Mahali 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 word Mahli means bamboo. The Mahli are a scheduled tribe.

They live in Odisha, Bihar and West Bengal. They speak Hindi or Bengali.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They mainly do basket work for a living. Some of them work in agriculture. The Mahli of Bihar speak Sadri and read and write in Devanagari. They are not vegetarians and eat rice, maize and wheat as cereals. They have a community council to look after their needs. Their literacy level is low so the gospel will need to be given in oral form.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mahali 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 Mahali people need a John 10:10 blessing: The abundant life Jesus offers those who are willing to submit to his lordship.


Prayer Points

Pray that the the council leaders come to Jesus Christ and lead others to Him.

Pray that gospel recordings will lead them to salvation.


Scripture Prayers for the Mahali in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Mahali
People Name in Country Mahali
Alternate Names महाली
Population this Country 101,000
Population all Countries 101,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 20711
ROP3 Code 117139
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 2
Largest States
West Bengal
92,000
Assam
9,200
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 2
  West Bengal 92,000
  Assam 9,200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.04 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
3.65 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
93.40 %
Islam
0.19 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
2.70 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (36,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 38
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Sadri
35,000
Santhali
11,000
Mahali
4,500
Hindi
2,400
Maithili
400
Kudmali
200
Nepali
100
Kurux
100
Bhojpuri
80
Sindhi
70
Sora
40
Odia
20
Munda
20
Sanskrit
20
Boro (India)
20
Primary Language Bengali (36,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 38
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Sadri 35,000
  Santhali 11,000
  Mahali 4,500
  Hindi 2,400
  Maithili 400
  Kudmali 200
  Nepali 100
  Kurux 100
  Bhojpuri 80
  Sindhi 70
  Sora 40
  Odia 20
  Munda 20
  Sanskrit 20
  Boro (India) 20
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
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
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General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
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
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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
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General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
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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: Bengali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Bangla Version Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible App: Bengali Bible (Common Language Version) Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Android Bible App: Bengali Bible (বাঙালি বাইবেল) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bengali Mussolmani Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kitabul Muqaddas (Bangla) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: পবিত্র বাইবেল (Holy Bible) General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Bengali Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bangla Bible Kalaam Media Ltd
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bengali YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
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 Bengali Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Online New Testament (Bibles India) Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
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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