Dom (Dombara) 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.

Subgroups: 9

Subgroup Name Population
Audhiya 1,200
Audiniya 1,200
Chonel 1,200
Ponaka 1,200
Ummia 1,200
Nirgani 1,100
Garu Unknown
Maidiya Dom Unknown
Miragani Unknown

Introduction / History

Dom is short for "Dombara." This is a caste of drummers, and their name refers to an energetic style of traditional music and dance. They use a variety of fast-paced rhythms for their drum music.
The Dom have low status; they are considered "untouchables," outside the caste system because of their other job: Disposing of bodies.
The Dom were written about in ancient Tantric literature. They had such low status that they had to live in separate villages. As part of a service community, they were not allowed to wear silver or gold ornaments. Doms were used as palanquin bearers, carrying those with higher status. Those with the lowest status had to dispose of both animal and human remains. That was one of their main jobs.
Though British colonialists removed some of the discriminatory practices, they classified the Doms as a criminal caste under the Criminal Tribes Acts.
Different sources give different answers about where the Dom people usually reside in today's India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Ironically, some Dom people have made good money by selling human bones to medical schools. They have low status, whether they focus on cremating bodies or playing drums at weddings.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Dom people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.
Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Dom people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Dom people.
Pray God will have mercy on the Dom, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Dom to the gospel.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.


Scripture Prayers for the Dom (Dombara) in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_(caste)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Dom (Dombara)
People Name in Country Dom (Dombara)
Alternate Names Aryakuttadi; Baleseti; Balija Dasa; Chandala; Dasaru; Domb; Domba; Domban; Dombar; Dombara; Dombari; Dombaru; Dombo; Dombu; Dommara; Dommarollu; Dumar; Hennu Veshadavaru; Kalai; Kalaikuttadi; Kasidasa; Kazhai; Kohati; Paidi; Paidi Pano; Paisi; Pano; Shetti Dasa; डोंम
Population this Country 83,000
Population all Countries 83,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 16736
ROP3 Code 111979
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Dalit - other
People Group Dom (Dombara)
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 9
  Audhiya 1,200
  Audiniya 1,200
  Chonel 1,200
  Ponaka 1,200
  Ummia 1,200
  Nirgani 1,100
  Garu 100
  Maidiya Dom 100
  Miragani 100
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 8
Largest States
Andhra Pradesh
45,000
Karnataka
29,000
Tamil Nadu
4,600
Telangana
2,300
Kerala
800
Maharashtra
700
Goa
90
Puducherry
40
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 8
  Andhra Pradesh 45,000
  Karnataka 29,000
  Tamil Nadu 4,600
  Telangana 2,300
  Kerala 800
  Maharashtra 700
  Goa 90
  Puducherry 40
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.03 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.03 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.94 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Telugu (45,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
Kannada
24,000
Tamil
4,100
Malayalam
200
Tulu
60
Odia
60
Marathi
Primary Language Telugu (45,000 speakers)
Language Code tel   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
  Kannada 24,000
  Tamil 4,100
  Malayalam 200
  Tulu 60
  Odia 60
  Marathi 10
People Groups Speaking Telugu

Primary Language:  Telugu

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1966)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1818-1989)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1854-2022)
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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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