Deshastha 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 Deshastha Brahmins live in west central India. Their history goes back over three thousand years ago and to the time of the writing of the Vedas, the most ancient Hindu scriptures. Their name means "residents of the country." The Deshastha have a long history of Hindu philosophers, scholars, saints and famous priests. During the Maratha Empire (1647-1818) the Deshastha served as the leading priests, administrators and military officers of the realm.
The Deshastha speak Marathi in their homes. As educated Indians they also speak Hindi, English and other regional Indian languages.
The great majority of the Deshastha Brahmins live Maharashtra. Some also live in the Indian states of Karnataka, Gujarat and other regions of India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Today the Deshastha officiate at the main Hindu temples of the Indian state of Maharashtra. They continue their role as Hindu priests, scholars and professors of religion. Some Deshastha have taken white-collar jobs as accountants, scientists, and mathematicians and in public administration.
Deshastha Brahmins live at the highest levels of Indian society. They strongly encourage their children to attain graduate degrees in universities. Most now live in urban centers but some still live in villages where they are the priests and accountants. Some Deshastha hold large tracts of land that is tilled by members of lower castes.
The Deshastha are endogamous, that is they marry only within their own group or caste. They are vegetarians although some young people in the cities have taken to eating meat except for beef.
Families arrange marriages with the consent of the young people. They allow cousin marriages. Babies receive their names from their father's sister.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They take pride in their Hindu heritage and are among the most devout Hindus in the nation. Some worship Vishnu as the supreme god. Ganesha and his festival, Ganesh Chaturthi, is the main holiday of the year. The Deshastha eat special foods and put a clay image of Ganesha or their family god into a river or the sea. Each Deshastha family has its own household shrine and patron deity. They offer food and incense to their gods at their private shrine and at public temples.
Others are attracted to the philosophical version of Hinduism. Such people often don’t worship any of the Hindu gods.


What Are Their Needs?

The Deshastha Brahmins must see themselves as sinners in need of a savior. They need to realize that the gods of Hinduism will not forgive their sins or grant them eternal life. They need to see that the Bible not the Vedas is the inspired Word of God. They need to see true Christianity lived out before them.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to bless the Deshantha Brahmins in such a way they cannot deny his sovereignty and goodness.
Pray for members of this community to accept Christ’s ambassadors and listen to them.
Pray for Deshantha Brahmin disciples who will make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Brahmin Deshastha in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deshastha_Brahmin


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Brahmin Deshastha
People Name in Country Brahmin Deshastha
Natural Name Deshastha Brahmin
Pronunciation DAY-shuh-stuh BRAH-min
Alternate Names Atharian; Debra; Desattha Brahman; Desattha Brahmin; Deshastha Brahman; Deshastha Brahmin; Deshi; Madhva; Rigvedi; Smartha; Smartha Brahman; Smartha Brahmin; Yajurvedi; ब्रामिन, देशास्ता
Population this Country 634,000
Population all Countries 634,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 13
PeopleID3 19939
ROP3 Code 115712
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 15
Largest States
Maharashtra
465,000
Karnataka
73,000
Gujarat
32,000
Tamil Nadu
18,000
Madhya Pradesh
18,000
Telangana
10,000
Delhi
10,000
Chhattisgarh
3,100
Goa
3,000
Andhra Pradesh
700
Kerala
500
Daman and Diu
90
Rajasthan
60
Dadra and Nagar Have
60
West Bengal
50
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 15
  Maharashtra 465,000
  Karnataka 73,000
  Gujarat 32,000
  Tamil Nadu 18,000
  Madhya Pradesh 18,000
  Telangana 10,000
  Delhi 10,000
  Chhattisgarh 3,100
  Goa 3,000
  Andhra Pradesh 700
  Kerala 500
  Daman and Diu 90
  Rajasthan 60
  Dadra and Nagar Have 60
  West Bengal 50
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 Marathi (377,000 speakers)
Language Code mar   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
Hindi
60,000
Kannada
49,000
Konkani
28,000
Gujarati
27,000
Tamil
9,300
Khandesi
7,400
Konkani, Goan
3,400
Telugu
1,000
Chhattisgarhi
400
Kacchi
200
Nimadi
50
Primary Language Marathi (377,000 speakers)
Language Code mar   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 12
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 60,000
  Kannada 49,000
  Konkani 28,000
  Gujarati 27,000
  Tamil 9,300
  Khandesi 7,400
  Konkani, Goan 3,400
  Telugu 1,000
  Chhattisgarhi 400
  Kacchi 200
  Nimadi 50
People Groups Speaking Marathi

Primary Language:  Marathi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1807-1957)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1982)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1821-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Marathi Literacy & Evangelism International
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Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Didi - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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