Tamang 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.

Subgroups: 21 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Lasa 17,000
Bal 700
Bomyan 700
Bopchan 700
Domjan 700
Dong 700
Grongder 700
Gyapole 700
Jhimpa 700
Lopchan 700

Introduction / History

The name Tamang means "horse trader." They were involved with a long war with their rivals, the Gurkhas, who eventually defeated them. The Tamangs once had forced labor obligations. Their land was divided by clan. They have about 100 clans. Most of the Tamang live in Nepal or India, but there are smaller numbers of them in Bangladesh and Bhutan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are generally very poor, yet they enjoy festivals, music and cultural events. They have their own song and dance style called Tamang Selo. These songs can be about sorrow, humor, joy or satire. Their main festival is Sonam Lhochhar. It welcomes the new year in February or March.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of Tamang follow Tibetan Buddhism but mix this with animism and to a lesser extent, with Hinduism. Their priests, or lamas, have a dominant role in the community and perform ceremonies for funerals, etc. Perhaps the most powerful person in society, however, is the shaman, who exorcises demons and interacts with the spirit world.


What Are Their Needs?

The Tamang community in India has a significant number of Christian believers. Perhaps these followers of Christ will carry the gospel to their own people in Nepal and Bangladesh.


Prayer Points

There are some followers of Jesus today among the Tamang of Nepal. Pray for these, and for those others the Lord will soon bring to himself. Pray they will seek each other out in order to fellowship together. Pray they will be zealous to know Christ and follow his ways. Pray for the entire Tamang community to be able to care well for their families, to find ways to generate income and meet basic needs. Pray for a powerful movement to Christ among the Tamang people in India.


Scripture Prayers for the Tamang in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tamang
People Name in Country Tamang
Alternate Names Eastern Tamang; Ishang; Lama; Murmi; Nishang; Nishung; Tamanglama; तमंग
Population this Country 275,000
Population all Countries 2,052,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 18212
ROP3 Code 102861
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Buddhist
People Group Tamang
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 21 (only 15 largest shown)
  Lasa 17,000
  Bal 700
  Bomyan 700
  Bopchan 700
  Domjan 700
  Dong 700
  Grongder 700
  Gyapole 700
  Jhimpa 700
  Lopchan 700
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 23
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
West Bengal
165,000
Assam
53,000
Sikkim
42,000
Arunachal Pradesh
6,300
Himachal Pradesh
3,400
Uttar Pradesh
1,500
Manipur
1,000
Meghalaya
700
Uttarakhand
500
Andhra Pradesh
500
Madhya Pradesh
300
Rajasthan
200
Jharkhand
200
Maharashtra
200
Telangana
70
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 23  (only 20 largest shown)
  West Bengal 165,000
  Assam 53,000
  Sikkim 42,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 6,300
  Himachal Pradesh 3,400
  Uttar Pradesh 1,500
  Manipur 1,000
  Meghalaya 700
  Uttarakhand 500
  Andhra Pradesh 500
  Madhya Pradesh 300
  Rajasthan 200
  Jharkhand 200
  Maharashtra 200
  Telangana 70
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
70.60 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
6.01 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
23.00 %
Islam
0.24 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.06 %
Unknown
0.09 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Nepali (213,000 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 32
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Tamang, Eastern
24,000
Bengali
3,000
Tamang, Eastern Gorkha
2,900
Hindi
1,100
Sadri
200
Tibetan, Amdo
100
Sikkimese
50
Santhali
40
Urdu
30
Kurux
20
Odia
20
Bhojpuri
20
Boro (India)
10
Sherpa Lepcha
Primary Language Nepali (213,000 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 32
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Tamang, Eastern 24,000
  Bengali 3,000
  Tamang, Eastern Gorkha 2,900
  Hindi 1,100
  Sadri 200
  Tibetan, Amdo 100
  Sikkimese 50
  Santhali 40
  Urdu 30
  Kurux 20
  Odia 20
  Bhojpuri 20
  Boro (India) 10
  Sherpa 10
  Lepcha 10
People Groups Speaking Nepali

Primary Language:  Nepali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1850-1961)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1821-2010)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1914-2024)
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Nepali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video New Way (Naya Goreto) Create International
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children 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 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 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 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 Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali Bible The Love Fellowship
Mobile App Android Bible app: TBS Nepali Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Nepali Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Ek Rasta Nepali General / Other
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Nepali Bible Stories Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Nepali Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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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