Kunbi Khedule in India

Introduction / History

The Kunbi (alternate names of Reddi and Desai) are a farming community. Traditionally the Reddy belong to the fourth of the Hindu Varnas, Sudra. This is the servant group. One of their subgroups is the Kedule Kunbi.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The majority of the Kunbi communities are non-vegetarian, and all the communities take rice as their staple cereal. Jowar, wheat, bajra and ragi are the other grains they eat. Both men and women smoke a homemade cheroot (chutta) which results in a high incidence of mouth and throat cancer.

The Khedule Kunbi community have social divisions such as clans, lineage, subcastes and sects. These social divisions regulate marital alliances. The Khedule Kunbi allow for cross-cousin marriages. They allow widows to remarry. Being a dominant community, they are often landlords and landholders. Those less fortunate are paid laborers. Social control is regulated through traditional caste and village councils.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Khedule Kunbi are Hindu by faith and worship many deities. Their main festivals are Ugadi, Akshade and Dussehra. They play bhajans and kirtans.

What Are Their Needs?

The Khedule Kunbi fear Christianity as an invading religious system that will take their families and communities away from their traditional ways. They need open hearts and open minds to allow the King of kings to bless their families.

Prayer Points

Pray for the salvation of the Khedule Kunbi people and that God may send several Christian workers to work among them and meet their spiritual and physical needs.
Pray for the Kunbi Christians to reach out to their own people.
Pray for a spiritual hunger that will lead them to the cross and the empty grave for answers.

Text Source:   Joshua Project