Ravidas Chamar (Sikh traditions) in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Other / Small (Sikhism)
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 Ravidas are part of a subgroup of Chamar. Chamars represent the largest population of low caste communities in India. Their traditional occupation is that of leather worker. Within the Ravidas subgroup, most are Hindu. There is a small Sikh population among them. Most of the Sikh Ravidas Chamar live in Punjab, Haryana. Smaller numbers are in other northern states.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Ravidas make shoes, belts and other goods from leather. Some Sikh Ravidas have left their former occupation to weave bamboo into baskets and other useful items. Still others work as landless laborers on tea plantations and farms.
Unfortunately, illiteracy is an issue for the Sikh Ravidas. Without a proper education, they have little opportunity to escape their lives of poverty and exclusion.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.
One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They worship their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.
There are roughly the same number of Sikhs as there are Jews in the world, but Sikhs are most concentrated in Punjab, their homeland. However, you will find smaller numbers of Sikhs all over the world. Many of the best Indian restaurants in the West are owned and operated by Sikhs.


What Are Their Needs?

The lives of the Ravidas Chamar, like the lives of all low caste communities, are challenging. They are excluded from many aspects of Indian life by their low classification. The Indian constitution outlaws the caste system, but it still ingrained in the hearts of the Hindus. Most Ravidas live in rural villages without the modern blessings of clean water, electricity and indoor plumbing.
The Ravidas marry within their caste. Their own priests lead important life ceremonies since Brahmins will not work with them. Families arrange marriages. Sons inherit property with most going to the eldest son. The newly married Ravidas couple lives with or near the groom's parents.
The main foods of the Ravidas Chamar are rice, sorghum and seasonable vegetables and fruit. The Ravidas are not vegetarians but as Hindus they will not eat beef.


Prayer Points

The Ravidas Chamar practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Their main gods are Vishnu, the preserver and Shiva, the destroyer. Hindus believe that by performing rituals and good works that they will attain moksha or freedom from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The Ravidas offer prayers, food, flowers and incense to their gods at their village shrines because as memebers from a lower class, they are often not allowed to enter standard Hindu temples.
The main yearly holidays of the Ravidas people are Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights and Navratri, the celebration of autumn.


Scripture Prayers for the Ravidas Chamar (Sikh traditions) in India.


References

The Ravidas Chamar have pressing needs. They need help in getting an education for their children. They need help in bringing clean water, electricity and indoor plumbing to their villages. Most of all, they need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Ravidas Chamar (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Ravidas Chamar (Sikh traditions)
Alternate Names Chamar; Chambhar; Chamehar; Golia; Harijan; Jata Chamar; Jatia; Jatia Chamar; Mandal; Mochi; Moci; Pikahi; Raidasi; Raigar; Raighar; Ramdasi; Ramdasia; Raudari; Ravidasi; Rehgar; Rohidas
Population this Country 25,000
Population all Countries 25,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 21812
ROP3 Code 118599
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 7
Largest States
Punjab
22,000
Jharkhand
2,100
Haryana
900
Uttar Pradesh
300
Rajasthan
100
Uttarakhand
50
Chhattisgarh
10
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 7
  Punjab 22,000
  Jharkhand 2,100
  Haryana 900
  Uttar Pradesh 300
  Rajasthan 100
  Uttarakhand 50
  Chhattisgarh 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small (Sikhism)
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
100.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (15,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
Hindi
6,500
Bengali
300
Haryanvi
90
Wagdi
20
Garhwali Chhattisgarhi
Mewari
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (15,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 8
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 6,500
  Bengali 300
  Haryanvi 90
  Wagdi 20
  Garhwali 10
  Chhattisgarhi 10
  Mewari 10
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
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 DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
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 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 Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
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 direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible App: Punjabi Bible (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਬਾਈਬਲ) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Punjabi Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Open Bible Stories (Punjabi) Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Punjabi Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Eastern Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
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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