Ambalavasi in Sri Lanka


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

It is estimated that the first inhabitants arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century B.C., from northern India. Buddhism was introduced circa 250 B.C. In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty established a Tamil kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. The Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the island in the 16th century and the Dutch in the 17th century. The island was united under British rule by 1815. It became independent in 1948 with the name of Ceylon; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in 1972.

Though there are two major ethnic groups in Sri Lanka, there are smaller ones as well. The Hindu Ambalavsi people are one of the smaller ethnic groups of Sri Lanka.


Where Are they Located?

Sri Lanka is an island country lying in the Indian Ocean, not far from southern India. The Ambalavasi people live in southern India as well as Sri Lanka.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Ambalavasi people live in rural areas. They grow tea, sugar, cinnamon, and rubber as sources of income. Often they supplement their income by producing textiles. Many who are city dwellers work in tourism. The Ambalavasi people primarily speak, read and write in Malayalam. There are many believers who speak this language in southern India. Many Christian resources are available in Malayalam, including the complete Bible, audio Bible, and the JESUS Film.

The Agamudaiyan people favor cross-cousin marriages, and they avoid marrying individuals outside of their ethnic group. Upon the death of the father, property goes to the sons, the oldest son being in charge of the estate. Unlike many Hindu groups they bury their dead rather than cremate them. They have traditional caste councils that settle disputes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Ambalavasi people are 100 percent Hindu. Many Sri Lankans view Christianity as foreign and evangelism as unethical. Information regarding the specific Hindu practices of the Ambalavasi people are not unavailable. In general, Hindus are pragmatic in their spiritual beliefs, offering worship to gods in exchange for benefits rather than out of love or devotion.


What Are Their Needs?

Ambalavasi people who leave Sri Lanka to work abroad are subjected to hardships and abuses. Many women endure the risk to send money home. Their absence is very difficult on the children they leave behind. They need the opportunity to earn a good living in Sri Lanka.


Prayer Points

Pray that the hardships suffered by Ambalavasi people in Sri Lanka will give them the willingness to seek and find Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Pray against powers and principalities that heavily influence the very religious Ambalavasi culture.
Pray for a mighty disciple making movement among the Ambalavasi people in Sri Lanka.


Scripture Prayers for the Ambalavasi in Sri Lanka.


References

Profiles written by Karen Hightower of Global Prayer Digest
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16207/CE
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/16207/IN
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/Ambalavasi-People- in-Sri- Lanka/
https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Ambalavasi&item_type=topic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambalavasi
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=42017
http://wikivisually.com/wiki/Ambalavasi


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Ambalavasi
People Name in Country Ambalavasi
Pronunciation ahm-bah-lah-WAH-see
Alternate Names Adikal; Ahambadian; Ambalagar; Ambalakar; Ambalakaram; Ambalakarar; Ambalakarma; Cholanaickan; Kambalattan; Madi; Maravan; Muthurasa; Naidu; Naiker; Poduval; Sembanattu; Serviar; Terkittiyar; Thottia Naicks; Thottia Nayak; Thottiyan; Valayargal; Vallambar; अंबालवासी
Population this Country 16,000
Population all Countries 195,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 16207
ROP3 Code 111316
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 5
Largest States
Uva
5,900
Central
5,200
Eastern
3,300
Sabaragamuwa
1,000
Western
900
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 5
  Uva 5,900
  Central 5,200
  Eastern 3,300
  Sabaragamuwa 1,000
  Western 900
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
14.98 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
85.02 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Sri Lanka census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Tamil (16,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Tamil (16,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
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 General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
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 Tamil 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 Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
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
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
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: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Tamil Bible (தமிழ் பைபிள்) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Tamil Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Thekkemadomveekay - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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