Siyal in India

The Siyal have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Subgroups: 2

Subgroup Name Population
Siolo 4,400
Sijolo 1,000

Introduction / History

Traditionally the Siyal people tapped palm trees for a juice that can be made into either molasses or toddy, an alcoholic beverage that is popular in rural India. They have Scheduled Caste status, which means they are near the bottom of the Hindu pecking order.


Where Are they Located?

Most of the Hindu Siyal people live in Odisha, though they also live further south in Tamil Nadu.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Though they sometimes still harvest juice from palm trees, the Siyal people sometimes own small farms in which they grow their own food. Many others are landless, and they work as laborers for others. They are so poor that only the few wealthy members of their community can afford to cremate their dead, something that is taken for granted with most other Hindu peoples. Also because of their poverty, their children rarely attain an adequate education.

When a Siyal girl attains puberty, she is secluded for a week. The morning of the seventh day, she applies turmeric paste to her body, takes a bath, then puts on new clothes before going to a Shiva temple to make an offering of a coconut as a form of worship.

This people group has plenty of contact with other communities since they share the same roads, villages and Hindu shrines. They attend the same Hindu festivals as others.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Siyal people practice Hinduism, and they worship various gods as well as their ancestors. They have village deities, and they visit shrines along with other Hindu communities.


What Are Their Needs?

This Hindu people group needs to put their faith in the King of kings, who alone can provide for all their spiritual and economic needs.


Prayer Points

Pray for God's kingdom to come and His will to be done among the Siyal people.
Pray for a movement of Siyal households to study the Bible and accept the blessings of Christ.
Pray for a spiritual hunger that will drive the Siyal people to the arms of Jesus.
Pray for workers who are filled with the fruit and the power of the Holy Spirit to go to the Siyal people.


Scripture Prayers for the Siyal in India.


References

Peoples of India: Odisha, vol XVI, part 2, pp. 1408-12, K.S. Singh


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Siyal
People Name in Country Siyal
Population this Country 38,000
Population all Countries 38,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
Alternate Names Khajuria; Sayalkulam; Sijolo; Siolo; सियाल
People ID 18120
ROP3 Code 113625
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 on file 2
Largest States
Odisha
37,000
Tamil Nadu
40
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 2
  Odisha 37,000
  Tamil Nadu 40
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.28 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.72 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Odia (32,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Chhattisgarhi
200
Santhali: Karmali
30
Kui
30
Primary Language Odia (32,000 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Chhattisgarhi 200
  Santhali: Karmali 30
  Kui 30
People Groups Speaking Odia
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. Read more