Sonar (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: 47 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Ahir Unknown
Ajhra Unknown
Arora Unknown
Baghelkhandi Unknown
Bagri Unknown
Bamariya Unknown
Bari Unknown
Brahmin Unknown
Bundelkhandi Unknown
Dakshini Unknown

Introduction / History

The name of the community is derived from the word sona meaning gold, and the people who work with gold are called Sunar or Sonar. Traditionally they were goldsmiths, but with the availability of better educational facilities the Sonar have become inclined towards higher education leading to other lines of work. They claim their social status next to that of the Brahmin, but other communities might not agree. However, those who own jewelry stores are usually very wealthy. Most Sonar Sikhs live in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi although they also live in other parts of India. They speak Punjabi and Hindi and read and write in Gurmukhi.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Known for their work with gold and silver, the Sonars produce elaborate jewelry and ornaments, using precious and semi-precious stones. Others cut and polish diamonds. Typically, the Sonars own their own jewelry stores. Sonar gold jewelry is greatly sought after for weddings in India. Other Sonars are effective money-managers, wisely investing and saving money. Some wealthier Sonars become money lenders. They allow people to divorce and re-marry. Both sons and daughters inherit the property in the same amounts when the father dies, and the oldest son becomes the family head.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though most Sonars are Hindu, there are Sikhs among them. Sikhs believe in one supreme God and they have their own holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, which is mainly a collection of hymns of praise to God. The name of a Sikh child is given by them after reciting of the Sikh religious texts. In Haryana, Sikh marriages are performed around the Guru Granth Sahib which is the main religious literature of Sikhism.


What Are Their Needs?

Like all other people groups, the Sonars need the opportunity to become the children of the king of Kings and lord of Lords.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Sikh Sonar community to be humble enough to acknowledge their need for forgiveness of sin, and that they understand the only provision for forgiveness that God has provided. Pray for intercessors and workers to faithfully serve the Sikh Sonar community. Pray for a powerful disciple making movement among the Sikh Sonar community.


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


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Sonar (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Sonar (Sikh traditions)
Pronunciation suh-NAR
Alternate Names Aksali; Ashraf; Chaudhari; Hemkar; Jangar; Jargar; Kamsala; Kapila; Khakhar; Khatri; Konkar; Maipotra; Mair; Niaria; Patni; Potdar; Sanur; Saraf; Sarat; Sharif; Sheriff; Soni; Soni Hahajan; Sonkar; Sunar; Suni; Sunia; Suniar; Suniyara; Suvarnakar; Swarankar; Swarnakar; Tank; Verma; Zagar; Zargur; सोनार (सिख ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 213,000
Population all Countries 213,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
PeopleID3 18169
ROP3 Code 113681
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Sikh - other
People Group Sonar (Sikh traditions)
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 47 (only 15 largest shown)
  Ahir 0
  Ajhra 0
  Arora 0
  Baghelkhandi 0
  Bagri 0
  Bamariya 0
  Bari 0
  Brahmin 0
  Bundelkhandi 0
  Dakshini 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 22
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Punjab
173,000
Haryana
11,000
Rajasthan
6,300
Delhi
5,800
Uttar Pradesh
4,900
Uttarakhand
2,400
Maharashtra
1,800
Madhya Pradesh
1,400
Jammu and Kashmir
1,200
Jharkhand
700
Chhattisgarh
600
Himachal Pradesh
500
Gujarat
500
West Bengal
500
Chandigarh
500
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 22  (only 20 largest shown)
  Punjab 173,000
  Haryana 11,000
  Rajasthan 6,300
  Delhi 5,800
  Uttar Pradesh 4,900
  Uttarakhand 2,400
  Maharashtra 1,800
  Madhya Pradesh 1,400
  Jammu and Kashmir 1,200
  Jharkhand 700
  Chhattisgarh 600
  Himachal Pradesh 500
  Gujarat 500
  West Bengal 500
  Chandigarh 500
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 (157,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
Hindi
25,000
Marwari (India)
900
Haryanvi
700
Wagdi
200
Dogri
100
Kangri
30
Gujarati
20
Bengali
20
Urdu
Chhattisgarhi
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (157,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 25,000
  Marwari (India) 900
  Haryanvi 700
  Wagdi 200
  Dogri 100
  Kangri 30
  Gujarati 20
  Bengali 20
  Urdu 10
  Chhattisgarhi 10
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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Amazon
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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
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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
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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
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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