Odisha Gandia in India

The Odisha Gandia have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Odisha Gandia people speak Koya. They live along the banks of the River Godavari in the Kammam district of Andhra Pradesh. They are also found in the states of Odisha and Chattisgarh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are mainly agriculturalists but also work as daily laborers when they do not have work in their fields. They used to be isolated, but of late they are slowly merging with mainstream Indian society and are seeing much development.

The Odisha Gandia love socializing. They make use of every opportunity to meet their friends and relatives. A weekly market in each locality draws many people for this purpose, not just for selling and buying. Young boys and girls also use these socializing events to choose their life partners.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Odisha Gandia were originally animistic in faith, but now take pride in a Hindu identity. During the early years of Christian work among the Odisha Gandia, those who became Christians faced much opposition from the community. Actions against them included excommunication from the community and denial of access to the water source. Over a period of time, Christian Odisha Gandia became accepted, though they mingle with others only during social gatherings, not for Odisha Gandia religious festivals.

Several Christian organizations are working among the Odisha Gandia, providing literacy, medical and community development services along with evangelistic outreach. Several Odisha Gandia churches have been established and many Odisha Gandia Christians are being equipped through short-term Bible Schools to be evangelists in their own community.

The New Testament is translated and available in the Koya language. Old Testament translation is in progress. Odisha Gandia songs and study materials are resources also available as audio cassettes and CDs. Although there are many Odisha Gandia Christian workers and resources, many more Christian workers are needed. Pray that God will send additional workers for the growing ministry among the Odisha Gandia.


What Are Their Needs?

The government has done much to improve the living conditions of Odisha Gandia. Their traditional mud houses with thatched roofs have been replaced by tiled or concrete roofed houses and some have their own private toilet facilities.


Prayer Points

Pray for effective use of the translated New Testament in Odisha Gandia churches and in the personal lives of Odisha Gandia Christians.
Pray for completion and distribution of audio recordings of the Koya New Testament.
Pray for a training facility for mother tongue translators for the OT project.


Scripture Prayers for the Gandia Odisha in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gandia Odisha
People Name in Country Gandia Odisha
Natural Name Odisha Gandia
Alternate Names गंदिया, वडिषा
Population this Country 3,900
Population all Countries 3,900
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19045
ROP3 Code 115101
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
  Odisha 3,900
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
2.18 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
97.65 %
Islam
0.14 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.03 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Koya (1,500 speakers)
Language Code kff   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 17
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Gondi, Northern
600
Odia
600
Oriya, Adivasi
400
Hindi
100
Kharia
100
Gadaba, Bodo
20
Duruwa
20
Juang
10
Ho
Gadaba, Pottangi Ollar Mundari Naga, Inpui: Naga, Kabui
Kuvi Kolami, Southeastern Bengali
Primary Language Koya (1,500 speakers)
Language Code kff   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 17
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Gondi, Northern 600
  Odia 600
  Oriya, Adivasi 400
  Hindi 100
  Kharia 100
  Gadaba, Bodo 20
  Duruwa 20
  Juang 10
  Ho 10
  Gadaba, Pottangi Ollar 10
  Mundari 10
  Naga, Inpui: Naga, Kabui 0
  Kuvi 0
  Kolami, Southeastern 0
  Bengali 0
People Groups Speaking Koya

Primary Language:  Koya

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1882-1889)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1997-2020)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) 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
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Koya Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Koya YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Koya Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Koya Grammar Sketch General / Other
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Koya Spoken English General / Other
Mobile App Android Dictionary app: Koya Dictionary General / Other
Mobile App Android Dictionary app: Koya Dictionary General / Other
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Koya YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Anonymous 
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.


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