Introduction / History

According to their legend, Shiva went to a Brahmin village disguised as a beggar, and they drove him out. In his rage, the offended god reduced their village to ashes, and they asked for forgiveness. Shiva responded by making them into a community of beggars. There are a couple of subgroups of the Kallalan people. They are a Scheduled Caste, meaning that their status is low enough that they are given "reservations" for certain government jobs and opportunities to attend college.

Where Are they Located?

The Hindu Kakkalan people live on the southern tip of India, mostly in Kerala. They might not be in Tamil Nadu any longer.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Kakkalan people are wandering beggars who practice palmistry and fortune telling. Though they are wanderers, they try to be at home for a special new year's celebration. Part of their celebration is wearing new clothes and enjoying a feast. They are polygamous, and a man might have as many as 12 wives. There is big celebration for the first wedding, but the others are not celebrated on the same level. Though most speak Malayalam, the language of Kerala, they also have their own language which they speak with one another.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Kakkalan people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They are especially devoted to worshipping the sun. They have no temples of their own, and they must stay at a safe distance from temples according to Hindu customs. This demonstrates that they are not well accepted by other Hindu communities.

What Are Their Needs?

The Kakkalan people need the chance to put their wounded self-worth in the hands of Jesus Christ and make Him the center of their identity.

Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Kakkalan people.
Pray for the Kakkalan people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Kakkalan people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers Kakkalan disciples to make more disciples.

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Kakkalan communities.

Scripture Prayers for the Kakkalan in India.

References

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Castes_and_Tribes_of_Southern_India/Kakkalan
http://www.keralawindow.net/hindu_files/hindu_k.html
http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_sc_tamilnadu.pdf