The Valmiki are also called Balmiki. They are a caste of street sweepers with low status.
In India Valmiki people face discrimination from a young age. At school their children are given derisive names. They are treated like they cannot learn by public school teachers. Those who work in parks clean things up, then take a stroll in the park only to be told to leave either by high caste members or by the police. If they resist, the police will beat them. Valmiki women are sexually abused by high caste men. There is nothing they can do about it.
Since the root of these problems is in the Hindu based caste system, some Valmiki have changed to a different religion. Most commonly they become Buddhist, but others have adopted Islam or Sikhism.
Buddhism is a major world religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha, who lived in the 6th and 5th century BC in ancient India. The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths by which one can gain spiritual knowledge and escape the endless cycles of reincarnation. Theravada, one of the two major branches of Buddhism, declares that by following the Noble Eightfold Path of right intentions and right actions that a Buddhist can achieve nirvana or a state of freedom and salvation. Mahayana Buddhism, the other main branch of Buddhism, asserts that by following the six perfections that a Buddhist can move along the path to Enlightenment. Tibetan Buddhism falls within the Mahayana school.
To most Buddhists, however, these things have far less meaning than their traditional beliefs, which are usually animistic. In animism, evil spirits must be appeased through prayers, sacrifices and rituals. Buddhism allows people to mix Buddhist teachings with traditional religion.
Two of the important Buddhist yearly holidays are Vesak, the Buddha's birthday celebrated in May or June and Bodhi Day, the holiday which commemorates the day that the historical Buddha experienced enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.
The Valmiki people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.
Pray for the Valmiki people to have the justice they need.
Pray for them to find their identity and sense of worth in the God who gave them life, and the savior who offers them life to the full.
Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Valmiki people.
Pray God will have mercy on the Valmiki, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Valmiki to the gospel.
Scripture Prayers for the Valmiki (Buddhist traditions) in India.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/valmiki-families-in-ghaziabad-village-convert-to-buddhism/article32933792.ece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZiGyCwLSY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valmiki_caste
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Valmiki (Buddhist traditions) |
People Name in Country | Valmiki (Buddhist traditions) |
Natural Name | Buddhist Valmiki |
Pronunciation | wahl-MEE-kee |
Alternate Names | Balmik; Balmiki; Bhangi; Hair; Hari; Mehtar |
Population this Country | 27,000 |
Population all Countries | 27,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 22346 |
ROP3 Code | 119345 |
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 | 18 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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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 | 18 |
Punjab 13,000 | |
Maharashtra 4,500 | |
Madhya Pradesh 2,000 | |
Uttar Pradesh 1,800 | |
Gujarat 1,500 | |
Haryana 700 | |
Rajasthan 700 | |
Telangana 500 | |
Bihar 400 | |
Chandigarh 200 | |
Jharkhand 200 | |
Uttarakhand 100 | |
Delhi 100 | |
Chhattisgarh 60 | |
Himachal Pradesh 60 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
100.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
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 | Hindi (9,400 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 16 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Hindi (9,400 speakers) |
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 16 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Punjabi, Eastern 9,000 | |
Marathi 1,500 | |
Gujarati 1,000 | |
Telugu 300 | |
Kanauji 200 | |
Bhojpuri 200 | |
Konkani 200 | |
Bundeli 100 | |
Marwari 90 | |
Bagri 70 | |
Awadhi 70 | |
Nimadi 50 | |
Chhattisgarhi 40 | |
Dhundari 30 | |
Haryanvi 30 | |
People Groups | Speaking Hindi |
Primary Language: Hindi
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1806-1962) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1811-1998) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1818-2022) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |