The Bhil peoples are low on the social totem pole in Hindu India, which spills over into neighboring Pakistan where the caste system is still in effect despite Islam being the dominant religion. Most of the information on the Bhil peoples is about the Hindu Bhils in India, since there are many more of them in that country than in Pakistan.
The Bhils are mostly in India, but those in Pakistan live in the Tharparkar District of Sindh Province.
The Bhils live mostly in rural areas, where many are migrant farm workers who follow the seasonal crops to bring extra income to their suffering families. In Pakistan many work for Muslim landowners. Wheat and millet are staple food crops, followed by rice, cotton lint, and corn. For the farmers, the arid land requires irrigation. Monsoon rains are the key to their existence.
In India most Bhils are Hindu or animistic, but in Pakistan they mix Islam with traditional religion. There are many Hindus among the Bhil people in Pakistan. In the 1960s there was work among the Bhils that lasted for a couple of decades. We don't know if the fruit of this work is still in existence.
There is no future in being a landless farmer like many of these people are. The Bhil peoples in Pakistan need education that will help them get good jobs for today's job market.
* Scripture Prayers for the Bhil in Pakistan.
* Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers for the Bhil peoples in Pakistan.
* Pray for a church planting movement among the Bhils in Pakistan.
* Pray for the Bhil peoples to "gossip the gospel" to others, leading to Christ-followers in India and Pakistan.
http://www.evangelical-times.org/archive/item/983/Pakistan/Missionary-Spotlight---Pakistan---The-Marwari-Bhils-of-Pakistan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhil_people
http://www.prayway.com/unreached/peoplegroups1/712.html
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=6381
Profile Source: Global Prayer Digest |
People Name General | Bhil |
People Name in Country | Bhil |
Pronunciation | beel |
Population this Country | 484,000 |
Population all Countries | 17,290,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 4 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 10 |
Alternate Names | Arejo; Arijo; Bhil Garasia; Bhilala; Bhim; Bilalla; Billava; Billavaor; Billawa; Dholi Bhil; Dugri Garasia; Dungra Bhil; Dungri Girasia; Garasia; Pacima; Pascima; Pujari; Tulu Bhillava; भील |
People ID | 16414 |
ROP3 Code | 111565 |
Country | Pakistan | |||
Region | Asia, South | |||
Continent | Asia | |||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||
National Bible Society | Website | |||
Persecution Rank | 5 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||
Total States on file | 2 | |||
Largest States |
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Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 5 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 2 |
Sindh 476,000 | |
Punjab 7,800 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Marwari (162,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | mve Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 18 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) |
|
Primary Language | Marwari (162,000 speakers) |
Language Code | mve Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 18 |
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown) | |
Sindhi 134,000 | |
Sindhi Bhil 44,000 | |
Saraiki 34,000 | |
Koli, Kachi 21,000 | |
Urdu 20,000 | |
Sansi 12,000 | |
Kacchi 10,000 | |
Dhatki 9,000 | |
Bhili 6,900 | |
Koli, Wadiyari 5,500 | |
Koli, Parkari 5,000 | |
Marwari 4,900 | |
Punjabi, Eastern 3,700 | |
Merwari 2,100 | |
Jadgali 400 | |
People Groups | Speaking Marwari |
Primary Language: Marwari
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1969-1991) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1821) |
Bible-Complete | No |
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) |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Marwari |
Text / Printed Matter | Online Bible text (Scripture Earth) |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
1.14 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
9.78 %
|
Islam |
89.08 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest Pakistan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Photo Source | Ben Piven Creative Commons |
Map Source | People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Video Source | The Waiting World |
Profile Source | Global Prayer Digest |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |