Gharti in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Gharti, (or Bhujel) are a Hindu people who live in Nepal and India. They consider themselves an offshoot of the Indian Chetti. The Chetti are the warrior class of Nepal. The Chetti make up the famous Gurkhas soldiers who have served with distinction in the British Army. The Gharti served royal families and nobles as slaves, palanquin-bearers (an enclosed litter), and water-carriers. Traditionally, the men were palanquin-bearers and the women water-carriers, but today most labor on farms.

Illiteracy is a problem for the Gharti. Their children often must quit school early and work along side their parents in the fields. Most Gharti live in poverty without access to modern conveniences like electricity and indoor plumbing.
The primary languages of the Indian Gharti are Bengali and Nepali. Whole Bibles and the JESUS film are available in both languages.


Where Are they Located?

The large majority of the Gharti people live in Nepal, but smaller numbers are scattered throughout India. Most Indian Gharti live in the states West Bengal, Sikkim and Assam.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Gharti are part of the Sudra, the fourth caste of manual laborers. Most Gharti work in agriculture today. Some own land but others labor on land owned by higher castes. Most live in multi-caste, rural villages. Some sell handmade items such as bamboo mats and baskets at markets. They sell vegetables and fruit they grow in family plots of land.

The Gharti marry within their group. Families arrange marriages with the consent of the young people. Sons inherit property with the eldest son becoming the head of the family upon the death of his father. Gharti hire Brahmin priests to perform at important family rituals such as births, weddings and funerals.

In additions to being farm workers, some Gharti men are employed as security guards and shopkeepers. Some women work as domestics for wealthy people.

The main foods of the Gharti are rice, wheat, vegetables and fruit. They are not vegetarians but as Hindus they do not eat beef. Meat and fish are often reserved for holidays and festivals.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The primary religion practiced by the Gharti is Hinduism, the predominant religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent. The Gharti people, for example, worship Hindu deities such as Kali, Lakshmi and Kanchyaga. 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 Gharti visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers and incense to their gods. There are many forms of Hinduism, each with its own deities and beliefs. The main yearly holidays of the Gharti people are Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights, Navratri, the celebration of autumn and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.

There is a tiny number of Gharti who have become believers.


What Are Their Needs?

The Gharti need help in educating their children so that they can escape their cycle of poverty. The Gharti need to learn new job skills so that they can become a part of modern India. Most of all the Gharti need to hear and understand the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ who alone can forgive their sin and give them new life.


Prayer Points

Pray for gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Gharti people in India for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing their hearts would be open and ready to follow Him.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended Gharti families so the gospel will spread rapidly among this people group in both India and Nepal.
Pray for the spiritual lives of the Gharti people to become fruitful as they follow Christ.
Pray for the lives and culture of the Gharti people to evidence the rule and reign of the Kingdom of God as they open to the gospel, and for the beauty of Jesus to be seen in them.


Scripture Prayers for the Gharti in India.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11879/IN
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/11879/NP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gharti


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Gharti
People Name in Country Gharti
Alternate Names Bhujel; Gharati; Khawas; Western Chepang; घार्ती
Population this Country 27,000
Population all Countries 164,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 11879
ROP3 Code 103332
ROP25 Code 302672
ROP25 Name Gharti
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 16
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
West Bengal
17,000
Sikkim
5,100
Assam
4,000
Uttarakhand
90
Uttar Pradesh
60
Himachal Pradesh
40
Tripura
40
Madhya Pradesh
30
Maharashtra
30
Jharkhand
20
Chandigarh
20
Andaman and Nicobar
20
Meghalaya
20
Punjab
10
Manipur
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 16
  West Bengal 17,000
  Sikkim 5,100
  Assam 4,000
  Uttarakhand 90
  Uttar Pradesh 60
  Himachal Pradesh 40
  Tripura 40
  Madhya Pradesh 30
  Maharashtra 30
  Jharkhand 20
  Chandigarh 20
  Andaman and Nicobar 20
  Meghalaya 20
  Punjab 10
  Manipur 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.95 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.36 %)
3.90 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
95.15 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (12,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Nepali
10,000
Hindi
600
Bhujel
300
Primary Language Bengali (12,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Nepali 10,000
  Hindi 600
  Bhujel 300
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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 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 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 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
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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