Introduction / History

Attappady, one of the prominent forest regions of the Palghat district of Kerala, is home to several scheduled tribes. One of them is the Mudugar, whose living standards in the remote forest settlements are way behind the mainstream. The Mudugar are also found in the Nilgiris and Coimbatore districts of Tamil Nadu. The Mudugar are believed to be the earliest immigrants to this region from the Coimbatore District of Tamil Nadu. The Mudugar's language, Muduga, is very different from Malayalam or Tamil, the state languages of these people.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Mudugar have a superior attitude to the Irulas and the Kurumbas, the other two neighboring tribes of that region, but they help each other in agricultural operations, hunting, fishing, etc.

Their occupations include agriculture, hunting, and fishing. Mudugar lifestyle has not changed much by contact with outside people or by any of the welfare schemes which the government has implemented for the development of the tribes. The Mudugar are shy and they do not like the company of the nontribal people of the plains. Hence, they live deep inside the forest, which makes access to them more difficult. Although a lot of missionary work is done in this area, not much has been done exclusively for them.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Shiva is their supreme god, who they revere, and they follow all the associated rituals. Each year they make a pilgrimage to the malliswaran peak deep inside the Attappady Hills. However, their religion is a mixture of animism and Hinduism, with the former dominating.

What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Mudugar communities.

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Mudugar people.

Pray for the Mudugar people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Mudugar people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.

Scripture Prayers for the Mudugar in India.