Koch (Hindu traditions) in Nepal


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

Other PDF Profile

Introduction / History

The Koch of Bangladesh live in a small pocket of land along the Indian border in northwestern Dhaka division. These Koch speak a Tibeto-Burman language, and this distinguishes them from a much larger group of Koch (sometimes spelled Cooch) who speak an Indo-Aryan language. Within Bangladesh the Tibeto- Burman Koch generally continue to follow their traditional "Sonaton" religion, though some say they are Hindu. Most of the Indo-Aryan Koch speakers in Bangladesh have embraced Islam.

Among the Tibeto-Burman Koch there are two groups in Bangladesh: the Tintekiya and the Chapra. The Titekiya, whose name means "three pieces of clothing" and comes from their traditional dress, live in about 19 villages. The Chapra live in only three villages, and in each they are the minority.

Both the Tintekiya and the Chapra Koch are primarily farmers, with some farming their own land and most working as hired day laborers for neighboring Bengalis. They continue to live primarily in Koch villages in simple homes with mud walls and floors and thatched or corrugated tin roofs.

There are also some Koch living in Gazipur near Dhaka. These people's ancestors apparently spoke a Tibeto-Burman variety of Koch, but today these people speak Bangla as their mother tongue. They have little or no communication with the Koch living in northwesterern Dhaka division, but they do still share some cultural traits. Most of these Koch, too, are Sonaton, but possibly one or two families say they are Christian.

The Koch are poor and uneducated. A Christian education and/or community development organization could possibly be a real blessing to the Koch. At the same time, it seems the Koch tend to equate Christianity with opportunities for education and health care and are in great need of someone to share true Christianity with them.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Koch (Hindu traditions) in Nepal.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  
Other PDF Profile

People Name General Koch (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Koch (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Bashgaria; Koch; Magan; Sanga; कोच (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 1,800
Population all Countries 97,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 20018
ROP3 Code 105069
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 8
Largest States
Mechi
1,200
Kosi
200
Narayani
100
Bagmati
90
Sagarmatha
80
Janakpur
50
Seti
30
Lumbini
30
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 8
  Mechi 1,200
  Kosi 200
  Narayani 100
  Bagmati 90
  Sagarmatha 80
  Janakpur 50
  Seti 30
  Lumbini 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.63 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
91.76 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
7.61 %
* From latest Nepal census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Rajbanshi (1,000 speakers)
Language Code rjs   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Koch
300
Maithili
100
Rangpuri
100
Primary Language Rajbanshi (1,000 speakers)
Language Code rjs   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Koch 300
  Maithili 100
  Rangpuri 100
People Groups Speaking Rajbanshi
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Anonymous 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.