The name Gaddi is derived from the word "gaderan," the local name for the hilly tracts of Himachal Pradesh. They usually live in hilly or mountainous places with their livestock, so their population is higher in northern India than it is in the relatively flat Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. A small number live in Nepal. They are a Scheduled Tribe, which means they have low status. The Gaddi origin is shrouded in legends, but they probably moved to their current locations to escape the Moghal Empire.
Many make their living by sheep raising and farming. Women take part in agriculture and animal husbandry and contribute to the family income. Each household consists of a nuclear family. Houses are generally two or three stories, with balconies and paved courtyards. The ground floor is used for keeping cattle, while the second story is used for living, sleeping and cooking. Gaddi women have much more equality than do most other Muslim communities. They sometimes earn money, do the time-honored work of turning milk into yoghurt and ghee and participate in Islamic rituals. They pray at home rather than the mosque. They have their own folk songs and folk tales. Their village councils make decisions for their communities.
The Gaddi follow Muslim or Hindu traditions, although they have their own animistic traditions whether they are Hindu or Muslim. The Muslim Gaddi believe that the One, Supreme God, Allah, spoke through his prophet, Mohammed, and taught mankind how to live a righteous life through the Koran and the Hadith. To live a righteous life, you must utter the Shahada (a statement of faith), pray five times a day facing Mecca, fast from sunup to sundown during the month of Ramadan, give alms to the poor, and make a pilgrimage to Mecca if you have the means. They gather for corporate prayer on Friday afternoons at a mosque, their place of worship. Gaddi Muslims are noted for their respect for Muslim saints. They go to the tombs of these saints, leave money or some other offering, and expect their prayers will be answered.
The Muslim Gaddi people need the opportunity to know the God who created all the beauty they see around them.
Pray for workers to go to the Gaddi people in Pakistan. Pray for Gaddi family leaders to open the door for gospel workers in their communities. Pray for spiritual openness among the Gaddi people. Pray for a movement to Christ that will bless all Gaddi communities in Nepal, India and Pakistan.
Scripture Prayers for the Gaddi (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddis
https://peoplegroupsindia.com/profiles/gaddi/
https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Wzkj0Wad8pumyLNu5nkfGK/A-journey-with-Gaddi-pastoralists.html
https://www.indianmirror.com/tribes/gadditribe.html
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Gaddi (Muslim traditions) |
People Name in Country | Gaddi (Muslim traditions) |
Alternate Names | Gadolli; Goala; Pahari Bharmauri; Rathi; गद्दी |
Population this Country | 51,000 |
Population all Countries | 570,000 |
Total Countries | 3 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 16770 |
ROP3 Code | 112023 |
Country | Pakistan | ||||||
Region | Asia, South | ||||||
Continent | Asia | ||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||||||
National Bible Society | Website | ||||||
Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||||||
Location in Country | Sindh Province Source: Joshua Project | ||||||
Total States on file | 5 | ||||||
Largest States |
|
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Sindh Province. Source: Joshua Project |
Total States | 5 |
Sindh 20,000 | |
Punjab 19,000 | |
Gilgit-Baltistan 10,000 | |
Islamabad 90 | |
Balochistan 40 | |
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 Pakistan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Saraiki (8,400 speakers) | ||||||||||||
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing | ||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||||||||
Total Languages | 13 | ||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Saraiki (8,400 speakers) |
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 13 |
Secondary Languages | |
Urdu 8,400 | |
Punjabi, Western 7,700 | |
Sindhi 7,700 | |
Gujari 6,600 | |
Shina 6,300 | |
Hindko, Northern 3,300 | |
Dhatki 500 | |
Marwari 400 | |
Hindko, Southern 200 | |
Kashmiri 200 | |
Pahari-Potwari 200 | |
Balochi, Eastern 40 | |
People Groups | Speaking Saraiki |
Primary Language: Saraiki
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1888-2009) |
Bible-New Testament | No |
Bible-Complete | No |
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 | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Saraiki | 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 |
Text / Printed Matter | Literacy primer for Saraiki | Literacy & Evangelism International |
Photo Source | Rajesh Balouria - Pixabay |
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. |