Subgroups: 2
Subgroup Name | Population ▼ | |
---|---|---|
Zamindar | 245,000 | |
Chaukidar | 233,000 |
The Meena tribe is believed to be a mixture of more than one tribe. A fishing community called Meenavar eventually became Meena. The Meena are known by their Meena language. They live in the hills of Rajasthan, a desert state in western India.
In summer, water is very scarce. Water is precious in most places and fetching it is hard with their wells. Women walk long distances with pots on their heads; this is a common scene in Rajasthan. They build homes that keep out the scorching heat of the Rajasthani desert. Men make tiles in the heat of the summer when there is no agricultural activity. They bake hand-made clay tiles in fire. Ladies will make brooms and mats from palm branches or distill liquor. Country liquor made from the mova flower is a common and favorite hot drink.
Lack of education, illiteracy and lack of access to proper facilities keep the Meena under the clutches of several sicknesses. Tuberculosis and death during delivery are both common in Meena villages. Though pastures are scanty, several of them are also involved in tending cattle, trying to make a living by the sale of milk products and selling calves.
They do not intermarry with other tribes. The younger brother of a deceased man can marry his widow. A married man has freedom and access on his older brother's wife and wife's younger sister. During weddings and other festivals, there is lots of drumming and dancing. As the drum music tightens, women loosen their dresses in a revealing way.
The dead are cremated. The corpse of men is wrapped in white cloth and the women in colored cloth. Raised platforms of rectangle shapes are raised as tomb at the grave behind the residence.
In the empty slopes of a hill among the cactus are wooden poles with flags. These are places of offerings and chants. Meena in the Udaipur area worship spirits and the chief among them is Magarababji. Meena believe in life after death. Those who do well in this life are supposed to be born as stars in the next birth.
These people need to put their hope and identity in the King of kings and Lord of lords.
Pray for loving workers to go to the Meena people, and for their hearts to be ready to receive their savior.
Pray for families of believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing churches.
Pray for a chain reaction of families reaching families that result in thousands of new disciples who share their faith with others.
Pray for grace and truth expanding into their entire society as all believers learn to love others.
Scripture Prayers for the Meena in India.
Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
Global Prayer Digest: 2007-09-27 |
Global Prayer Digest: 2012-09-22 |
Global Prayer Digest: 2020-09-26 |
People Name General | Meena |
People Name in Country | Meena |
Alternate Names | Ge; Guin; Maina; Mena; Popo; मीना |
Population this Country | 5,547,000 |
Population all Countries | 5,547,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 3 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 111 |
People ID | 13723 |
ROP3 Code | 106638 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Tribal - other |
People Group | Meena |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Tribal - other |
People Group | Meena |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Total Subgroups | 2 |
Zamindar 245,000 | |
Chaukidar 233,000 |
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 |
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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 | 10 |
Rajasthan 4,911,000 | |
Madhya Pradesh 445,000 | |
Haryana 55,000 | |
Uttar Pradesh 44,000 | |
Delhi 4,800 | |
Uttarakhand 2,200 | |
Gujarat 80 | |
Chandigarh 50 | |
Dadra and Nagar Have 50 | |
Maharashtra 20 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
0.14 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
99.70 %
|
Islam |
0.10 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.01 %
|
Unknown |
0.06 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Hindi (1,568,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 22 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Hindi (1,568,000 speakers) |
Language Code | hin Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 22 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Dhundari 1,204,000 | |
Mewari 690,000 | |
Bhili 493,000 | |
Marwari 247,000 | |
Shekhawati 160,000 | |
Haroti: Harauti 107,000 | |
Punjabi, Eastern 24,000 | |
Malvi 17,000 | |
Bundeli 4,500 | |
Braj Bhasha 4,100 | |
Wagdi 2,700 | |
Bagri 1,700 | |
Garhwali 1,500 | |
Gujarati 1,100 | |
Haryanvi 700 | |
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 |
Photo Source | गंगा सहाय मीणा - Wikimedia Creative Commons |
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. |