Chalvadi in India

Chalvadi
Photo Source:  Sarangib - Pixabay 
Map Source:  People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.
People Name: Chalvadi
Country: India
10/40 Window: Yes
Population: 267,000
World Population: 267,000
Primary Language: Kannada
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Christian Adherents: 0.01 %
Evangelicals: 0.00 %
Scripture: Complete Bible
Online Audio NT: Yes
Jesus Film: Yes
Audio Recordings: Yes
People Cluster: South Asia Dalit - other
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The traditional occupations of this scheduled caste were carrying carcasses and working as village servants. They used to remind the Lingayat Bania about the full moon and new moon days of the month, so that the latter could perform the necessary rites to Lord Shiva.

What Are Their Lives Like?

More recently, they are engaged as wage laborers in agricultural operations, and some are employed in government service.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Some of their deities are Durgamma, Mariyamma, Hanumantha, Yellamma and Huligamma.

What Are Their Needs?

The Chalvadi know very little about Jesus and perceive Christianity as foreign to their identity as a community.

There is great need for prayer for them to understand and receive the gospel message. Teams of workers relating and explaining stories from scripture can partially overcome the low literacy rate.

Prayer Points

Pray the few Christian believers will consistently clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, and will represent Christ well.

Pray this low caste community will be able to increasingly educate their children, find improved employment situations, and see their standard of living rise in years ahead.

Pray for the Lord to give them an abundant harvest this year as a testimony of his power and mercy.

Text Source:   Joshua Project