Dowaniya 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 Dowaniya people are closely related to the Singhpo people who fled Burma in 1793. The ancestors of the Dowaniya people were also among those early Singhpo settlers. The Singhpo who were released from being serfs eventually morphed into the Dowaniya people. Their languages and histories share similarities. The Dowaniya usually speak Hindi and Assamese and use the Assamese script for writing.

Today the Indian government has not recognized the Dowaniya as a scheduled tribe, so their unofficial designation has caused them to be largely forgotten by the outside world.

Members of the Dowaniya community live in the north-east Indian state of Assam. They inhabit a number of different locations on the Assam plain, but many live in the district of Sibsagar, a short distance from the Brahmaputra River.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Dowaniya people retain their traditional customs to this day. They have managed to keep the all-pervading Hindu culture at arm's length, especially those Dowaniya living further away from the towns. One source notes that they are experts in woodcraft, basketry and weaving.


What Are Their Beliefs?

When the Singhpo first entered India, they brought their belief in Theravada Buddhism with them. Most Dowaniya have continued as Buddhists, although their faith is now mixed with Hinduistic and animistic influences. They have their own Buddhist monks, who preside over birth rituals, weddings and funerals, and are also entrusted with the preservation of the ancient Buddhist texts.


What Are Their Needs?

There are no known Christian believers among the Dowaniya people. Throughout their long and troubled history, they have been waiting to hear the good news that Jesus loves them and has made a way for them to know the true God.


Prayer Points

Pray for workers to go to the Dowaniya people, and for their hearts to be ready to receive their savior.

Pray for families of believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing churches.

Pray for a chain reaction of families reaching families that results in thousands of new believers who share their faith with others.

Pray for grace and truth expanding into their entire society as all believers learn to love others.


Scripture Prayers for the Dowaniya in India.


References

Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Dowaniya
People Name in Country Dowaniya
Pronunciation doh-AH-nee-ah
Alternate Names Diyang; Dumeha; Gunja; Lingkhi; Ringdo; Viza; डोवनिया
Population this Country 3,300
Population all Countries 3,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19194
ROP3 Code 115491
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)
Location in Country Approximately 3,000 members of the Dowaniya community live in the north-east Indian state of Assam. They inhabit a number of different locations on the Assam plain, but many live in the district of Sibsagar, a short distance from the Brahmaputra River.   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
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)
Location in Country Approximately 3,000 members of the Dowaniya community live in the north-east Indian state of Assam. They inhabit a number of different locations on the Assam plain, but many live in the district of Sibsagar, a short distance from the Brahmaputra River..   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Total States 1
  Assam 3,300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
100.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Assamese (1,300 speakers)
Language Code asm   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Hindi
100
Primary Language Assamese (1,300 speakers)
Language Code asm   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 100
People Groups Speaking Assamese

Primary Language:  Assamese

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1822-1974)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-1993)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1833-2022)
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
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Assamese Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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 Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Assamese YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Assamese Bible (অসমীয়া বাইবেল) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Assamese Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Assamese YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Assamese Bible Kalaam Media Ltd
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Assamese Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Online New Testament (Bibles India) Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Rita Willaert - Flickr  Creative Commons 
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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