Mochi (Sikh traditions) in India

The Mochi (Sikh traditions) have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Subgroups: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Multani Unknown

Introduction / History

The Mochi people of India have traditionally been makers of shoes, boots, saddles, and handbags. This association with leather has given them low status in this part of the world where cows are sacred. That low status applies to both Hindu and Sikh Mochi. The literacy level of the Mochi has is low, under 20%. While the vast majority of Mochi are Hindus or Muslims, a small group is Sikh. Some Sikh Mochi are landless agricultural workers. Most Sikh Mochi speak Eastern Punjabi and Hindi.


Where Are they Located?

The Sikh Mochi live in two districts inside of Punjab state, and in Haryana and in Delhi.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Mochi live challenging lives by Western standards. They often live at the poverty level with little chance of moving upward in Indian society. Mochi children frequently drop out of school to help support their families. Some Sikh boys are starting to finish elementary school and go on to secondary school and universities. School is an expense that many Mochi families cannot afford.

The Sikh Mochi marry only within their group but not within their particular clan. Families arrange marriages with the consent of the young people. Married women wear glass bangles, nose studs, toe rings, and a special necklace.

The Sikh Mochi are non-vegetarians but will not eat beef and sometimes pork. Their main foods are rice, maize, wheat, millet with some vegetables and fruit. Often meat and milk products are reserved for holidays. Many Mochi men drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though most Mochis are Hindus, there are some Sikhs among them. Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.

One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They venerate their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.


What Are Their Needs?

The Mochi need to see that their Sikh rituals and works will not get them right with a holy, personal God. They need to see Christianity demonstrated to them in practical ways, for example, helping them with their medical and the educational needs of their children. Most of all, they need to see that it is only in Jesus Christ that their sins can be forgiven.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Mochi people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Mochi people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers Sikh background disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Mochi (Sikh traditions) in India.


References

https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/mochi/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mochi_(Sikh)
https://books.google.com/books?id=JpksAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA102&lpg=PA102&dq=Sikh+Mochi+People&source=bl&ots=rWldEhFIPq&sig=ACfU3U1WVuIgNw1pHqruBrQCW9EhCRC3Hw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj3gun5irrjAhUYsp4KHRTSAm0Q6AEwGXoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=Sikh%20Mochi%20People&f=false


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Mochi (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Mochi (Sikh traditions)
Pronunciation MOH-chee
Alternate Names Jatia; Jingar; Raighar; Ramdasi; Raudari; Ravida; Rehgar; मोची (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 700
Population all Countries 700
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18135
ROP3 Code 113642
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 5
Largest States
Punjab
300
Haryana
200
Delhi
200
Chandigarh
50
Rajasthan
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 5
  Punjab 300
  Haryana 200
  Delhi 200
  Chandigarh 50
  Rajasthan 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
100.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (600 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Hindi
30
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (600 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 30
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
Bible-NT Audio 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 DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download Bible from Google Play Store Operation Agape
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Eastern Literacy & Evangelism International
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.