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Telugu (5,657,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
Odia
5,300
Chhattisgarhi
1,200
Marathi
800
Bengali
700
Tamil
100
Kannada
100
Konkani
40
Primary Language Telugu (5,657,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
  Odia 5,300
  Chhattisgarhi 1,200
  Marathi 800
  Bengali 700
  Tamil 100
  Kannada 100
  Konkani 40
People Groups Speaking Telugu

Primary Language:  Telugu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1966)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1818-1989)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1854-2022)
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Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Telugu Literacy & Evangelism International
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Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Anonymous  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.


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