Sikkim Bhotia 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

The Bhotia live in the foothills of the Himalayas and are a Scheduled Tribe. The Bhotia speak the languages of the state where they live. They are a majority in northern Sikkim and are called Lachenpas from the word Lachen in Tibetan meaning big hill. They have subgroups.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are shepherds. They live at higher altitudes for their sheep in summer and go to lower altitudes in winter and have houses both altitudes. The conditions they live in are cold and difficult for them and the remoteness could be an obstacle for the gospel. They also need better health and a decent income. The Sikkim Bhotia live in the whole of Sikkim but mostly in the north. After the birth of a baby there is a naming ceremony done by a priest. They keep their dead in the house from three days to seven weeks before cremating the body.


The religion of the Bhotia is generallly a combination of Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism.
What Are Their Beliefs?

The religion of the Bhotia is generally a combination of Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism.


What Are Their Needs?

The Bhotia people need a submitted, loving relationship with God the Father so they can experience the abundant life promised by Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that Indian believers help them to begin their own disciple making movement. Pray for spiritual hunger that will lead them to the foot of the cross. Pray that they get the help they need with their health and standard of living.


Scripture Prayers for the Bhotia Sikkim in India.


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Bhotia Sikkim
People Name in Country Bhotia Sikkim
Natural Name Sikkim Bhotia
Pronunciation SIK-im BOH-tee-ah
Alternate Names Bhotia of Sikkim; Bhutia; Danyouka; Lhopa; Lhori; Sikkim Bhotia; भोटिया (बुद्धिस्ट ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 95,000
Population all Countries 101,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 16450
ROP3 Code 111611
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 6
Largest States
Sikkim
79,000
West Bengal
15,000
Arunachal Pradesh
1,000
Assam
600
Maharashtra
100
Karnataka
30
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 6
  Sikkim 79,000
  West Bengal 15,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 1,000
  Assam 600
  Maharashtra 100
  Karnataka 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
90.49 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
4.54 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
4.62 %
Islam
0.12 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.09 %
Unknown
0.14 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sikkimese (46,000 speakers)
Language Code sip   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 33
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Sherpa
16,000
Nepali
15,000
Tibetan, Central
4,700
Lepcha
1,600
Hindi
700
English
60
Limbu
50
Bengali
30
Kodava
20
Dimasa
10
Khandesi Digaro-Mishmi
Telugu Adi Gujarati
Primary Language Sikkimese (46,000 speakers)
Language Code sip   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 33
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Sherpa 16,000
  Nepali 15,000
  Tibetan, Central 4,700
  Lepcha 1,600
  Hindi 700
  English 60
  Limbu 50
  Bengali 30
  Kodava 20
  Dimasa 10
  Khandesi 10
  Digaro-Mishmi 10
  Telugu 10
  Adi 10
  Gujarati 10
People Groups Speaking Sikkimese

Primary Language:  Sikkimese

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Kandell, Alice S. - Library of Congress  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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