Pentia 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

This Scheduled Tribe lives as farmers in Odisha. They are also known as Holva. They dress and look the same as other communities, so you could not tell them apart from other rural communities. There is no anthropological information available to describe their history, so we know little about their past.


Where Are they Located?

This Hindu tribe lives in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The population of the Pentia tribe is declining. They are farmers who supplement their incomes by selling produce they find in the forest. Wives contribute to the family income, but they do not have very much power within a family.

The most prestigious way to marry is through negotiations, but sometimes this people group has marriages though elopement or through the groom's family capturing the bride. After the wedding the couple lives with the groom's family for a while; we call this patrilocal. They don't begin to live together until an auspicious day is set. They visit her family for five to nine days before living with the groom's family. Usually a man only has one wife, and they marry as adults. Most Pentia families are nuclear, meaning they only have husband, wife, and children under the same roof.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They are animists who also worship some of the Hindu gods, especially Nisani, their family deity. They also worship other gods.


What Are Their Needs?

Like all other people groups that do not have a gospel witness, the Hindu Pentia people need to have the chance to live the abundant life offered by Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that the sheer wonder of knowing Jesus and the impact He has on their lives and the joy He brings spur believers to share Christ with the Pentia people.
Pray the hearts of the Pentia people would be stirred by a sovereign work of the Holy Spirit readying them for the time when they hear the gospel message being shared with them.
Pray they will experience dreams and visions of Jesus leading them into a saving relationship with Him.
Pray for an unstoppable disciple-making movement among the Pentia people.


Scripture Prayers for the Pentia in India.


References

https://books.google.com/books?id=qxxnZ4XxUbsC&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=Pentia+people+India&source=bl&ots=fFLdTN2VdC&sig=ACfU3U1iLxsj1KBpQpilJZlpGabfSn243A&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB_vmUta3jAhXSrJ4KHYQSCn8Q6AEwA3oECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=Pentia%20people%20India&f=false
Peoples of India: Odisha, vol XVI, part 2, pp. 1220-24, K.S. Singh


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Pentia
People Name in Country Pentia
Alternate Names Holuva; Holva; Pantla; Penthia; Petia; पेंटिया
Population this Country 12,000
Population all Countries 12,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17864
ROP3 Code 113340
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 2
Largest States
Odisha
11,000
Andhra Pradesh
200
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 2
  Odisha 11,000
  Andhra Pradesh 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.25 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.49 %
Islam
0.16 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.03 %
Unknown
0.07 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Odia (5,100 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Bhatri
2,100
Pengo
1,800
Marathi
400
Desiya
300
Hindi
200
Telugu
100
Munda
20
Koya
20
Santhali
Ho Mundari Kuvi
Malayalam Gondi, Northern Kurux
Primary Language Odia (5,100 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 16
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Bhatri 2,100
  Pengo 1,800
  Marathi 400
  Desiya 300
  Hindi 200
  Telugu 100
  Munda 20
  Koya 20
  Santhali 10
  Ho 10
  Mundari 10
  Kuvi 0
  Malayalam 0
  Gondi, Northern 0
  Kurux 0
People Groups Speaking Odia

Primary Language:  Odia

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1811-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1809-2000)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1815-2021)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Odia 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 Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links (Oriya) Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Odia YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Odia (Oriya) / English Bible (AKJV) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible App: Odiya Bible (ଓଡିଆ ବାଇବେଲ) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Oriya Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Odiya Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Odia YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Odiya Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
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
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


Joshua Project logo    Terms of Use   Privacy Policy   Contact Us   Copyright © 2024