Rathawa in Pakistan


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 low status people get their name from the word rathbistar, which means an inhabitant of a forest or hilly region.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Where the Hindu Rathawa build their homes are determined by some unusual practices. They won't build homes near a tamarind tree since they think these are haunted by spirits. Instead, they build their settlements near a grove of palm trees. They usually build their houses with no windows, and on elevated ground to prevent flooding.
Rathawas generally act friendly with outsiders. They honor their guests by serving them food in their kitchen. Believers could use this as a great time to tell stories of Jesus!


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Rathawa people in Pakistan practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism acts as a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not possess a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. Other Hindus, like the Brahmins, practice a more philosophical form Hinduism.
Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Rathawa in Pakistan need workers to go to them to share the gospel in their language and within their culture.


Prayer Points

Pray for Rathawa believers to be filled with the fruit and the power of the Holy Spirit so they can live victorious lives.
Pray for workers to go to the Rathawa people, and for their hearts to be ready to receive their savior.
Pray for the translation of the Bible and other resources into their language and distributed in Pakistan.
Pray for Sindhi speaking Rathawa in Pakistan to have the Sindhi Bible and other resources made available to them.
Pray for the establishment of a viable, indigenous and reproducing Rathawa church in both Pakistan and India.


Scripture Prayers for the Rathawa in Pakistan.


References

https://www.rolfkillius.com/research_rathwa.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathwa


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Rathawa
People Name in Country Rathawa
Pronunciation rah-TWAH
Alternate Names Rathawa Koli; Rathvi; Rathwa; रठवा
Population this Country 9,500
Population all Countries 746,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17947
ROP3 Code 113435
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 1
  Sindh 9,500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
2.69 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
97.31 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sindhi (6,900 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Dhatki
2,000
Kacchi
500
Koli, Wadiyari
30
Primary Language Sindhi (6,900 speakers)
Language Code snd   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Dhatki 2,000
  Kacchi 500
  Koli, Wadiyari 30
People Groups Speaking Sindhi

Primary Language:  Sindhi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1825-1981)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1890-1992)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1954)
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 Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sindhi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
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 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 Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Sindhi YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Sindhi Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Suyash Dwivedi - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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