Rigzong 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

The Tibetan Buddhist Rigzong people live in the mountains of Jammu and Kashmir. Their homeland straddles the disputed area where Indian and Pakistani forces clash. Most of them live on the Indian side of the border, but some are in Pakistan. They speak Balti.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Rigzong people reside primarily in remote, mountainous villages. They engage in agriculture, animal husbandry, and small-scale trade to sustain their communities. Many Rigzong families cultivate crops such as barley, wheat, and potatoes, and also raise livestock like sheep and goats. Their daily lives revolve around the agricultural calendar and communal activities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Rigzong practice Buddhism, the major world religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha, who lived in the 6th and 5th century BC in ancient India. The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths by which one can gain spiritual knowledge and escape the endless cycles of reincarnation. Theravada, one of the two major branches of Buddhism, declares that by following the Noble Eightfold Path of right intentions and right actions that a Buddhist can achieve nirvana or a state of freedom and salvation. Mahayana Buddhism, the other main branch of Buddhism, asserts that by following the six perfections that a Buddhist can move along the path to Enlightenment. Tibetan Buddhism falls within the Mahayana school. However, Tibetan Buddhists like the Rigzong people blend the shamanistic bon religion with their form of Buddhism.


What Are Their Needs?

The Rigzong people need to be given the chance to hear the life-changing gospel so they can enjoy life to the full.


Prayer Points

Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Rigzong people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing the hearts of these people would be open and ready to follow him.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly.
Pray for the spiritual lives of the Rigzong people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Rigzong in Pakistan.


References

AI generated


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Rigzong
People Name in Country Rigzong
Alternate Names रग़ज़ोंग
Population this Country 1,700
Population all Countries 9,600
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17967
ROP3 Code 113456
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
  Gilgit-Baltistan 1,700
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
100.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
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 Balti (1,600 speakers)
Language Code bft   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Shina
80
Primary Language Balti (1,600 speakers)
Language Code bft   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Shina 80
People Groups Speaking Balti

Primary Language:  Balti

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1903-1997)
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 Balti Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Joe Kirkendall 
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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