Kalingi in India

Kalingi
Photo Source:  Copyrighted © 2024
Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source:  People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project
People Name: Kalingi
Country: India
10/40 Window: Yes
Population: 325,000
World Population: 325,000
Primary Language: Odia
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Christian Adherents: 0.11 %
Evangelicals: 0.00 %
Scripture: Complete Bible
Online Audio NT: Yes
Jesus Film: Yes
Audio Recordings: Yes
People Cluster: South Asia Hindu - other
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Kalingi people wear the sacred thread, so they have high status as Hindus.

The Kalingi are believed to be immigrants from Chhattisgarh, and today they live primarily in Odisha. They are subdivided into two subgroups, and further divided into various lineages and clans.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They prohibit divorce. Many own land and are farmers, and others are employed in various ways.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They are followers of a form of Hinduism, and worship family and clan deities. Their sacred specialists are from their own community.

What Are Their Needs?

The Kalingi people need the spiritual humility to accept that they need someone to save them from sin against a holy God.

Prayer Points

A few Kalinga have reported themselves as Christians to the census of India. Please pray these Christians will come to a clear understanding of what it means to know Christ as savior and lord and will be zealous to know and serve him.

Pray for Kalingi disciplers who will disciple others in the ways of Christ.

Text Source:   Joshua Project