The word Beldar is derived from two words; "bel" meaning a digging instrument, and "dar" referring to the person who handles it. They are associated with digging and carrying soil in the context of agriculture. Though fewer in number, there are Beldars who are engaged in animal husbandry, small business, industrial work, and unskilled labor.
The Beldar people have their own folk songs and folk-tales. Though they speak in the Baghelkandi dialect at home, most of them also speak Hindi.
Population figures for this Hindu group fluxuates from five figures to almost 2 million. They perceive themselves as part of the low Shudra caste, and others perceive them as being in this category as well. After cremating their dead, they worship the deceased's spirit a year later. There are only about 100 Christ-followers in this people group that lives mainly in Madhya Pradesh, but some live in Uttar Pradesh or West Bengal.
* Scripture Prayers for the Beldar (Hindu traditions) in India.
* Pray for Indian missionaries to produce stories and songs in the Beldar traditions that will lead them to seek Jesus Christ.
* Pray for them to have easy access to materials in the Hindi language.
Some information from "The Scheduled Castes" K. S. Singh, ed. Oxford University Press, USA (1994)
Profile Source: Global Prayer Digest |
Global Prayer Digest: 2017-10-15 |
People Name General | Beldar (Hindu traditions) |
People Name in Country | Beldar (Hindu traditions) |
Pronunciation | BEL-dar |
Population this Country | 1,892,000 |
Population all Countries | 1,904,000 |
Total Countries | 3 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 2 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 38 |
Alternate Names | Bachgotra; Bailwar; Bentkar; Bhujan; Bhujwa; Bilwar; Bunkar; Cetti; Changar; Chauhan; Chetti; Chunar; Chunara; Chunari; Chuncha; Chundollu; Chungar; Chuniyara; Gavandi; Goundi; Govandi; Kannada Balija Naickar; Kannada Naickar; Kannada Naicker; Kannadiya Naicker; Kannadiyar; Karpoora Chetti; Kattautia; Kerebandiyavaru; Lonari; Londhari; Lonia; Lonkar; Lonmali; Lunia; Matadi; Melusakkare; MelusakkareSagara; Melusakkareyavaru; Memar; Mila; Nunari; Nunia; Nuniya Beldar; Nuri; Odavandlu; Rai; Roy; Sagar; Sagara; Sagaravanshadavara; Sagarollu; Sagarvanshadavaru; Sagra; Sonkari; Sunga; Sunkar; Sunkaravandlu; Tamuli; Toreya; Unar; Upasara; Uplan; Uppaliga; Uppaliga Shetti; Uppaligashetty; Uppara; Uppari; Uppilara Naicker; Uppilia; Uppilia Naicker; Uppiliar; Uppiliga Naicker; Uppiliyan; Vethalaikaran; बेलदर (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स) |
People ID | 16375 |
ROP3 Code | 111517 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Hindu - other |
People Group | Beldar (Hindu traditions) |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Affinity Bloc | South Asian Peoples |
People Cluster | South Asia Hindu - other |
People Group | Beldar (Hindu traditions) |
Ethnic Code | CNN25 |
Total Subgroups | 35 (only 15 largest shown) |
Kalayi Chetti 11,000 | |
Matti Uppara 11,000 | |
Nakka Uppara 11,000 | |
Padahurumadda Uppara 11,000 | |
Yedumadada 11,000 | |
Kannada 2,700 | |
Belwar 1,700 | |
Khatik 400 | |
Telaga Uppara 300 | |
Laria 100 |
Country | India | |||||||||||||||
Region | Asia, South | |||||||||||||||
Continent | Asia | |||||||||||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||||||||||||||
National Bible Society | Website | |||||||||||||||
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||||||||||||||
Total States on file | 25 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | India |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 10 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 25 (only 20 largest shown) |
Karnataka 655,000 | |
Bihar 375,000 | |
Maharashtra 293,000 | |
Uttar Pradesh 189,000 | |
Tamil Nadu 162,000 | |
Telangana 131,000 | |
Madhya Pradesh 34,000 | |
Andhra Pradesh 11,000 | |
Jharkhand 9,600 | |
Gujarat 9,100 | |
Chhattisgarh 7,500 | |
West Bengal 5,300 | |
Odisha 3,700 | |
Goa 1,600 | |
Rajasthan 1,300 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Kannada (593,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | kan Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 34 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Kannada (593,000 speakers) |
Language Code | kan Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 34 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Hindi 401,000 | |
Telugu 247,000 | |
Marathi 232,000 | |
Bhojpuri 98,000 | |
Magahi 94,000 | |
Tamil 94,000 | |
Maithili 38,000 | |
Konkani 21,000 | |
Marwari 16,000 | |
Gujarati 9,000 | |
Bengali 8,500 | |
Awadhi 8,000 | |
Tulu 6,900 | |
Chhattisgarhi 5,800 | |
Ahirani 5,400 | |
People Groups | Speaking Kannada |
Primary Language: Kannada
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1812-1988) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1823-1995) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1827-2016) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching (GRN) |
Audio Recordings | Father's Love Letter |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online Scripture / Bible |
Audio Recordings | Oral Bible stories in Kannada |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | Following Jesus (India, JF Project) |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Kannada |
Film / Video | Magdalena (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project) |
General | Four Spiritual Laws |
General | Got Questions Ministry |
Mobile App | Download Audio Bible app as APK File from FCBH |
Mobile App | Download Audio Bible app from Google Play Store |
Mobile App | Download Bible from Google Play Store |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: ಕನ್ನಡ - Kannada |
Text / Printed Matter | Bibles, Bible League |
Text / Printed Matter | International Bible Society |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.05 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
99.56 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.38 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Map Source | People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Global Prayer Digest |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |