Chero 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 Chero were once the lords of the provinces surrounding the sacred Ganges River. They had a kingdom between the eighth and thirteenth centuries. The Chero people claim to be descendants of the Rajputs, a powerful caste of warriors and kings. Other sources say that Rajputs and the British East India Company displaced them. Some view them as either a scheduled tribe or a scheduled caste. The latter would mean far lower status among Hindu communities.


Indian Chero people live in Bihar, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Most live in Palamau, Shahabad, Champaran, and other surrounding districts. There is also a smaller Chero community in Bangladesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of the Chero live in villages near streams to ensure a fresh water supply. The villagers get timber from the forests to build their homes and to use as fuel. Their settlements are clusters of homes. The poorest Chero people live in mud homes.


Agriculture is vital to the Chero economy. Some hold land grants while others are not so fortunate. Men and women work together to produce the harvest, and the women love to sing as they work. Livestock is crucial for the livelihood of those living on the plains. Oxen, buffalo and cattle help them work the fields. Goats, fish and fowl are important components of their diet.


Other Chero people work as shopkeepers or petty traders in towns and cities. Those with fewer means might be coal miners or road workers. Some hold meager jobs in the cities or live near the foothills.


The Chero community identifies as Rajput, and they wear Rajput caste symbols. They do not have social interactions with those of lower castes. They strictly forbid marriage outside their community, even between their two subgroups. Other Hindu communities seem to offer them respect and Rajput status. Brahmin priests serve at their weddings, something they would be reluctant to do for scheduled tribes.


The nuclear family, which comprises parents and unmarried children, is the basic building block of Chero society. While they hold their elders in high regard, they view old age as an ailment. Councils, called panchayats, govern the community. These are composed of village elders, the headman and the high priest.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Chero people are Hindu, even those in Muslim Bangladesh. They also worship their own deities such as Sairi-ma, Ganwar Bhabhani and Dulha Deo. The Chero perform animal sacrifices as part of their religious rituals.


What Are Their Needs?

At the present time, there are only a few known Chero people who follow Christ. There are very few disciples among them. Prayer is the key to seeing the Chero reached with the gospel.


Prayer Points

Pray that God will send culturally sensitive missionaries who will show them the way to the cross.


Pray for a Christ-ward movement to flourish among this people group in the 2020s.


Pray for the Chero people to be blessed with peace, joy and spiritual prosperity as they follow Jesus Christ.


Pray for their leaders to have dreams and visions that will open their hearts to Jesus Christ and his ambassadors.


Scripture Prayers for the Chero in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Chero
People Name in Country Chero
Alternate Names Chere; Choro; चेरो
Population this Country 180,000
Population all Countries 189,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
PeopleID3 16583
ROP3 Code 111778
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 7
Largest States
Jharkhand
108,000
Uttar Pradesh
49,000
Bihar
14,000
West Bengal
6,100
Assam
1,900
Uttarakhand
400
Odisha
50
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 7
  Jharkhand 108,000
  Uttar Pradesh 49,000
  Bihar 14,000
  West Bengal 6,100
  Assam 1,900
  Uttarakhand 400
  Odisha 50
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.01 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.15 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.24 %
Islam
0.42 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
1.17 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (110,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 34
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bhojpuri
19,000
Magahi
15,000
Sadri
9,400
Bengali
3,400
Maithili
900
Assamese
900
Kanauji
200
Santhali
200
Sadri, Oraon
200
Chhattisgarhi
200
Nepali
100
Kurux
100
Panchpargania
80
Urdu
60
Odia
40
Primary Language Hindi (110,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 34
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bhojpuri 19,000
  Magahi 15,000
  Sadri 9,400
  Bengali 3,400
  Maithili 900
  Assamese 900
  Kanauji 200
  Santhali 200
  Sadri, Oraon 200
  Chhattisgarhi 200
  Nepali 100
  Kurux 100
  Panchpargania 80
  Urdu 60
  Odia 40
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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General Gospel website in this language General / Other
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Mobile App Android Bible app: Hindi Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Hindi Word General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sab Ki Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: पवित्र बाइबिल Hindi Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Hindi Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Ek Rasta (Bible training) General / Other
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Mobile App Android Book Reading app: JM Hindi General / Other
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Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
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Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Hindi Bible General / Other
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 Bethany World Prayer Center 
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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