Jat (Hindu traditions) 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 Jats are not a homogeneous ethnic group living in a particular area and speaking a single language. Rather, they are a people who live scattered around the world among several ethnic groups, yet retain their own identity. This distinction is often based on occupation and heritage.


Where Are they Located?

The Jats are primarily located in northwestern India and southern Pakistan, although there are also significant communities in Maldives, Russia, and Ukraine.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Overall, the Jats have a very good self image. "Men may come and men may go, but I go on forever," is a well known Jat proverb. They are brave, hardworking people who possess both the desire and ability to rule. It has been said that no Jat wants to be ruled. Rather, he desires to have power over a group, if not over an area.

Known for their military prowess, many Jats were recruited into the British-India army during World War I. Before that, they served as fighters in the Persian army. Today, the Jats are well read, and some occupy high positions in academic and technical arenas.

In India and Pakistan, the Jats are usually either farmers or nomadic herdsmen. Different tribes of nomads raise different types of animals. Because they value thriftiness and diligence, the Jats are often regarded as miserly. The settled Jat farmers grow cereals such as wheat, maize, and millet. They also raise sugarcane as a cash crop. Fruits, vegetables, and rice are grown in certain areas. The basic diet of peasant Jats consists of unleavened bread and curry, seasonal vegetables, ghee (a type of butter), and milk.

Conservative by nature, the Jats rarely marry people from other ethnic groups. Great pride is placed in their ancestry. In fact, all the Jats in a particular village consider themselves to be the descendants of the man whom they believe founded it by the power of the sword.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Jats are either Muslims, Hindus, or Sikhs. The Jats living in Pakistan, Russia, and Ukraine are primarily Muslim; while the great majority of the Jats in India are Hindu.

The Muslim Jats are Sunnis of the Hanafi school, but are known to have a strong tradition of worshiping many local saints. The Hindu Jats adhere to the traditional practices, as well as a wide variety of additional beliefs and practices.


What Are Their Needs?

The Jats who live in India and Pakistan need clean drinking water and proper health care facilities. Christian medical teams and humanitarian aid workers are needed to work among them and show them God's love in practical ways.

Most of the Jat believers live in India. Missionaries, Christian broadcasts, and evangelistic literature are needed to effectively reach the Jats with the Light of the Gospel.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth additional laborers to work among the Jats.
Pray that Christian doctors, nurses, and humanitarian aid workers will have opportunities to share the love of Jesus.
Ask God to save key leaders who will boldly proclaim the Gospel to their own people.
Pray that churches and missions organizations will accept the challenge of adopting and reaching the Jats.
Ask the Lord to bring forth growing churches among the Jats for the glory of His name!


Scripture Prayers for the Jat (Hindu traditions) in India.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Jat (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Jat (Hindu traditions)
Pronunciation jot
Alternate Names Jacak; Jachak; Jati; Jatu; Jaut; Jhat; Jit; Langah; Marth; Musali; Nath; जाट, (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 16,047,000
Population all Countries 16,202,000
Total Countries 4
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 321
People ID 12329
ROP3 Code 104206
ROP25 Code 303344
ROP25 Name Jat
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 33
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Rajasthan
5,384,000
Haryana
3,853,000
Uttar Pradesh
3,674,000
Punjab
2,944,000
Delhi
2,084,000
Jammu and Kashmir
270,000
Madhya Pradesh
239,000
Chandigarh
233,000
Himachal Pradesh
134,000
Uttarakhand
132,000
Maharashtra
131,000
West Bengal
45,000
Gujarat
22,000
Bihar
19,000
Jharkhand
18,000
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 33  (only 20 largest shown)
  Rajasthan 5,384,000
  Haryana 3,853,000
  Uttar Pradesh 3,674,000
  Punjab 2,944,000
  Delhi 2,084,000
  Jammu and Kashmir 270,000
  Madhya Pradesh 239,000
  Chandigarh 233,000
  Himachal Pradesh 134,000
  Uttarakhand 132,000
  Maharashtra 131,000
  West Bengal 45,000
  Gujarat 22,000
  Bihar 19,000
  Jharkhand 18,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.03 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.84 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.13 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Hindi (10,904,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 52
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Punjabi, Eastern
3,904,000
Marwari
1,530,000
Dhundari
882,000
Haryanvi
696,000
Shekhawati
412,000
Mewari
226,000
Bagri
220,000
Dogri
98,000
Braj Bhasha
56,000
Sindhi
38,000
Kangri
38,000
Garhwali
34,000
Punjabi, Western
25,000
Marathi
25,000
Kashmiri
25,000
Primary Language Hindi (10,904,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 52
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Punjabi, Eastern 3,904,000
  Marwari 1,530,000
  Dhundari 882,000
  Haryanvi 696,000
  Shekhawati 412,000
  Mewari 226,000
  Bagri 220,000
  Dogri 98,000
  Braj Bhasha 56,000
  Sindhi 38,000
  Kangri 38,000
  Garhwali 34,000
  Punjabi, Western 25,000
  Marathi 25,000
  Kashmiri 25,000
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Audio Recordings DAVAR Partners recording, Old Testament DAVAR Partners International
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 Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Hindi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
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
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Photo Source Anonymous  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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