Sansi 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 known history of the Sansi dates to their defeat in the Moghul Wars, which took place between the 1500s and the 1700s. When they lost their lands in these wars, the Sansi began to roam northern India and became known as a wandering community. They were forced to beg for food. To survive, some adopted habits such as stealing and cattle rustling, and became known as criminals during colonial days. The Sansi were under the Criminal Tribes Act during the British rule of India, and it was a source of disgrace for their community. That stigma is with them today making life difficult for them. In 1952 they were released from this stigma, at least on the government record books. They are sometimes shunned by other communities, giving them a reason to withdraw from outsiders.
Their language is endangered because they only speak it among themselves, and there are so few of them. Sansi people are considered a very low caste. Most of them are Hindus, and they live in Rajasthan and Punjab states.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Some Sansi are landless farmers and day laborers while others sell alcoholic drinks. Some of their children work in shops. A small number are nomadic. Unfortunately, most of the Sansi live in poverty. They have a low literacy level, so the gospel will need to be presented in oral form. They are secluded from other communities partly because they are rejected as criminals, and partly as a way of defending themselves from outsiders. They have a caste council to look after their needs and to settle disputes among them. Government designs to settle them in one place have been thwarted by their continual habit of selling or bartering any land that is given to them.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Sansi 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 Sansi people need opportunities to get better education so they can improve their economic lives.


Prayer Points

Pray for a move of the Holy Spirit to transform Hindu Sansi communities so they will have life to the full.
Pray that the Lord will call workers as gentle as doves but as sly as foxes to be able to identify with the Sansi people and share the way to eternal and abundant life with these precious black sheep.
Pray for spiritual hunger and discernment among Sansi people.


Scripture Prayers for the Sansi in India.


References


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Sansi
People Name in Country Sansi
Alternate Names सांसी
Population this Country 9,100
Population all Countries 9,100
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 21498
ROP3 Code 117184
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 3
Largest States
Punjab
4,700
Rajasthan
3,100
Haryana
1,300
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 3
  Punjab 4,700
  Rajasthan 3,100
  Haryana 1,300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.74 %
Islam
0.26 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sansi (5,500 speakers)
Language Code ssi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
Punjabi, Eastern
1,600
Wagdi
400
Haryanvi
300
Marwari (India)
300
Primary Language Sansi (5,500 speakers)
Language Code ssi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 5
Secondary Languages
  Punjabi, Eastern 1,600
  Wagdi 400
  Haryanvi 300
  Marwari (India) 300
People Groups Speaking Sansi

Primary Language:  Sansi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2017)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sansi Jesus Film Project
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Sansi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Sansi YouVersion Bibles
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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