Acharya Brahmin 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 surname Acharya or Acharyya is a Brahmin sub-caste (jati) whose main occupation was educating and teaching the sacred texts of Hinduism. Acharya is also a title, honorific or upadhi given to spiritual teachers. They are sometimes referred to as a sub-caste of warrior Brahmins. Some well-known mythological mentions are Dronacharya and Kripacharya from the Mahabharata and Shukracharya from Ramayana.

Acharyas are considered upper caste and have been able to take advantage of education and job opportunities and other human resource development services or infrastructure. During the British Raj, owing to their reputation as upper caste and educated, Brahmins took advantage of Western education and job opportunities in the colonial state.

The sacred thread is common for all men of Brahmin and other Dwija or twice-born castes. The specific prayer items used by the Acharyas are determined by the type of ritual, the state that they live in, and their linguistic community. For example, rituals and prayer items of Bengali Acharyas will differ slightly from the customs and artefacts of Tamil, Odiya or Tripuri Acharyas.

They are primarily located in the Indian states of West Bengal and Bihar, but they also have pockets in Andhra Pradesh and Kashmir.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In India, caste and class may or may not intersect, meaning Brahmins may be economically wealthy but this is not always the case. They are not considered a disadvantaged caste in India.

They still have good educational opportunities which give them a big advantage in the job market. Acharyas are found in many occupations including academics and research, music and arts, engineering, medicine, government administration, etc. In West Bengal, their occupation is not necessarily strictly dictated by their caste.

Traditionally they had practiced caste endogamy and gotra (clan) exogamy like other castes. Today such caste rules are relatively lax, an effect of modernization, secularization and urbanization among other possible factors.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Acharyas practice Hinduism which is an umbrella term for a diverse belief system. Depending on the state and the local sub-caste or jati structure, they may have different beliefs, practices, customs and rituals. Generally, rituals they practice include the birth ceremony, sacred thread ceremony, marriage rituals and funeral rites.

Hindu temples play a central role in their spiritual lives, serving as places for worship and community gatherings. They also emphasize the study of sacred texts, including the Vedas and Upanishads, which guide their spiritual and moral principles.


What Are Their Needs?

They need to put all their faith in Jesus Christ so he can be free to give them the abundant life he offers those who follow him. As it stands, Jesus is hardly on their radar screen.


Prayer Points

Pray for a spiritual hunger that will not be satisfied until they meet the Risen Christ. Pray that gospel materials will lead them to discovery Bible studies. Pray for the Lord to thrust out the right people as Christ bearers to the Acharya Brahmin community.


Scripture Prayers for the Brahmin Acharya in India.


References

https://academic.oup.com/book/27563
https://www.quora.com/Acharya-surname-is-in-which-caste
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acharya_(surname)


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Brahmin Acharya
People Name in Country Brahmin Acharya
Natural Name Acharya Brahmin
Alternate Names Acharya; Andhra Vaishnava/Pancharathra Srivaishnava; Brahman (Bengali) of West Bengal; Brahman Terai; Brahmin (Bengali) of West Bengal; Brahmin Terai; Daivajna; Ganak; Graha Bipra; Maha-Brahman; Maha-Brahmin; Maha-Pandit; Maha-Patra; Sakadwipi Brahman; Sakadwipi Brahmin; ब्रामिन, शराइया
Population this Country 83,000
Population all Countries 83,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 19926
ROP3 Code 115695
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 6
Largest States
West Bengal
74,000
Jammu and Kashmir
4,300
Bihar
3,900
Andhra Pradesh
500
Telangana
300
Ladakh
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 6
  West Bengal 74,000
  Jammu and Kashmir 4,300
  Bihar 3,900
  Andhra Pradesh 500
  Telangana 300
  Ladakh 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
100.00 %
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 Bengali (49,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
Hindi
19,000
Kashmiri
2,200
Bhojpuri
1,200
Punjabi, Eastern
700
Maithili
500
Tamil
400
Telugu
200
Dogri
200
Marathi
100
Primary Language Bengali (49,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 19,000
  Kashmiri 2,200
  Bhojpuri 1,200
  Punjabi, Eastern 700
  Maithili 500
  Tamil 400
  Telugu 200
  Dogri 200
  Marathi 100
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

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Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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Photo Source Anonymous 
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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