Panar in India

Panar
Photo Source:  Anonymous 
Map Source:  People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project
People Name: Panar
Country: India
10/40 Window: Yes
Population: 2,200
World Population: 2,200
Primary Language: Gujarati
Primary Religion: Islam
Christian Adherents: 0.00 %
Evangelicals: 0.00 %
Scripture: Complete Bible
Online Audio NT: Yes
Jesus Film: Yes
Audio Recordings: Yes
People Cluster: South Asia Muslim - other
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The word Panar means weaver. The Panars live in Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat, a state in western India. They speak Gujarati, Urdu, and Hindi.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Panar people are endogamous (they prefer to marry within the group) and they prefer marriage between cousins. They are weavers by tradition and some work in that occupation now. They have been involved in cotton thread making. Many are day laborers as their traditional work becomes less needed. They do not own their land. The Panar have a caste association that settles disputes and looks after them.

What Are Their Beliefs?

This is a Sunni Muslim community. They believe that Islam offers all of life's answers, and obedience to Allah is what the Almighty requires of all of us.

What Are Their Needs?

The Panar people need to understand they need a perfect, sin-free Savior, and that only Jesus Christ can fulfill that role. Bible resources exist in their spoken languages, yet they are not available to them.

Prayer Points

Pray that the leaders of the caste associations will come to Jesus Christ and lead their entire people group in that direction.
Pray that they will have a spiritual hunger for true righteousness and truth. Pray for intercessors and workers.
Pray for a disciple making movement among the Panar community this decade.

Text Source:   Keith Carey