Puthirai Vannan 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

The Puthirai Vannan are a Scheduled Caste, meaning that they have low status in Hindu society. They are washermen like the Dhobis, except they have far lower status. There is no consensus as to whether or not Puthirai is a subgroup of the greater Vannan peoples.


Where Are they Located?

The Puthirai Vannan people live in the southern most regions of India, especially the state of Tamil Nadu.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Vannan peoples face the same challenges as the Dhobis in that they are slowly being replaced by washing machines in urban centers. People with money find it more convenient to wash their own closes on their own timetable, leaving the Vannans without work.

Furthermore, the Puthirai Vannan have the lowest status as washermen, doing the work that others will not do such as washing menstrual pads after a girl first reaches puberty, the clothes of a woman who just gave birth and the clothes worn by the dead. These jobs have ceremonial meanings. They could be given higher status, but instead their status is very low. They are often regarded as servants to those who are at the bottom of the Hindu hierarchy. The Puthirai Vannans are often given food, not money, and even that they have to beg for!

They are not allowed to own land. Therefore, they can only grow food on publicly held land if any place at all. These people are looked down upon by forward castes, but they are even more oppressed by other low class groups.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Puthirai Vannan people practice Hinduism, the dominant religion of India. Many feel that the gods have let them down, leaving them to the mercy of the more powerful castes. The caste system of Hinduism has left them destitute, but this is all they know.


What Are Their Needs?

The Puthirai Vannan people think like servants and view themselves in the same negative light as other Hindu communities. They need to see themselves as God sees them.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Puthirai Vannan culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among Puthirai Vannan family and community leaders to seek His face and enjoy His blessings.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Puthirai Vannan people.
Pray that soon the Puthirai Vannan people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the Savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Puthirai Vannan in India.


References

https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/1129278/?formInput=puthirai%20vannan
http://www.iosrjournals.org/iosr-jhss/papers/Vol.%2024%20Issue4/Series-6/A240406019.pdf


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Puthirai Vannan
People Name in Country Puthirai Vannan
Alternate Names Adi Dravida; Adi-Dravidar; Aegali; Dhobi; Harijan Dhobi; Harijan Vannan; Mestri; Para Vannan; Paraya Vannan; Perunthuria Vannan; Podara Vannan; Poothari Vannan; Pothara Vannan; Pothriya; Pottiyoryo; Putharai Vannan; Puthurai Vannan; Puthuraj Vannan; Vannan; Virabhadran; पूतीराई वान्नान
Population this Country 34,000
Population all Countries 34,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17915
ROP3 Code 113397
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 7
Largest States
Tamil Nadu
32,000
Kerala
500
Puducherry
300
Karnataka
300
Odisha
300
Delhi
100
Andhra Pradesh
100
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 7
  Tamil Nadu 32,000
  Kerala 500
  Puducherry 300
  Karnataka 300
  Odisha 300
  Delhi 100
  Andhra Pradesh 100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.35 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.65 %
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 Tamil (29,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Malayalam
600
Odia
100
Telugu
70
Primary Language Tamil (29,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Malayalam 600
  Odia 100
  Telugu 70
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
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Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Tamil Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
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Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
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General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
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General Gospel website in this language General / Other
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General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
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Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
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Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
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Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
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 data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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