Tamang in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Subgroups: 21 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Lasa 17,000
Bal 700
Bomyan 700
Bopchan 700
Domjan 700
Dong 700
Grongder 700
Gyapole 700
Jhimpa 700
Lopchan 700

Introduction / History

The name Tamang means "horse trader." They were involved with a long war with their rivals, the Gurkhas, who eventually defeated them. The Tamangs once had forced labor obligations. Their land was divided by clan. They have about 100 clans. Most of the Tamang live in Nepal or India, but there are smaller numbers of them in Bangladesh and Bhutan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are generally very poor, yet they enjoy festivals, music and cultural events. They have their own song and dance style called Tamang Selo. These songs can be about sorrow, humor, joy or satire. Their main festival is Sonam Lhochhar. It welcomes the new year in February or March.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of Tamang follow Tibetan Buddhism but mix this with animism and to a lesser extent, with Hinduism. Their priests, or lamas, have a dominant role in the community and perform ceremonies for funerals, etc. Perhaps the most powerful person in society, however, is the shaman, who exorcises demons and interacts with the spirit world.


What Are Their Needs?

The Tamang community in India has a significant number of Christian believers. Perhaps these followers of Christ will carry the gospel to their own people in Nepal and Bangladesh.


Prayer Points

There are some followers of Jesus today among the Tamang of Nepal. Pray for these, and for those others the Lord will soon bring to himself. Pray they will seek each other out in order to fellowship together. Pray they will be zealous to know Christ and follow his ways. Pray for the entire Tamang community to be able to care well for their families, to find ways to generate income and meet basic needs. Pray for a powerful movement to Christ among the Tamang people in India.


Scripture Prayers for the Tamang in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tamang
People Name in Country Tamang
Alternate Names Eastern Tamang; Ishang; Lama; Murmi; Nishang; Nishung; Tamanglama; तमंग
Population this Country 268,000
Population all Countries 2,056,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 18212
ROP3 Code 102861
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Buddhist
People Group Tamang
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 21 (only 15 largest shown)
  Lasa 17,000
  Bal 700
  Bomyan 700
  Bopchan 700
  Domjan 700
  Dong 700
  Grongder 700
  Gyapole 700
  Jhimpa 700
  Lopchan 700
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 21
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
West Bengal
172,000
Assam
45,000
Sikkim
36,000
Arunachal Pradesh
4,400
Himachal Pradesh
3,600
Manipur
1,000
Meghalaya
800
Uttar Pradesh
600
Uttarakhand
500
Madhya Pradesh
300
Jharkhand
200
Maharashtra
200
Chandigarh
60
Punjab
60
Telangana
50
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 21  (only 20 largest shown)
  West Bengal 172,000
  Assam 45,000
  Sikkim 36,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 4,400
  Himachal Pradesh 3,600
  Manipur 1,000
  Meghalaya 800
  Uttar Pradesh 600
  Uttarakhand 500
  Madhya Pradesh 300
  Jharkhand 200
  Maharashtra 200
  Chandigarh 60
  Punjab 60
  Telangana 50
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
73.24 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
6.13 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
20.21 %
Islam
0.25 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.06 %
Unknown
0.10 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Nepali (120,000 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
Tamang, Eastern
108,000
Tamang, Eastern Gorkha
2,500
Bengali
2,300
Hindi
900
Primary Language Nepali (120,000 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
  Tamang, Eastern 108,000
  Tamang, Eastern Gorkha 2,500
  Bengali 2,300
  Hindi 900
People Groups Speaking Nepali

Primary Language:  Nepali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1850-1961)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1821-2010)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1914-2012)
Bible-NT Audio 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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Nepali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video New Way (Naya Goreto) Create International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Nepali Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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.