Koch (Hindu traditions) in Nepal


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 Koch people live in a small pocket of land along the Indian border in northwestern Dhaka division. These Koch speak a Tibeto-Burman language, and this distinguishes them from a much larger group of Koch (sometimes spelled Cooch) who speak an Indo-Aryan language. Within Bangladesh the Tibeto- Burman Koch generally continue to follow their traditional "Sonaton" religion, though some say they are Hindu.
The Koch community is not only in Bangladesh, but also in India and Nepal. Their numbers in Nepal are low, and much of what we know about them originates in how they live in the other two South Asian countries.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Both the Tintekiya and the Chapra Koch are primarily farmers, with some farming their own land and most working as hired day laborers for neighboring Bengalis. They continue to live primarily in Koch villages in simple homes with mud walls and floors and thatched or corrugated tin roofs.


What Are Their Beliefs?

There are Koch people who are Hindu and some who are Muslim. Most of those in Nepal are Hindu like the Nepali majority.


What Are Their Needs?

The Koch are poor and uneducated. A Christian education and/or community development organization could possibly be a blessing to the Koch. At the same time, it seems the Koch tend to equate Christianity with opportunities for education and health care and need someone to share true Christianity with them.


Prayer Points

Pray for all Koch peoples to have the spiritual hunger it takes to seek Christ no matter what the cost.
Pray for Indian and Nepali Christians to be Christ bearers to the Koch people.
Pray for Koch disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Koch (Hindu traditions) in Nepal.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Koch (Hindu traditions)
People Name in Country Koch (Hindu traditions)
Alternate Names Bashgaria; Koch; Magan; Sanga; कोच (हिंदू ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 1,900
Population all Countries 97,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 20018
ROP3 Code 105069
ROP25 Code 304089
ROP25 Name Koch
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 8
Largest States
Mechi
1,200
Kosi
200
Narayani
200
Bagmati
90
Sagarmatha
80
Janakpur
60
Seti
30
Lumbini
30
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 8
  Mechi 1,200
  Kosi 200
  Narayani 200
  Bagmati 90
  Sagarmatha 80
  Janakpur 60
  Seti 30
  Lumbini 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.63 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
91.76 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
7.61 %
* From latest Nepal census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Rajbanshi (1,000 speakers)
Language Code rjs   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Koch
300
Maithili
100
Rangpuri
100
Primary Language Rajbanshi (1,000 speakers)
Language Code rjs   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Koch 300
  Maithili 100
  Rangpuri 100
People Groups Speaking Rajbanshi
Photo Source Anonymous 
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.



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