The Pinjara (Pinja, Penja, Bahna or Dhunia) derive their name from the term pinjala meaning 'cotton weaver.' Their traditional occupation is naturally one of cleaning and reeling cotton to make pillows, quilts or even mattresses. The over 3 million Pinjara can be found either Muslim or Hindu. It is believed that the Muslim Pinjara converted to Islam about 500 years ago during the reign of Emperor Aurangzeb.
The Pinjara can today be found in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. They live in over 500 districts of India and Nepal and speak more than a dozen different languages depending on their location. The Pinjara speak primarily Bhojpuri, Nepali, Maithili and Urdu. Although they are well over 90% Muslim the Pinjara can be found to keep Hindu festivals, even making vows to Hindu gods. The Pinjara are not vegetarian though do not eat pork. They occupy a higher than unclean status and can be found as both skilled and unskilled workers.
Very little ministry activity has been focused on the Pinjara. Many Urdu resources are available although there is a severe lack of workers to this sizable Muslim group in India and Nepal. Pinjara are sometimes looked down on religiously because of their mixture of Islam and Hinduism beliefs. Pray that the Truth could be known and celebrated in Nepal.
* Scripture Prayers for the Pinjara in Pakistan.
Profile Source: Anonymous |
Global Prayer Digest: 2014-10-07 |
People Name General | Pinjara |
People Name in Country | Pinjara |
Pronunciation | pin-JAR-ah |
Population this Country | 187,000 |
Population all Countries | 4,099,000 |
Total Countries | 4 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 4 |
Alternate Names | Bahana; Bahna; Behana; Behna; Daffali; Dhunia; Dhunkar; Kahrar; Laliwala; Mansoor; Mansoori; Nadaf; Naddaf; Noor; Panjara; Panjora; Panjwara; Penja; Pinara; Pinja; Pinjali; Pinjar; Pinjari; Pinjia; Punji; Shaikh Mansoor; Sheikh Monsoori; Soria; Sulia; Tai; पिंजरा |
People ID | 17877 |
ROP3 Code | 113353 |
Country | Pakistan | ||||||
Region | Asia, South | ||||||
Continent | Asia | ||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||||||
National Bible Society | Website | ||||||
Persecution Rank | 8 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||||||
Total States on file | 6 | ||||||
Largest States |
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Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 8 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 6 |
Punjab 178,000 | |
Sindh 5,600 | |
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 2,000 | |
Azad Kashmir 900 | |
Islamabad 500 | |
Balochistan 200 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Language | Saraiki (110,000 speakers) | |||||||||
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||
Total Languages | 9 | |||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Saraiki (110,000 speakers) |
Language Code | skr Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 9 |
Secondary Languages | |
Punjabi, Western 59,000 | |
Urdu 13,000 | |
Marwari 4,900 | |
Sindhi 2,900 | |
Pahari-Potwari 2,200 | |
Hindko, Southern 1,700 | |
Hindko, Northern 900 | |
Dhatki 300 | |
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 |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Saraiki |
General | Biblical answers to your questions |
General | Gospel resources links |
Text / Printed Matter | Literacy primer for Saraiki |
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. |