Shah in India
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Map Source:
People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project
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| People Name: | Shah |
| Country: | India |
| 10/40 Window: | Yes |
| Population: | 7,100 |
| World Population: | 7,100 |
| Primary Language: | Kumaoni |
| Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
| Christian Adherents: | 0.00 % |
| Evangelicals: | 0.00 % |
| Scripture: | New Testament |
| Online Audio NT: | Yes |
| Jesus Film: | Yes |
| Audio Recordings: | Yes |
| People Cluster: | South Asia Hindu - other |
| Affinity Bloc: | South Asian Peoples |
| Progress Level: |
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Introduction / History
The Shah are a small urban community in northern India. Shah means king, and there are a couple of myths regarding how they came to their current home in northern India. They claim that their ancestors were the prestigious Rajputs who ruled various parts of the subcontinent for hundreds of years.
Where Are they Located?
The small Shah caste lives in Uttarakhand, a state in northern India.
What Are Their Lives Like?
These people are usually traders in an urban environment. They have many clans. They are usually prosperous.
What Are Their Beliefs?
The Shah people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are many forms of Hinduism, each with its own deities and beliefs.
The main yearly holidays of the Shah people are Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.
What Are Their Needs?
Like all people groups on earth, the Shah people need a relationship with the King of kings that will allow them to become part of Christ's royal family. They need their communities to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer Points
Pray for gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Shah people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing their hearts would be open and ready to follow Him.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly among this people group.
Pray for the spiritual lives of the Shah people to become fruitful as they follow Christ.
Pray for the lives and culture of the Shah people to evidence the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God as they open to the gospel, and for the beauty of Jesus to be seen in them.