Bhil 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 Bhil peoples are low on the social totem pole in Hindu India, which spills over into neighboring Pakistan where the caste system is still in effect despite Islam being the dominant religion. Most of the information on the Bhil peoples is about the Hindu Bhils in India, since there are many more of them in that country than in Pakistan.


Where Are they Located?

The Bhils are mostly in India, but those in Pakistan live in the Tharparkar District of Sindh Province.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Bhils live mostly in rural areas, where many are migrant farm workers who follow the seasonal crops to bring extra income to their suffering families. In Pakistan many work for Muslim landowners. Wheat and millet are staple food crops, followed by rice, cotton lint, and corn. For the farmers, the arid land requires irrigation. Monsoon rains are the key to their existence.


The Bhil have lost much of their traditional culture, and the gospel can easily be seen as a way to replace their religion, one of the things they have left.
What Are Their Beliefs?

In India most Bhils are Hindu or animistic, but in Pakistan they mix Islam with traditional religion. There are many Hindus among the Bhil people in Pakistan. In the 1960s there was work among the Bhils that lasted for a couple of decades. We don't know if the fruit of this work is still in existence.


What Are Their Needs?

There is no future in being a landless farmer like many of these people are. The Bhil peoples in Pakistan need education that will help them get good jobs for today's job market.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers for the Bhil peoples in Pakistan.
Pray for a church planting movement among the Bhils in Pakistan.
Pray for the Bhil peoples to "gossip the gospel" to others, leading to Christ-followers in India and Pakistan.


Scripture Prayers for the Bhil in Pakistan.


References

http://www.evangelical-times.org/archive/item/983/Pakistan/Missionary-Spotlight---Pakistan---The-Marwari-Bhils-of-Pakistan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhil_people
http://www. Prayway.com/unreached/peoplegroups1/712.html
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=6381


Profile Source:   Global Prayer Digest  

The Waiting World - The Bhil

Source:  The Waiting World      Download

People Name General Bhil
People Name in Country Bhil
Pronunciation beel
Alternate Names Arejo; Arijo; Bhil Garasia; Bhilala; Bhim; Bilalla; Billava; Billavaor; Billawa; Dholi Bhil; Dugri Garasia; Dungra Bhil; Dungri Girasia; Garasia; Pacima; Pascima; Pujari; Tulu Bhillava; भील
Population this Country 620,000
Population all Countries 17,187,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 12
PeopleID3 16414
ROP3 Code 111565
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
Sindh
593,000
Balochistan
19,000
Punjab
8,100
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
  Sindh 593,000
  Balochistan 19,000
  Punjab 8,100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
3.26 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
23.10 %
Islam
73.64 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sindhi (301,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari (Pakistan)
78,000
Sindhi Bhil
58,000
Urdu
57,000
Dhatki
46,000
Saraiki
28,000
Sansi
11,000
Kacchi
10,000
Bhili
9,100
Koli, Kachi
5,500
Punjabi, Eastern
2,900
Koli, Parkari
2,300
Koli, Wadiyari
1,600
Punjabi, Western
800
Balochi, Southern
500
Bagri
100
Primary Language Sindhi (301,000 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari (Pakistan) 78,000
  Sindhi Bhil 58,000
  Urdu 57,000
  Dhatki 46,000
  Saraiki 28,000
  Sansi 11,000
  Kacchi 10,000
  Bhili 9,100
  Koli, Kachi 5,500
  Punjabi, Eastern 2,900
  Koli, Parkari 2,300
  Koli, Wadiyari 1,600
  Punjabi, Western 800
  Balochi, Southern 500
  Bagri 100
People Groups Speaking Sindhi

Primary Language:  Sindhi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1825-1981)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1890-1992)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1954)
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 Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sindhi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
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 Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Sindhi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Arun Sambhu Mishra - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source The Waiting World
Profile Source Global Prayer Digest 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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