Karan Kayastha 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.

Introduction / History

Karan are one of the 13 clans of the Kayastha caste. This is an ancient caste of scribes who served the state through record keeping regarding taxation and other matters. They don't fit in with any of the four main caste categories. According to legend, Brahma, the supreme god, needed someone to record the deeds of all people and castes. He went deep into meditation and when he opened his eyes, he saw the image of a man standing before him holding a quill and an inkpot with a sword strapped around his waist. This man was the first of the Kayasthras. Further legends make them out to be descendants of one of the Hindu gods.

Though their long history the Karan Kayasthas have kept their high status and power. They have been civil servants and tax collectors under the Muslim Moghul Empire, the British Raj, and later they kept their position when India became independent. Because of their adaptability, many have viewed them as traitors since they served foreign parasitical empires at India's expense.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most people respect the Kayastha caste for their abilities. They have branched out into other high professions like IT, medicine and engineering. Some now live in foreign nations like England and the US.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Karan Kayastha people practice Hinduism, the dominant religion of India. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods whom they believe will give them favor and protection, much like a business transaction. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. Some Mathur Kayastha are philosophical in their spiritual practices. Their spirituality is more like a philosophy than a religious system. This is common for people with the prestigious Hindu communities.


What Are Their Needs?

The Karan Kayastha community needs to allow Jesus Christ the chance to transform them into His likeness so that they can enjoy peace and hope that only the Holy Spirit can provide.


Prayer Points

Pray for His kingdom to come and His will to be done among the Karan Kayastha people.

Pray for a movement of Karan Kayastha households to study the Bible and accept the blessings of Christ.

Pray for a spiritual hunger that will drive the Karan Kayastha people to the arms of Jesus.

Pray for workers who are filled with the fruit and the power of the Holy Spirit to go to the Karan Kayastha people.


Scripture Prayers for the Kayastha Karan in India.


References

Singh, K. S., ed. "India's Communities A-Z", Oxford University Press, USA 1999


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kayastha Karan
People Name in Country Kayastha Karan
Natural Name Karan Kayastha
Pronunciation kar-AHN KAY-uh-stuh
Alternate Names Kact; Kaith; Karan; Karen; Kayashtha; Kayasth; Kayath; lala; कायस्ता
Population this Country 610,000
Population all Countries 872,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 12
PeopleID3 21156
ROP3 Code 117979
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 10
Largest States
West Bengal
290,000
Assam
115,000
Bihar
88,000
Odisha
61,000
Jharkhand
33,000
Tripura
15,000
Madhya Pradesh
7,100
Chhattisgarh
1,400
Punjab
100
Meghalaya
100
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 10
  West Bengal 290,000
  Assam 115,000
  Bihar 88,000
  Odisha 61,000
  Jharkhand 33,000
  Tripura 15,000
  Madhya Pradesh 7,100
  Chhattisgarh 1,400
  Punjab 100
  Meghalaya 100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.01 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.99 %
Islam
0.00 %
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 (296,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
Hindi
86,000
Assamese
66,000
Odia
51,000
Bhojpuri
23,000
Maithili
8,300
Magahi
8,100
Angika
700
Chhattisgarhi
700
Sadri
400
Kok Borok
200
Surjapuri
100
Primary Language Bengali (296,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 86,000
  Assamese 66,000
  Odia 51,000
  Bhojpuri 23,000
  Maithili 8,300
  Magahi 8,100
  Angika 700
  Chhattisgarhi 700
  Sadri 400
  Kok Borok 200
  Surjapuri 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)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) 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 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 Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
Photo Source Biswarup Ganguly - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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