Garhwali Rajput 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 history of the Rajput Garhwali goes back over a thousand years in the region of the western Himalayas. A Garhwali kingdom existed from about 1200 to 1815 AD. The Garhwali were the rulers and the army officers of the kingdom. The word Rajput means "son of a ruler." The Garhwali are placed in the second highest caste of Hinduism, the Kshatriyas.

At the beginning of the 19th century the Gurkhas and British invaded their land and the Garhwali kingdom was subjected to British rule.

The Garhwali still join the Indian Army in high numbers. A large number of Garhwali are active in the Indian film and television industry. Many of India's finest athletes are Garhwali. Wealthy Garhwali own big businesses while the less wealthy farm their land and serve in government careers.

The primary language of the Garhwali is their language of Garhwali. It has over two million speakers. Many young Garhwali speak Hindi and English and do not use their traditional tongue except with family.


Where Are they Located?

The majority of the Garhwali live in the Indian state of Uttarakhand. Others are scattered over north and central India especially the Nation Capital Region of Delhi.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Since India became an independent nation 1947, the Rajput Garhwali have had to find other types of employment besides being landowners and the military. They encourage higher education for their sons and daughters.

Families arrange marriages with the consent of the young people. Like other Rajputs, the Garhwali like to marry others in the same caste. Sons inherit property upon their father's death. Brahmin priests perform important life events like birth, weddings and funerals. Garhwali dead are cremated.

Some Garhwali are strict vegetarians and others eat meat except for beef.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Garhwali consider themselves to be devout Hindus. They practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon and give special devotion to Shiva, the destroyer god and his wife, Durga, the warrior-mother goddess. Uttarakhand is noted for its many beautiful and impressive Hindu temples. The Garhwali hope that through rituals and good works to obtain the gods' favor and attain moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberty.

The Garhwali participate in the yearly Hindu holidays such as Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festivals of lights and Navratri, the celebration of autumn.


What Are Their Needs?

The Rajput Garhwali need to hear the life-changing message of the Jesus Christ in a way they are understand. They must come to see that their Hindu faith or wealth will not give them the love and spiritual prosperity they desire. They need to be humble enough to confess their sins and seek God's Savior, Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that God opens the hearts of the Garhwali to the truth of the Word of God.
Pray the Lord leads Indian Christians to reach out and share God's good news with the Garhwali.
Pray that the Lord wins many Garhwali to Himself and that Bible believing churches are planted in the Garhwali community.


Scripture Prayers for the Rajput Garhwali in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garhwali_people
joshuaproject.net/people_groups/20393/IN


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

The Rajputs

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Rajput Garhwali
People Name in Country Rajput Garhwali
Natural Name Garhwali Rajput
Pronunciation gar-WAH-lee RAHJ-put
Alternate Names राजपूत, गारहवाली
Population this Country 628,000
Population all Countries 628,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 13
PeopleID3 20392
ROP3 Code 116176
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)
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 1
  Uttarakhand 628,000
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 Garhwali (482,000 speakers)
Language Code gbm   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Hindi
75,000
Primary Language Garhwali (482,000 speakers)
Language Code gbm   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 75,000
People Groups Speaking Garhwali

Primary Language:  Garhwali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1876-1966)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1827-2021)
Bible-Complete No
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 Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Garhwali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
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 Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
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 Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Garhwali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Garhwali Bible Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Garhwali Bible Wycliffe Bible Translators
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Garhwali YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Roy Vargas 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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