Punjab Bedar 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 Bedars are a Dravidian tribe in origin. "Bedar" comes from the word "bed" or "bedaru" meaning a hunter. Hindus are known as Bedar and Muslims as Berad. They prefer to be called Naikwadi because they serve as village policemen or Talwar (watchmen) or Naikmakkalu (chief's children). There are a number of languages they speak, but by definition, the Punjab Bedar speak the Punjabi language.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Punjab Bedar could be agricultural laborers, watchmen, stone cutter or herdsmen. They also work as servants, traders, messengers, police and soldiers.

Men and women wear silver and gold jewelry. Some traditionally shave their heads, wear waist girdles, gold and silver bracelets (khade) and gold earrings (muruva). Women tie their hair in a loose knot, wear nose-rings, a gold necklace and on their head they have a hooped silver ornament (dhora).

At the age of four or five girls are tattooed on the forehead, corners of the eyes, temples and forearms. Unmarried girls can be forced into prostitution. The girls are taken to a guru (spiritual leader) who brands them with a stamp, and then takes them to a temple where a necklace is tied around their neck in the name of the god, and they are now known as Basavi.

The boy's parents initiate marriage proposal. Child marriage is common, but the girl does not live with her husband until after puberty. Marriage cannot be within the same sub-division. They allow for widow remarriage and divorce. The Punjab Bedar have headmen (kattimani) to solve community disputes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Punjab Bedar people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.

Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama’s birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Punjab Bedar people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray for the transformation of this community, thereby influencing the society through their profession as traders, messengers, police and soldiers.
Pray for a mighty impact of the JESUS Film and Christian radio broadcasting among this people.
Pray for Christian workers among them to draw them to Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.


Scripture Prayers for the Bedar Punjab in India.


References

India Missions Association, Edited by Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Bedar
People Name in Country Bedar Punjab
Natural Name Punjab Bedar
Alternate Names Berad; Berar; Beta; Bhot; Bhotia; Bodh; Jyali; Jyayi; बेदार, पुंजब (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 11,000
Population all Countries 11,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 5  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19192
ROP3 Code 115838
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 4
Largest States
Punjab
9,500
Haryana
1,200
Chandigarh
500
Himachal Pradesh
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 4
  Punjab 9,500
  Haryana 1,200
  Chandigarh 500
  Himachal Pradesh 100
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
97.07 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
2.93 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (7,100 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Hindi
2,900
Haryanvi
60
Pahari, Mahasu
20
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (7,100 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 2,900
  Haryanvi 60
  Pahari, Mahasu 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)
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 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 Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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