Sansi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan

The Sansi (Muslim traditions) have only been reported in Pakistan
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

The Sansi Bhil inhabit the rural areas of Pakistan's Sindh Province. They are classified as a Bhil ethnic group, and their native language, Sansi, belongs to the Indo-Aryan linguistic family. Most of the Sansi Bhil are bilingual, speaking both Sansi and the language of their particular region, such as Sindhi, Urdu, or Punjabi.

The known history of the Sansi dates back to their defeat in the Moghal wars, which took place between the 1500s and the 1700s. When they lost their lands in these wars, the Sansi began to roam northern India and became known as a wandering community. Due to ongoing conflicts between the Hindus and Muslims, Pakistan was established as a separate Muslim state in 1947. At the partition, the Sansi, along with other Muslims of the Eastern Punjab region, migrated to Pakistan. There, they lived below the poverty line and were forced to beg for food. In order to survive, some adopted habits such as stealing and cattle-lifting, and became part of the "criminal castes."


What Are Their Lives Like?

Working as cattle herders and field hands for wealthy Pakistani landowners, the Sansi scrape out a meager livelihood. Because no land provisions were made for them when Pakistan was created, very few of the Sansi own their own land. Many are slaves, and the landowners that have kept them for generations are reluctant to set them free-an issue that is causing significant dissension within Pakistan.

Many of the lower caste Hindu Sansi are migrant farm workers. They follow the seasonal crops to bring extra income to their suffering families. Wheat and maize are the staple crops, followed by rice, cotton lint, and millet. Skilled and unskilled Sansi laborers also have jobs in factories and mills.

Women have an honorable position in Sansi culture. Adult marriages are the norm, with the bride leaving her family to live with the groom's family until they can set up their own household. For many years the Sansi lived in extended family units. However, the number of nuclear families is now increasing.

Some Sansi villages are very small, containing only one or two extended families. The Sansi villages that are located near other Sindh villages usually remain isolated. The Sansi have very little in the way of wealth, and their traditional plaster houses are cramped and dirty. Today, some are building houses that have more rooms so joint family living will not be so congested.


What Are Their Beliefs?

While many of the Sansi who immigrated from India to Pakistan in 1947 quickly became Muslims, others maintained their Hindu traditions, which include folk beliefs, omens, and fears. For Hindus, all animate and inanimate objects may be the abode of all sorts of spirits. They are extremely fearful of the spirit of a person who dies suddenly and of the evil eye, an intense look that carries a curse with it.


What Are Their Needs?

The Sansi desperately need to be socially educated. Their greatest need is justice-to be treated as valuable people and lifted out of oppression and depression. Only God can bring inner healing to the Sansi and give them the stability and security they have needed for so long.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers to live and work among the Sansi Bhil.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
Pray that the doors will soon open to missionaries.
Ask the Lord to raise up a vigorous Sansi Bhil church for the glory of His name!


Scripture Prayers for the Sansi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Sansi (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Sansi (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names Bhedkhut; Bhedkut; Kapadia; Kikan; Manesh; Rihluwala; Sansia; Sansiya; सांसी (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 7,200
Population all Countries 7,200
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 14732
ROP3 Code 108661
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 3
Largest States
Punjab
7,000
Sindh
80
Islamabad
40
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 3
  Punjab 7,000
  Sindh 80
  Islamabad 40
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Western (4,400 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
Saraiki
2,200
Urdu
200
Marwari (Pakistan)
100
Sindhi
80
Primary Language Punjabi, Western (4,400 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
  Saraiki 2,200
  Urdu 200
  Marwari (Pakistan) 100
  Sindhi 80
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Western

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Western

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1885-1922)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-2021)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, New Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Western Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Western Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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