Introduction / History

The name Kapali means fortunate. Many of the Kapali migrated to India from East Bengal which is now Bangladesh. The Kapali speak, read and write in Bengali, and some can also speak Hindi. They are not vegetarians, which indicates they do not have a high status as a Hindu community. Most of the Kapali of India live in West Bengal, but a smaller number live in nearby eastern states as well as Bangladesh.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Many are now working in shops as teachers and in government work. Some do office work. They use government benefit plans. They are exogamous, meaning they seek to marry outside their clan or group. While divorce is not permitted, remarriage is sometimes allowed. When the father dies, their sons inherit the property.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Kapali people, whether they live in India or Bangladesh, are Hindu. Hinduism is the ancient religion of South Asia. It involves temple worship but no set deities to worship. One can worship no god, one god, or many gods. Hinduism is flexible enough to include ancient animistic practices. One can even worship Jesus as one of the gods. Some would allow people to be "devotees" of Jesus so long as they don't "convert" to a different religious affiliation.

What Are Their Needs?

One of the primary concerns of Hindus is that they don't want to "convert" to another religious system. This is a challenge for anyone who wants to take the name of Christ to the Kapali community.

Prayer Items

Pray that God gives the Kapali dreams and visions, leading their communities to Jesus.
Pray that Indian believers will fervently and actively lead many to seek and discover the living Christ.
Pray for the widespread use of the many gospel materials available in the Bengali language, both written and oral, that they may reach and impact many.
Pray for Christians to adopt the Kapalis for regular prayer and outreach.

References

Scripture Prayers for the Kapali in India.