Rajbansi (Muslim traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Subgroups: 5

Subgroup Name Population
Bhanga Kshatriya Unknown
Deshi Unknown
Kantai Unknown
Mandai Unknown
Rajbansi Unknown

Introduction / History

The Rajbansi people are related to the ancient Koch Dynasty; so much so that they are often called the Koch people even today. The Koch Dynasty was in what is today northeastern India.

Muslim invaders began conquering the Hindu regions of what is now Bangladesh in the twelfth century. When many of the Bengali tribes were overrun in 1600-1700 A.D. by Muslims, they took refuge in the hills. They later returned and settled in the adjoining plains where most have continued to live. A small number of the Rajbansi people converted to Islam in the Bengali speaking regions of West Bengal and Bangladesh.


Where Are they Located?

Muslim Rajbansi people live in West Bengal and Bangladesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Like many other communities in India, the Rajbansi people are farmers today, though they are becoming increasingly urban. Their homes tend to be rectangular with an inside area where they grow betel nut and fruit trees. This pattern helps them protect themselves against wild animals. It also provides a way to enjoy fresh air, and the chance to grow their own gardens without their food being stolen.

Music is an important part of Rajbansi culture. They enjoy stringed instruments like the dotora, gongs, bells, and wind instruments. An excellent way to reach them for Christ would be through using their form of music for worship tunes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim Rajbansi people are Sunni, the largest branch of Islam. They believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoken through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. Muslims are prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, slandering, and making idols. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship.

The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah.

In most of the Muslim world, peoples like the Rajbansi depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. The often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

The Rajbansi people, be they Hindu or Muslim, need to put their faith in Jesus Christ, the only one who can bless them with abundant life and eternal salvation from sin and death.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Rajbansi 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 Muslim Rajbansi 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 Rajbansi people.
Pray that soon the Rajbansi people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the Savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Rajbansi (Muslim traditions) in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17668/BG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajbongshi_people
https://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft067n99v9&chunk.id=ch05&toc.depth=1&toc.id=ch05&brand=ucpress
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/14513/IN


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Rajbansi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Rajbansi (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names Bahey; Cooch Behar; Desi; Koch; Paliya; राजबांसी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 300
Population all Countries 10,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17668
ROP3 Code 113110
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 4
Largest States
West Bengal
3,100
Jharkhand
300
Bihar
80
Meghalaya
10
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 4
  West Bengal 3,100
  Jharkhand 300
  Bihar 80
  Meghalaya 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (3,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Rangpuri
300
Urdu
100
Primary Language Bengali (3,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Rangpuri 300
  Urdu 100
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
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 Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
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 World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  India Missions Association  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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. Learn more.