Dom (Sikh traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Other / Small (Sikhism)
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: 27 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Andhiya Unknown
Ankure Unknown
Audhiya Unknown
Audiniya Unknown
Bajune Unknown
Benbansi Unknown
Chhanchi Unknown
Chonel Unknown
Christian Unknown
Dhanuk Unknown

Introduction / History

Day laborers, street musicians and beggars; this doesn't sound like a very meaningful choice of vocations! These are the vocations that most Dom people have. Dom tradition says they were cursed by their gods to a life of poverty for killing a cow. Most are still Hindus like their ancestors, but a small number are Sikhs.


Where Are they Located?

Though the Hindu Doms are scattered all over India the Sikhs among them are either in Punjab or Jammu & Kashmir.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Dom women are definitely subordinate to the men in society, most often working in the home or supplementing the husband's income by begging. Education is encouraged for boys, but not for girls.

A welcome relief from the realities of daily poverty for the Dom people is their artistic expression through music, poetry and dance. With a rich oral tradition, and a desire to recount the history of their people, there is never a lack of stories to tell.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Dom people are either Muslim or Hindu, but some are Sikhs. Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.

One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They worship their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.

There are roughly the same number of Sikhs as there are Jews in the world, but Sikhs are most concentrated in Punjab, their homeland. However, you will find smaller numbers of Sikhs all over the world. Many of the best Indian restaurants in the West are owned and operated by Sikhs.


What Are Their Needs?

Whether they are Hindu or Sikh, Dom people need to have the chance to put their trust in the One who created the heavens and the earth and gives us life to the full.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Dom 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 Sikh Dom 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 Dom people.
Pray that soon the Dom people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the Savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Dom (Sikh traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Dom (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Dom (Sikh traditions)
Alternate Names Doom; Doomna; Dum; Dumna; Mahasha; Mir Sahib; Mirasi; Rana; डोम (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 15,000
Population all Countries 15,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18067
ROP3 Code 113567
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Sikh - other
People Group Dom (Sikh traditions)
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 27 (only 15 largest shown)
  Andhiya 0
  Ankure 0
  Audhiya 0
  Audiniya 0
  Bajune 0
  Benbansi 0
  Chhanchi 0
  Chonel 0
  Christian 0
  Dhanuk 0
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 9
Largest States
Punjab
9,800
Himachal Pradesh
3,700
Haryana
700
Jammu and Kashmir
600
Delhi
90
Jharkhand
50
Uttarakhand
40
Uttar Pradesh
20
Chandigarh
20
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 9
  Punjab 9,800
  Himachal Pradesh 3,700
  Haryana 700
  Jammu and Kashmir 600
  Delhi 90
  Jharkhand 50
  Uttarakhand 40
  Uttar Pradesh 20
  Chandigarh 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small (Sikhism)
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
100.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (7,900 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
Hindi
3,400
Kangri
700
Mandeali
400
Dogri
300
Pahari, Mahasu
200
Bilaspuri
100
Churahi
100
Chambeali
80
Haryanvi
60
Sirmauri
50
Bhattiyali
30
Punjabi, Western
20
Garhwali
20
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (7,900 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 3,400
  Kangri 700
  Mandeali 400
  Dogri 300
  Pahari, Mahasu 200
  Bilaspuri 100
  Churahi 100
  Chambeali 80
  Haryanvi 60
  Sirmauri 50
  Bhattiyali 30
  Punjabi, Western 20
  Garhwali 20
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
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Forum Bible Agencies
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Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
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 Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible App: Punjabi Bible (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬਾਈਬਲ) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Punjabi Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Open Bible Stories (Punjabi) Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Punjabi Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Eastern Literacy & Evangelism International
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.


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