Tharu 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

Traditionally the Tharu tribe lived in the forests of central India where they hunted wild game, fished and gathered food. They also practiced agriculture. They would clear a plot and farm it until the land became unproductive, then repeat the process elsewhere.

They have their own language called Tharu or Tharuhati. Most live in Nepal’s Terai region, but some are in India where they reside in the states of West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Tharu have their own forms of folk music, dancing and traditions. They build their homes from bamboo and mud. Most of their food involves rice, lentils and vegetables. They are not vegetarian, however.

With deforestation, the Tharu people have had to leave the forests and adapt to a new lifestyle. This usually involves being a day laborer or a small time farmer. They have organized their communities to fight back against being displaced.


What Are Their Beliefs?

They have their own gods and follow a Bharra (shaman). Besides the Bharra, who treats their diseases, the village headman, bhalamansa, and the Desi-Mahajan—a moneylender—are important people within the village.


What Are Their Needs?

The Tharu people need to be given the chance to hear the life-changing gospel so they can enjoy life to the full.


Prayer Points

Pray for loving gospel workers to catch a vision for reaching the Tharu people for Jesus and that in God's sovereign timing the hearts of these people would be open and ready to follow him.

Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly.

Pray for the spiritual lives of the Tharu people to become fruitful so others will be drawn to Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Tharu in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tharu
People Name in Country Tharu
Pronunciation TAH-roo
Alternate Names Kathoriya; Kathoriya Tharu; Mahatos; Mahatu; Tharu Rana; थारू
Population this Country 540,000
Population all Countries 2,314,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 3  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
People ID 15464
ROP3 Code 110011
ROP25 Code 308118
ROP25 Name Tharu
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 21
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Bihar
190,000
Uttar Pradesh
125,000
Uttarakhand
108,000
Assam
61,000
West Bengal
32,000
Sikkim
18,000
Arunachal Pradesh
1,300
Manipur
1,000
Meghalaya
800
Maharashtra
500
Madhya Pradesh
400
Himachal Pradesh
200
Jharkhand
200
Punjab
60
Chandigarh
50
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 21  (only 20 largest shown)
  Bihar 190,000
  Uttar Pradesh 125,000
  Uttarakhand 108,000
  Assam 61,000
  West Bengal 32,000
  Sikkim 18,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 1,300
  Manipur 1,000
  Meghalaya 800
  Maharashtra 500
  Madhya Pradesh 400
  Himachal Pradesh 200
  Jharkhand 200
  Punjab 60
  Chandigarh 50
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.09 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
1.47 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.10 %
Islam
0.27 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
0.05 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bhojpuri (159,000 speakers)
Language Code bho   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 38
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Hindi
108,000
Nepali
80,000
Kumaoni
50,000
Tharu, Kathariya
36,000
Tharu, Rana
8,800
Buksa
6,300
Bengali
3,300
Tai Long
1,000
Awadhi
700
Maithili
600
Chin, Thado
200
Urdu
100
Garhwali
100
Tharu, Mid-Eastern
70
Punjabi, Eastern
70
Primary Language Bhojpuri (159,000 speakers)
Language Code bho   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 38
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Hindi 108,000
  Nepali 80,000
  Kumaoni 50,000
  Tharu, Kathariya 36,000
  Tharu, Rana 8,800
  Buksa 6,300
  Bengali 3,300
  Tai Long 1,000
  Awadhi 700
  Maithili 600
  Chin, Thado 200
  Urdu 100
  Garhwali 100
  Tharu, Mid-Eastern 70
  Punjabi, Eastern 70
People Groups Speaking Bhojpuri

Primary Language:  Bhojpuri

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1911-1982)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1998-2007)
Bible-Complete No
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 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 Jesus Film: view in Bhojpuri Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime 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 Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
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: Bhojpuri YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Bhojpuri YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Bhojpuri Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Anonymous 
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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