Dharkar in India

Introduction / History

The name "Dharkar" comes from dhar, meaning rope or cane making. The name fits the people; they have always made bamboo and rope products such as baskets that they sell in the markets. Like many communities, they often use "Dharkar" as a family surname as well as the name of their group.
Most live in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, but a small number are in Nepal.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Dharkars are more likely to practice child marriage than most other scheduled caste communities. However, they are much like other communities in that their marriages are arranged by their families. Each marriage is a joining of two families more than it is a joining of two individuals. They are much stricter about divorce than other Hindu communities.
Dharkar women are very active in household jobs, and they play a major role in ritual and economic activities. They contribute to the family income. Because their children are usually wage laborers, their literacy rate remains low.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They worship their village deity, Deohar, and many Hindu gods like Hannaman (the monkey god), Vishnu and various spiritual powers. They speak Awadhi at home. When they have the chance, the Dharkar people listen to the radio and TV.

What Are Their Needs?

The Dharkar people live mainly in Uttar Pradesh, one of India’s most gospel poor states. There are very few nearby peoples who love the Lord.

Prayer Points

Pray for excellent Christian materials like gospel recordings to be produced and widely distributed among the Dharkar people.
Pray for radio broadcasts that will address their spiritual need to be joined with Jesus.
Pray that as they encounter Jesus that their traditional gods will become a thing of the past.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will give them a willingness to seek and find the only savior.

Text Source:   Joshua Project