Dhobi (Hindu traditions) 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

The Dhobis of South Asia are a fairly large people group of approximately 15 million who live in South Central Asia. The majority of Dhobis are Hindus. Smaller groups are Muslims and Sikhs. The Hindu Dhobis live in five nations including Sri Lanka. Traditionally, the Dhobis have been washers of clothes. As more and more upper caste South Asians purshase washing machines, the Dhobis' livelihood is disappearing. Upper caste Hindus look down on the Dhobis. In the rigid Hindu caste system, young Dhobis could only follow in the occupation of their parents. Most Dhobis are unable to read and write. Today, as the Dhobis are becoming more educated, they are gaining new job skills so they can begin to escape their cycle of poverty.

The main language of the Sri Lankan Dhobis is Tamil. Many Christian resources, including the whole Bible, are available in Tamil. Only a tiny fraction of the Sri Lankan Dhobis is Christians.


Where Are they Located?

The vast majority of Hindu Dhobis live in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. A small fraction of the Hindu Dhobis lives in Sri Lanka. Most of the Dhobis reside in the Central, Uva and Sabaragamuva states of Sri Lanka.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The vast majority of the Sri Lankan Dhobis live at the poverty level. The small amount of money they receive for washing and ironing clothes provides barely enough money for them to buy rice and vegetables. They are not vegetarians but can buy meat only for special occasions. As Hindus, they will not eat beef.

When a Dhobi girl marries, her dowry usually contains just a few items, but almost always an iron for her to iron clothes. After the men wash the customers' clothes, the women iron them and keep the money they earn to pay for household expenses. Mothers teach the girls to iron at an early age, and boys help their fathers by washing the smaller articles of clothing and by delivering packages of clean clothes to their owners. Families arrange marriages. Sons inherit what little property the Dhobi father has.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Dhobis are Hindus, the ancient and dominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. The Dhobis mix their Hinduism with folk religion. The Dhobis wear charms to protect themselves from evil spirits. Each morning the Dhobi man bows and says a prayer to the washing stone he uses on the riverbank where he washes clothes. The Dhobis are frequently denied entrance to Hindu temples so they have their own shrines and priests. 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 Dhobis visit shrines 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 Dhobis people are Holi, the festival of colors, Diwali, the festival of lights, Navratri, the celebration of autumn and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Dhobis of Sri Lanka have tremendous spiritual and physical needs. Their children need to learn how to read and write. The adults need to learn new job skills. The Dhobis need access to modern medical care and modern conveniences like electricity and indoor plumbing. Most of all, they need to hear and understand the life-changing message or Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can set the Dhobis free from their sins and give them hope of eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Hindu Dhobi people teachable and understanding hearts.
Pray that a strong movement of the Holy Spirit will bring entire Dhobi families into a rich experience of God's blessing.
Pray for believers to reach out and share the good news of Christ with the Dhobis.
Pray for teams of believers to do sustained, focused prayer for the Lord to open the hearts of Dhobi family leaders to experience God's blessing through a movement of family-based discovery Bible studies.


Scripture Prayers for the Dhobi (Hindu traditions) in Sri Lanka.


References

https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/dhobi/
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Dhobi.html


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Dhobi (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Dhobi (Hindu traditions)
Pronunciation DOH-bee
Alternate Names Agasa; Agasaru; Agheria; Bana; Batham; Bhai; Chakala; Chakali; Chakka; Chandbar; Charhoya; Chasa; Chasa Dhoba; Chauhan-Bhatti; Chawla; Chhimba; Darhi; Dharhiadu; Dharhiannan; Dharhiannari; Dhob; Dhoba; Dhobi; Dhopa; Dhopi; Dhupi; Hawari; Jada; Khurdanai; Madivala; Madiwal; Madiyal; Madiyali; Madvali; Madwai; Modiyal; Monson; Nurang; Oddelu; Oddollu; Oriya Chakali; Oriyavallu; Pak; Parit; Prasad Dhobi; Qasab; Raipal; Rajak; Rajaka; Rajakha; Rajpar; Rajput Dhobi; Rajukula; Ram Dhobi; Ramdu; Ranghi; Rathor; Sabhasundar; Sakala; SakalaDarhi; Sakalavadu; Sat-Chasi; Shaheri; Sharma; Sheheri Hindu; Shuklabaidya; Shukladas; Sukladas; Suklavaidya; Tanwar; Tasha; Togata; Tsakala; Vadde Chakali; Vannan; Vannari; Varetha; Varitha; Vattakkadan; Warathi; Watts; धोबी (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 11,000
Population all Countries 14,081,000
Total Countries 5
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 16709
ROP3 Code 111944
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Central
6,500
Uva
2,400
Sabaragamuwa
1,300
Western
400
Southern
200
Eastern
70
Northern
30
Country Sri Lanka
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 7
  Central 6,500
  Uva 2,400
  Sabaragamuwa 1,300
  Western 400
  Southern 200
  Eastern 70
  Northern 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
1.22 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
98.78 %
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 (11,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Tamil (11,000 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 Anonymous 
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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