The oldest known community in the Himalayan Mountains of Kashmir are the Pohul people! Their ancestors were shepherds; today they still tend livestock.
The small Pohul community lives in Jammu and Kashmir, India's far northern state with a Muslim majority.
The Pohuls are shepherds, the oldest occupation in that region. They tend their flocks of sheep and goats in these rugged Himalayan Mountains. They sometimes have to climb over boulders with their livestock to find good grazing land and clean water. The Pohul people are widely distributed in rural areas; however, some have been able to mix with more affluent Muslim communities and are now working for the Indian government.
The Pohul people rarely eat meat primarily because it is expensive, but on special occasions they will enjoy mutton, a favorite meat in India. Like many other castes in India, the Pohul people have their marriages arranged by their parents. Indeed, marriage is their most important ritual although these Muslims keep it simple.
They are unengaged as well as unreached, so no one is involved in reaching out to the Pohuls with the gospel. Their rural, remote lifestyle is an obstacle in reaching them, but nothing is impossible with God.
The Pohul people are Sunni Muslims who believe that Islam offers the spiritual answers that all peoples need.
The Pohul people need to have the chance to become children of the Living God and disciples of Christ.
Pray that God will put it on the hearts of Indian believers to disciple the Pohul community in the ways of Christ and teach them to disciple others.
Pray for God to prepare Pohul hearts to recognize the truth of the gospel message.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly among this people group.
Scripture Prayers for the Chopan in India.
(J&K book, pp 567-76)
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17897/IN
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=49070
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgFhObOLx7c
Profile Source: Keith Carey |
People Name General | Chopan |
People Name in Country | Chopan |
Alternate Names | Pohul; पोहुल |
Population this Country | 3,900 |
Population all Countries | 3,900 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 17897 |
ROP3 Code | 113377 |
ROP25 Code | 301767 |
ROP25 Name | Chopan (Pohul) |
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) | ||
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 | 1 |
Jammu and Kashmir 3,800 | |
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 | Kashmiri (3,900 speakers) |
Language Code | kas Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Kashmiri (3,900 speakers) |
Language Code | kas Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Kashmiri |
Primary Language: Kashmiri
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1813-1954) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1813-2000) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1899-2011) |
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 | Oral Bible stories | One Story |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | 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 Kashmiri | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Magdalena 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 | Scripture Earth Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
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. |