Devipujak Vaghri (Hindu traditions) 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.

Introduction / History

The Vaghri or Vagri are a Hindu group of people who primarily live in northwest India. Their name Vagri comes from the Sanskrit word for net. The Vagri were originally forest hunters. During the British colonial period the Vagri were labeled as a caste of petty thieves. This idea has continued to hurt the Vagri people in their desire to escape poverty. Besides being hunters, the Vagri work as traders, hawkers, animal raisers and stonemasons. Most Vagri are landless. They try to grow vegetables on the small plots of land they possess.

They are classified are a Backward Scheduled Caste so they are eligible for special places in public jobs and university admissions.

The Vagri speak their language of Vagri among themselves and Gujarati and Hindi to outsiders.


Where Are they Located?

The great majority of the Vagri live in the Indian state of Gujarat. Smaller groups live throughout the nation of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Vagri are trying to overcome their reputation of being criminals. Since literacy is low and they have limited economic opportunities, some of them have been tempted to live outside the law. They are often denied entrance to Hindu temples and the services of Brahmin priests due to their reputation as criminals.

The Vagri are endogamous, that is they like to marry within their caste. They do not marry within their individual clans or families. Monogamy is the general rule with families arranging marriages with the consent of the young persons. Newly married couples frequently live near or with the groom's parents. Sons inherit their father's property. Their dead are cremated.

The Vagri are not vegetarians but as Hindus, they do not eat beef. The main foods are rice, wheat, lentils and seasonal vegetables.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Vagri practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the many gods of the Hindu pantheon. The Vagri often build their own shrines to their patron deities because other Hindus often do not allow them to enter Hindu temples. The Vagri perform rituals and good works to try to escape the endless cycle of birth and rebirth. At their shrines they present food, flowers and prayers to their gods.

The Vagri participate in the yearly Hindu holidays of Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights and Navratri, the celebration of autumn.


What Are Their Needs?

The Vagri need to hear the message of Jesus Christ that can forgive their sins and bring them new life. The Vagri need to see the love and mercy of Christ demonstrated to them by Christian workers. The Vagri need help in learning new job skills so they can escape their poverty. Christian teachers could help in educating their children so they would have a better chance to succeed in modern Indian society.


Prayer Points

Pray the Lord will open the hearts of the Vagri people to desire God's blessings through a movement of family-based discovery Bible studies.
Pray for Indian followers of Jesus to be effective in demonstrating to the Vagri how Jesus blesses and heals families and communities.
Pray that God's Word might become available in the Vagri language.


Scripture Prayers for the Devipujak Vaghri (Hindu traditions) in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagri
researchonline.jcu.edu.au/17697/
www.wycliffe.org/prayer/articles/the-vaghri-of-pakistan


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Devipujak Vaghri (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Devipujak Vaghri (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Bagri; Baori; Bella; Betigar; Datia; Malia; Murli; Salar; Salat; Vagher; Vagri; Vavania; Vedu; Wadvi; Wagher; Waghri; Waghya; Wagri; Wather; वाघरि (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स))
Population this Country 631,000
Population all Countries 673,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 13
PeopleID3 18290
ROP3 Code 119336
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 18
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarat
605,000
Maharashtra
16,000
Madhya Pradesh
3,200
Tamil Nadu
2,400
Rajasthan
900
Delhi
600
Daman and Diu
500
West Bengal
500
Karnataka
500
Telangana
400
Chhattisgarh
300
Jharkhand
300
Dadra and Nagar Have
200
Uttar Pradesh
200
Goa
100
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 18
  Gujarat 605,000
  Maharashtra 16,000
  Madhya Pradesh 3,200
  Tamil Nadu 2,400
  Rajasthan 900
  Delhi 600
  Daman and Diu 500
  West Bengal 500
  Karnataka 500
  Telangana 400
  Chhattisgarh 300
  Jharkhand 300
  Dadra and Nagar Have 200
  Uttar Pradesh 200
  Goa 100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.03 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.12 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.82 %
Islam
0.01 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.01 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gujarati (478,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
Hindi
54,000
Kacchi
13,000
Marathi
11,000
Konkani
1,800
Sourashtra
500
Koli, Wadiyari
300
Ahirani
200
Khandesi
200
Wagdi
50
Kannada
20
Telugu
10
Tamil
Primary Language Gujarati (478,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 13
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 54,000
  Kacchi 13,000
  Marathi 11,000
  Konkani 1,800
  Sourashtra 500
  Koli, Wadiyari 300
  Ahirani 200
  Khandesi 200
  Wagdi 50
  Kannada 20
  Telugu 10
  Tamil 10
People Groups Speaking Gujarati

Primary Language:  Gujarati

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1809-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1823-2021)
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Gujarati Literacy & Evangelism International
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Photo Source (Representative photo)
Bernard Gagnon - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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