Bagdi (Sikh traditions) in India

The Bagdi (Sikh traditions) have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

During the British colonial era, the Bagdi people were labeled a criminal tribe. They still hold the tribal label, but they are no longer feared as criminals the way they were 100 years ago. There are 14 Bagdi sub-groups which are even further subdivided. Most are Hindu, but some are Sikh.

The Bagdi peoples are very complicated. Though they are Dalits, many in India believe that the Bagdis are the descendants of a union between a Kshatriya father and a Vaishya mother, both of which are forward castes.


Where Are they Located?

Bagdi Sikhs live in a small part of India's Punjab, the birthplace of Sikhism. This is far from the Hindu Bagdis who live on the other side of the country in West Bengal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of them now live by fishing and making fish nets. Some work as agricultural and masonry laborers. Few of them get more than a couple of years of education. However, some are beginning to advance in areas of economics and politics.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Bagdi people are Hindu, but a very small number are Sikhs. Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.

One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They worship their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.

There are roughly the same number of Sikhs as there are Jews in the world, but Sikhs are most concentrated in Punjab, their homeland. However, you will find smaller numbers of Sikhs all over the world. Many of the best Indian restaurants in the West are owned and operated by Sikhs.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bagdi people need to be given the chance to allow Jesus Christ to provide them with abundant life and eternal salvation.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Bagdi culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among Sikh Bagdi family and community leaders to seek His face and enjoy His blessings.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Sikh Bagdi people.
Pray that soon the Bagdi people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the Savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Bagdi (Sikh traditions) in India.


References

https://www.indianmirror.com/tribes/bagritribes.html
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16281/IN
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagdi_caste
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2008/09/21


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

The Sikhs
Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Bagdi (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Bagdi (Sikh traditions)
Pronunciation bahng-ah-DEE
Population this Country 500
Population all Countries 500
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
Alternate Names बागदी (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स)
People ID 18196
ROP3 Code 113711
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)
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 1
  Punjab 500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
100.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (500 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (500 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
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 Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Download Bible from Google Play Store Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Keith Carey  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more