Oraon 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

Meet the Oraon tribe who call themselves Kurukh, by the name taken from their hero-king Karakh. The Oraon used to live south-west of the river Ganga but are now mainly concentrated in Chhotanagpur in Bihar and the adjoining areas of Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Tripura, Maharashtra and Assam. They speak languages such as Kurukh, Sadri and Hindi which are from the Dravidian family of languages. They write using the Devanagari script. In stature they are short or below medium in height.

They are mainly settled cultivators and also work as wage labourers and industrial workers. Their staple cereal is rice, supplemented with maize, wheat, Madua and Gondli.

Both men and women consume alcohol, and they also prepare rice beer at home. Generally men chew tobacco and women smoke the Hookah. The Oraon have their traditional community council at the village level headed by a Mahto. They have a regional council known as the Parha composed of a number of villages.

Their main deity is taken as Dharmes, and they also believe in a host of spirits. A priest is invited to perform their life cycle rituals. An Ojiha or mati is specially called to cure diseases by appeasing evil spirits.

Alternate names: Kurukh, Dhanka, Orang, Karusha


Prayer Points

For the salvation of the Oraon people; that the disciples of Jesus among them may spread the good news of God to others.
For them to seek Jesus for healing from their sicknesses rather than using methods of witchcraft.
For the Oraon men and women to be freed from alcohol and tobacco addiction.


Scripture Prayers for the Oraon in India.


Profile Source:   India Missions Association - Edited by Philipose Vaidyar  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Oraon
People Name in Country Oraon
Alternate Names Dhagar; Dhanka; Jhagad; Jhagar; Kurka; Orang; Ranchi; Ranchiwalla; Saathi; Sadri; Uraon; ओराओं
Population this Country 5,076,000
Population all Countries 5,242,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 5  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 14210
ROP3 Code 107674
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 23
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Jharkhand
1,931,000
Chhattisgarh
882,000
Assam
824,000
West Bengal
725,000
Odisha
421,000
Bihar
163,000
Maharashtra
49,000
Madhya Pradesh
32,000
Tripura
14,000
Arunachal Pradesh
11,000
Uttar Pradesh
11,000
Andaman and Nicobar
8,100
Manipur
2,200
Delhi
700
Nagaland
700
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 23  (only 20 largest shown)
  Jharkhand 1,931,000
  Chhattisgarh 882,000
  Assam 824,000
  West Bengal 725,000
  Odisha 421,000
  Bihar 163,000
  Maharashtra 49,000
  Madhya Pradesh 32,000
  Tripura 14,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 11,000
  Uttar Pradesh 11,000
  Andaman and Nicobar 8,100
  Manipur 2,200
  Delhi 700
  Nagaland 700
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.07 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
26.32 %
Ethnic Religions
24.01 %
Hinduism
48.00 %
Islam
0.18 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
1.40 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kurux (1,794,000 speakers)
Language Code kru   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 102
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Sadri
877,000
Hindi
656,000
Assamese
445,000
Bengali
212,000
Chhattisgarhi
135,000
Odia
134,000
Sadri, Oraon
76,000
Santhali
28,000
Mundari
27,000
Maithili
27,000
Bhojpuri
26,000
Magahi
19,000
Panchpargania
8,100
Marathi
3,900
Munda
3,100
Primary Language Kurux (1,794,000 speakers)
Language Code kru   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 102
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Sadri 877,000
  Hindi 656,000
  Assamese 445,000
  Bengali 212,000
  Chhattisgarhi 135,000
  Odia 134,000
  Sadri, Oraon 76,000
  Santhali 28,000
  Mundari 27,000
  Maithili 27,000
  Bhojpuri 26,000
  Magahi 19,000
  Panchpargania 8,100
  Marathi 3,900
  Munda 3,100
People Groups Speaking Kurux
Photo Source Gerald Roberts 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source India Missions Association - Edited by Philipose Vaidyar  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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