The Desil are a tiny Muslim community living in the Kashmiri Valley. They have other backward caste status, meaning their status is not high or low.
Most of them cultivate fields. The more fortunate Desil own land, others are sharecroppers. Desil boys begin making bricks at age five. By the time they are in their teens they begin practicing their trade, be it masonry, carpentry or agriculture.
They are very traditional when it comes to family and marriage practices. Family elders determine who marries who, and there is a dowry payment due at the wedding. They can marry someone from a different community, so long as that person is a Muslim and has equal status to the Desil community.
Married women do not contribute to the family income. Instead, she focuses on household duties and rearing children. Children are given much affection while elders are respected.
These Muslims attend weddings and birth and death events with Buddhist and Hindu people. But when one of their own is about to die, that person must utter the name of Allah before their final passing.
These Sunni Muslims visit shrines and sacred places. They believe these visits will gain them the favor of Muslim saints who can intercede for them before Allah. Since few if any of them understand the Classical Arabic of their holy book, the Koran, they blend Islam with other beliefs. Commonly Muslims in India blend Hindu practices with Islam. They might use good luck charms and amulets, which are not part of Islamic beliefs.
The Desil people need the Holy Spirit to direct them into a loving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Pray for Desil culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among their family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a disciple making movement among the Desil people.
Pray that soon the Desil people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the savior.
Scripture Prayers for the Desil in India.
People of India, Vol 25. K.S. Singh. 2003
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Desil |
People Name in Country | Desil |
Alternate Names | Gilka; Gilkar; Hilka; देसिल |
Population this Country | 1,500 |
Population all Countries | 1,500 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 16684 |
ROP3 Code | 111905 |
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) | ||
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 | 1 |
Jammu and Kashmir 1,400 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
100.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Kashmiri (1,200 speakers) | |||
Language Code | kas Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||
Total Languages | 2 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Kashmiri (1,200 speakers) |
Language Code | kas Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 2 |
Secondary Languages | |
Bhadrawahi 70 | |
People Groups | Speaking Kashmiri |
Primary Language: Kashmiri
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1813-1954) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1813-2000) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1899-2011) |
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 | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation | Create International |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Kashmiri | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Magdalena 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 | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
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. |