Pardhi 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: 4

Subgroup Name Population
Phanse 11,000
Haranshikari 5,100
Pal 4,400
Takari 4,100

Introduction / History

Long ago, the prosperity of Gujarat state enticed people of surrounding states and made it a target of various Muslim tribes. The Islamic rulers reached their greatest power under the Monghal Dynasty and overtook the Gujarat kingdom by the end of the thirteenth century. However, the Hindu Maratha fought the Monghals and also established an empire in Gujarat. Apparently, the Pardhi came under Maratha influence. As these groups continued warring over the Gujarat territory, the British rose to power by 1817. They scattered the Pardhi into other areas, taking whatever jobs were available. The British damaged their reputation labeling them a "criminal" caste.


Today, the Pardhi Bhil comprises many distinctive sub-groups. Their language, Pardhi, is one of the Bhil languages. They derive their name from the Marathi word paradh, which means "hunting." They are a migrant people, scattered over a wide area of central India in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Pardhi are a wandering tribe of game and bird hunters, living in simple huts that are made of mud and sticks. Those who live in Kutch (northwestern Gujarat) enjoy catching snakes, and many of them have become snake charmers. Many Pardhi communities make and sell baskets, while others make black-stone vessels. Some of the Pardhis sell oil from crocodiles or perform monkey shows. Commonly, the Pardhi hire themselves out as day laborers. Many are scavengers or ragpickers, and they sometimes get harassed by the police.


They are having trouble adjusting to modern Indian society. Their nomadic background and their reputation as petty criminals make other communities suspicious of the Pardhis. Some Pardhis have risen above this by leading tours where they show the flora, fauna and wildlife to tourists in their central Indian homeland. One of their women is making a point of getting Pardhi children into classrooms so they can get the education they need as India modernizes. This is difficult to do for a nomadic people.


As is the practice of most Bhil tribes, the Pardhi marry only within their own sub-groups.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though they are officially Hindu, most of the Pardhi practice ethnic religions. They are firm believers in the spirit world and its influence on the physical world. They worship millions of gods and goddesses in their houses. They believe these deities must be worshipped and appeased in various ways.


What Are Their Needs?

Believers with the right skills can help the Pardhi community learn needed vocations so they can earn a good living in the modern age.


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 the Pardhi community in the 2020s.


Pray for the Pardhi 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 Pardhi in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Pardhi
People Name in Country Pardhi
Alternate Names Advichincher; Aran Pardhi; Bagri; Bahelia; Gaon Pardhi; Jogi Shikari; Jugaria; Mogia; Nahar; Nirshikari; Paradhi; Pardhi Nahar; Parhi; Parhi Nahar; Paria; Parthi; Phanadi; Phanse Pardhi; Phansi Pardhi; Phasse; Pittalollu; Raj Pardhi; Shikari; Tarakan; Valand; पर्धी
Population this Country 410,000
Population all Countries 430,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 8
PeopleID3 17847
ROP3 Code 113321
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 13
Largest States
Maharashtra
252,000
Telangana
51,000
Madhya Pradesh
41,000
Chhattisgarh
19,000
Odisha
15,000
Gujarat
14,000
Karnataka
12,000
Kerala
2,500
Andhra Pradesh
2,100
Rajasthan
300
Daman and Diu
50
Goa
40
Dadra and Nagar Have
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 13
  Maharashtra 252,000
  Telangana 51,000
  Madhya Pradesh 41,000
  Chhattisgarh 19,000
  Odisha 15,000
  Gujarat 14,000
  Karnataka 12,000
  Kerala 2,500
  Andhra Pradesh 2,100
  Rajasthan 300
  Daman and Diu 50
  Goa 40
  Dadra and Nagar Have 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.19 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.07 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.91 %
Islam
0.38 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.04 %
Unknown
0.41 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Pardhi (152,000 speakers)
Language Code pcl   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 40
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marathi
82,000
Hindi
34,000
Telugu
22,000
Bhili
20,000
Odia
11,000
Gujarati
10,000
Khandesi
7,000
Kacchi
5,200
Kannada
4,900
Chhattisgarhi
4,700
Halbi
3,100
Ahirani
2,300
Konkani
1,600
Gondi, Northern
1,000
Nimadi
400
Primary Language Pardhi (152,000 speakers)
Language Code pcl   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 40
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marathi 82,000
  Hindi 34,000
  Telugu 22,000
  Bhili 20,000
  Odia 11,000
  Gujarati 10,000
  Khandesi 7,000
  Kacchi 5,200
  Kannada 4,900
  Chhattisgarhi 4,700
  Halbi 3,100
  Ahirani 2,300
  Konkani 1,600
  Gondi, Northern 1,000
  Nimadi 400
People Groups Speaking Pardhi

Primary Language:  Pardhi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2014)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Pardhi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Anonymous 
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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