Dhankar Dhanuk in Nepal


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 Dhanuk name could have come from a number of ancient words. One of these is the word for grain, another means "archer" and a third word refers to a bow-like instrument for carding cotton. Each of these refers to a particular job they had. They might have been the caste that cleaned grain, one that cleaned cotton, or those who were bowmen. There are only theories about their origin. One anthropologist thought they were a caste that served higher castes, not only by the tasks referred to already, but also as farm workers, water gatherers, musicians, basket-makers or palanquin-bearers. All of these are tasks that belong to the low status caste. The Dhankar are one of the subgroups of the Dhanuk community.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Dhanuks do not marry within the clan nor do they practice cross-cousin marriage. In most of the cases, the parents seek a spouse for their offspring. They have a dowry system. They perform rites of birth, death and marriage. A pregnant Dhankar woman is kept in a separate home to arrange assistance from a midwife from the low status Chamar community. They make the baby cry as soon as he/she is born. The baby is given the milk of a goat to drink. Dhanuk homes are plastered with mud and built-in clusters in the river basins and edges of forests. In rural areas they have their own institutions to manage tribal reconciliation and settlement of disputes. Those who do not abide by rules are expelled from the ethnic group. Since they dwell in the river basins and the edges of forests, they fish and practice animal husbandry. Some Dhanuks are landowners, but many are absolutely landless. These landless ones earn their livelihood by working as agricultural laborers and household servants.


They are Hindus who also worship their own local deities.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Dhankar Dhanuk in Nepal are Hindu only. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia. 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. They believe they drive out ghosts by putting the branches of jujube and unwanted shoes at the main gate of their homes.


What Are Their Needs?

Although the New Testament, Bible portions, audio, and the JESUS Film exist in the Maithiali language of this people group, they remain unreached with the gospel. Who will tell them?


Prayer Points

Pray that when Lord Jesus opens the way for Bible resources to reach and be presented to Dhankar Dhanuk people in Nepal. Pray they will respond and accept payment of the penalty for their sins already made by Jesus. Pray that true believers will move near these people and tell them the way to eternal life, making disciples who will make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Dhanuk Dhankar in Nepal.


References

https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/dhanuk/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Dhanuk Dhankar
People Name in Country Dhanuk Dhankar
Natural Name Dhankar Dhanuk
Pronunciation duh-HAHN-kur duh-hahn-UK
Alternate Names धानुक ढनकार
Population this Country 7,300
Population all Countries 90,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 21135
ROP3 Code 117958
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 2
Largest States
Sagarmatha
4,300
Janakpur
3,000
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 2
  Sagarmatha 4,300
  Janakpur 3,000
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 Nepal census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Maithili (6,200 speakers)
Language Code mai   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Magahi
100
Primary Language Maithili (6,200 speakers)
Language Code mai   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Magahi 100
People Groups Speaking Maithili

Primary Language:  Maithili

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2010)
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 Maithili Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
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 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 Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
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: Maithili YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Maithili Bible General / Other
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Maithili YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Maithili Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Saurabh Chatterjee - 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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