Madari (Muslim traditions) 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 Madari people of South Central Asia were originally all Hindus but many converted to Islam during the period of the Moguls. Their traditional occupation is that of being snake charmers and entertainers with monkeys and bears. With the rise of animal rights, the Madari have had to find other employment. Many have left their nomadic habits to settle down to become farm workers and day laborers. The vast majority of Madari are landless. Some of their women and children beg to gain income to support their families.

Illiteracy is a big problem for the Madari. As long as most of the Madari cannot read or write, they will remain at the bottom rung of society. The main language of the Indian Madari is Urdu.


Where Are they Located?

Most Madari people live in India and Pakistan. Smaller groups live in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Madari marry within their caste but not within their particular clan. Families arrange marriages. The newly married couple lives near or with the groom's parents. Often the groom's young man must live and work for his future father in law as part of the bride price. The family must compensate the bride's family for the daughter they are losing. Sons inherit property from their father.

In the past, most Madari traveled from village to village entertaining other castes with snake charming and trained animals. Most now live in rural villages making a living by working on land owned by others. Caste councils or "panches" decide legal disputes especially those involving marriage and divorce.

The main foods of the Madari are rice, millet, wheat, and vegetables. They will eat meat on special occasions but not pork or beef. Alcoholism is a problem for the Madari, even though alcohol is forbidden to Muslims.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Madari people are Muslims. Some practice the mystical branch of Islam called Sufism. Islam is a major world religion that is based on five essential duties or "pillars": (1) A Muslim must affirm that "there is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet." (2) Five times a day one must pray while facing Mecca. (3) One must give an obligatory percentage (very similar to tithes) on an annual basis. (4) One must fast during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim year. (5) One must try to make at least one pilgrimage to Mecca in his or her lifetime.

The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah.


What Are Their Needs?

The Madari people need to hear and experience the limitless love and grace of our Lord. The Madari need help in learning new job skills and in educating their children. The gospel must be presented to them in oral and visual form due to the Madaris' lack of literacy.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Lord sends believers to build relationships with the Madari people.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Madari people teachable and understanding hearts.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended Madari families so the gospel will spread rapidly among this people group.
Pray for a strong movement of the Holy Spirit to bring entire Madari families into a rich experience of God's blessing.


Scripture Prayers for the Madari (Muslim traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Madari (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Madari (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names Adugar; Fakir; Faqir; Jadugar; Kalandar; Khilwar; मदारी
Population this Country 64,000
Population all Countries 145,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 2  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 19483
ROP3 Code 115507
ROP25 Code 304898
ROP25 Name Madari
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)
Uttar Pradesh
16,000
Madhya Pradesh
10,000
Gujarat
8,300
Rajasthan
7,200
Delhi
5,700
Haryana
3,900
Maharashtra
2,700
West Bengal
2,000
Bihar
2,000
Jharkhand
1,300
Uttarakhand
1,200
Chhattisgarh
1,200
Punjab
900
Himachal Pradesh
800
Odisha
500
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)
  Uttar Pradesh 16,000
  Madhya Pradesh 10,000
  Gujarat 8,300
  Rajasthan 7,200
  Delhi 5,700
  Haryana 3,900
  Maharashtra 2,700
  West Bengal 2,000
  Bihar 2,000
  Jharkhand 1,300
  Uttarakhand 1,200
  Chhattisgarh 1,200
  Punjab 900
  Himachal Pradesh 800
  Odisha 500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Urdu (30,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 20
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Hindi
11,000
Gujarati
4,900
Bengali
1,800
Bhojpuri
1,500
Punjabi, Eastern
1,200
Marwari (India)
1,000
Wagdi
900
Dhundari
400
Bundeli
200
Kanauji
200
Shekhawati
200
Haryanvi
100
Mewari
90
Maithili
40
Garhwali
40
Primary Language Urdu (30,000 speakers)
Language Code urd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 20
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Hindi 11,000
  Gujarati 4,900
  Bengali 1,800
  Bhojpuri 1,500
  Punjabi, Eastern 1,200
  Marwari (India) 1,000
  Wagdi 900
  Dhundari 400
  Bundeli 200
  Kanauji 200
  Shekhawati 200
  Haryanvi 100
  Mewari 90
  Maithili 40
  Garhwali 40
People Groups Speaking Urdu

Primary Language:  Urdu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1747-1894)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1758-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1843-2022)
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
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Urdu 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 Rock International: King of Glory Rock 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 Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
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 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 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
Photo Source Suyash.dwivedi - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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