Meena 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.

Subgroups: 2

Subgroup Name Population
Zamindar 245,000
Chaukidar 233,000

Introduction / History

The Meena tribe is believed to be a mixture of more than one tribe. A fishing community called Meenavar eventually became Meena. The Meena are known by their Meena language. They live in the hills of Rajasthan, a desert state in western India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In summer, water is very scarce. Water is precious in most places and fetching it is hard with their wells. Women walk long distances with pots on their heads; this is a common scene in Rajasthan. They build homes that keep out the scorching heat of the Rajasthani desert. Men make tiles in the heat of the summer when there is no agricultural activity. They bake hand-made clay tiles in fire. Ladies will make brooms and mats from palm branches or distill liquor. Country liquor made from the mova flower is a common and favorite hot drink.

Lack of education, illiteracy and lack of access to proper facilities keep the Meena under the clutches of several sicknesses. Tuberculosis and death during delivery are both common in Meena villages. Though pastures are scanty, several of them are also involved in tending cattle, trying to make a living by the sale of milk products and selling calves.

They do not intermarry with other tribes. The younger brother of a deceased man can marry his widow. A married man has freedom and access on his older brother's wife and wife's younger sister. During weddings and other festivals, there is lots of drumming and dancing. As the drum music tightens, women loosen their dresses in a revealing way.

The dead are cremated. The corpse of men is wrapped in white cloth and the women in colored cloth. Raised platforms of rectangle shapes are raised as tomb at the grave behind the residence.


What Are Their Beliefs?

In the empty slopes of a hill among the cactus are wooden poles with flags. These are places of offerings and chants. Meena in the Udaipur area worship spirits and the chief among them is Magarababji. Meena believe in life after death. Those who do well in this life are supposed to be born as stars in the next birth.


What Are Their Needs?

These people need to put their hope and identity in the King of kings and Lord of lords.


Prayer Points

Pray for loving workers to go to the Meena people, and for their hearts to be ready to receive their savior.

Pray for families of believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing churches.

Pray for a chain reaction of families reaching families that result in thousands of new disciples who share their faith with others.

Pray for grace and truth expanding into their entire society as all believers learn to love others.


Scripture Prayers for the Meena in India.


References

Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Meena
People Name in Country Meena
Alternate Names Ge; Guin; Maina; Mena; Popo; मीना
Population this Country 5,210,000
Population all Countries 5,210,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 104
PeopleID3 13723
ROP3 Code 106638
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 10
Largest States
Rajasthan
4,682,000
Madhya Pradesh
427,000
Haryana
53,000
Uttar Pradesh
42,000
Delhi
4,600
Uttarakhand
2,100
Gujarat
80
Dadra and Nagar Have
50
Chandigarh
50
Maharashtra
20
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 10
  Rajasthan 4,682,000
  Madhya Pradesh 427,000
  Haryana 53,000
  Uttar Pradesh 42,000
  Delhi 4,600
  Uttarakhand 2,100
  Gujarat 80
  Dadra and Nagar Have 50
  Chandigarh 50
  Maharashtra 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.14 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.69 %
Islam
0.10 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.06 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (1,689,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 41
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Dhundari
1,003,000
Mewari
690,000
Bhili
511,000
Wagdi
359,000
Me'en
202,000
Haroti: Harauti
107,000
Marwari (India)
96,000
Punjabi, Eastern
24,000
Malvi
17,000
Shekhawati
16,000
Braj Bhasha
7,100
Bundeli
4,300
Haryanvi
3,200
Garhwali
1,500
Gujarati
1,000
Primary Language Hindi (1,689,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 41
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Dhundari 1,003,000
  Mewari 690,000
  Bhili 511,000
  Wagdi 359,000
  Me'en 202,000
  Haroti: Harauti 107,000
  Marwari (India) 96,000
  Punjabi, Eastern 24,000
  Malvi 17,000
  Shekhawati 16,000
  Braj Bhasha 7,100
  Bundeli 4,300
  Haryanvi 3,200
  Garhwali 1,500
  Gujarati 1,000
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
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Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Hindi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source गंगा सहाय मीणा - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
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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