Naikda 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: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Cholamala 39,000

Introduction / History

The Naikda or Nayaka of west and south India are a Scheduled tribal people. Scheduled people get special help by the Indian government in education, business and employment. The Naikda are among the original Dravidian inhabitants of the regions of India they now live. They were hunter-gatherers of the forest until the time of the British administration. The Naikdas cleared wooded areas and became agricultural workers. Some owned land and others did not own land.

Both in 1858 and 1868 the Naikdas rebelled against British rule. As more and more non-tribal peoples moved into the their land, the mostly illiterate Naikdas lost ownership of their lands and forest resources. They attacked local police stations and government buildings in protest.

The Naidkas speak Kannada, Gujarati and Telugu as well as other regional languages.


Where Are they Located?

Most Naikdas live in the Indian states of Karnataka and Gujarat. Others live in the states of the Maharashtra, Telangana and Rajasthan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Naikdas live as agricultural workers in rural areas. Most do not have electricity and indoor plumbing. Some work as woodcutters or have migrated to the cities to labor as unskilled persons in factories to send home money to their families. Men hunt in the forest to obtain meat and animal skins to sell. By Indian standards the Naikdas are some of the poorest people in the nation.

The main foods of the Naikdas are rice, millet and wheat. Seasonal vegetables also make up he bulk of their diet. They do eat meat except beef when it is available which is not the norm.

Families and clans arrange marriages. Both adult and child marriage is practiced. Marriage of cousins is common. The groom lives with or near his parents' home. Sons inherit property but daughters do if there are no sons in a family.

Since the Naikdas are a tribal people and for the most part illiterate, they are looked down upon by most other groups in Indian society. Alcohol consumption is a common among the Naikdas.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Naikdas consider themselves to be Hindus. They also practice folk religion and animism, the belief that spirits in habit the various parts of nature. Some Naikdas use Brahman priests in life rituals like weddings, births and death. Others use local elders and village priests.
The Naikdas worship the Hindu gods, Brahma, Shiva, Rama, Krishna, Hanuman and Kali. They participate in the traditional Hindu holidays such as Holi, the festival of color, and Diwali, the celebration of lights. Married women observe Divaso. This holiday is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and is observed for a happy and prosperous family life.


What Are Their Needs?

The Naikdas need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. They need to see themselves as sinners in need of a Savior. A particular need for this tribal people is for Christian schools and teachers.


Prayer Points

Pray the Lord of the harvest sends Christian workers and teachers to this needy people.
Pray that Christian agencies do more to alleviate the poverty of the Naikdas.
Pray that the Lord raises up Bible-believing churches in the Naikda community.


Scripture Prayers for the Naikda in India.


References

https://trti.gujarat.gov.in/naikda


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Naikda
People Name in Country Naikda
Pronunciation NIKE-duh
Alternate Names Beda; Cholvala; Kapadia; Katkari; Naika; Naikpod; Naikpollu; Nayak; Nayaka; Padma Naik; Palegar; Pandava Nayak; Panwala; Parivara; Patel; Ramoshi; Tambel; Valmiki; नैकड़ा
Population this Country 4,288,000
Population all Countries 4,295,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 86
PeopleID3 17786
ROP3 Code 113250
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 10
Largest States
Karnataka
3,718,000
Gujarat
517,000
Maharashtra
25,000
Telangana
12,000
Rajasthan
9,500
Andhra Pradesh
2,700
Madhya Pradesh
1,400
Delhi
1,200
Goa
400
Dadra and Nagar Have
400
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 10
  Karnataka 3,718,000
  Gujarat 517,000
  Maharashtra 25,000
  Telangana 12,000
  Rajasthan 9,500
  Andhra Pradesh 2,700
  Madhya Pradesh 1,400
  Delhi 1,200
  Goa 400
  Dadra and Nagar Have 400
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.01 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.08 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.35 %
Islam
0.23 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.03 %
Unknown
0.31 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kannada (2,905,000 speakers)
Language Code kan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 32
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarati
449,000
Telugu
389,000
Marathi
30,000
Tulu
17,000
Tamil
16,000
Hindi
13,000
Bhili
3,800
Kacchi
2,600
Marwari (India)
2,200
Wagdi
2,000
Malayalam
1,200
Konkani
900
Urdu
600
Punjabi, Eastern
500
Khandesi
400
Primary Language Kannada (2,905,000 speakers)
Language Code kan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 32
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Gujarati 449,000
  Telugu 389,000
  Marathi 30,000
  Tulu 17,000
  Tamil 16,000
  Hindi 13,000
  Bhili 3,800
  Kacchi 2,600
  Marwari (India) 2,200
  Wagdi 2,000
  Malayalam 1,200
  Konkani 900
  Urdu 600
  Punjabi, Eastern 500
  Khandesi 400
People Groups Speaking Kannada

Primary Language:  Kannada

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1812-1988)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1827-2023)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1827-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
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Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kannada Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
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General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
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General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Kannada Bible (ಕನ್ನಡ ಬೈಬಲ್) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kannada Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Kannada Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Kannada Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
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Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kannada YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Kannada Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Kannada 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 Anonymous 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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