Mathuria Kumhar in India

The Mathuria Kumhar have only been reported in India
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

A Kumhar legend says that "once Brahma divided sugarcane among his sons and each of them ate his share, but the Kumhara who was greatly absorbed in his work, forgot to eat. The piece which he had kept near his clay lump struck root and soon grew into a sugarcane plant. A few days later, when Brahma asked his sons for sugarcane, none of them could give it to him, excepting the Kumhara who offered a full plant. Brahma was pleased by the devotion of the potter to his work."

The Kumhars are the communities that traditionally made pottery and other clay goods for sale. They also made toys and even Hindu idols with clay or terracotta.

They have low caste status, though they are certainly not at the bottom of the Hindu pecking order.

There are a couple of Kumhar communities, one of which is called Mathuria. This subgroup lives in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Those who remain potters sell their good locally, but the more fortunate have found international markets. It is very hard for these hard working people to make a living as potters. Therefore, a good percentage of them have gravitated to farming and animal husbandry.

Men dominate in the Mathuria Kumhar social structure. Men get credit for the goods they produce even when the wife does a large share of the work. Kumhar girls marry young and seldom get much education.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mathuria Kumhar are Hindu and pray to the Lord Shiva, the destroyer god, and Goddess Mother Mata.


What Are Their Needs?

Mathuria Kumhars need to learn new job skills. They need good schools for their children. Education is a challenge for the Kumhar since many of them lead nomadic lives. Children often quit school after a few years to help their parents earn a living. The Kumhar frequently lack access to modern medicine and clean water.

Believers can offer them Global Recordings Network materials and Scriptures in Use materials so they can listen to God's word as they work. God's word does not return void!


Prayer Points

Since there are no known believers among the Mathuria Kumhars, pray that they will hear and respond to the Lord's voice.

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Mathuria Kumhar communities.

Pray that Mathuria Kumhar council leaders will come to Christ and lead others to him.

Pray that the church around the world will remember the Kumhar communities in intercession.


Scripture Prayers for the Kumhar Mathuria in India.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumhar

https://www.indianetzone.com/49/kumhar.htm


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kumhar Mathuria
People Name in Country Kumhar Mathuria
Natural Name Mathuria Kumhar
Alternate Names कुम्हार मतूरिया
Population this Country 83,000
Population all Countries 83,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 21177
ROP3 Code 118000
ROP25 Code 304371
ROP25 Name Kumhar
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 7
Largest States
Rajasthan
31,000
Uttar Pradesh
26,000
Bihar
12,000
Jharkhand
10,000
Delhi
1,400
Madhya Pradesh
1,100
Chhattisgarh
1,000
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 7
  Rajasthan 31,000
  Uttar Pradesh 26,000
  Bihar 12,000
  Jharkhand 10,000
  Delhi 1,400
  Madhya Pradesh 1,100
  Chhattisgarh 1,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
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 Hindi (43,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Marwari (India)
12,000
Bhojpuri
4,600
Dhundari
2,000
Shekhawati
1,800
Bagri
1,800
Magahi
1,200
Awadhi
800
Maithili
500
Chhattisgarhi
500
Haroti
500
Kanauji
300
Bengali
300
Bundeli
100
Punjabi, Eastern
100
Angika
100
Primary Language Hindi (43,000 speakers)
Language Code hin   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 18
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Marwari (India) 12,000
  Bhojpuri 4,600
  Dhundari 2,000
  Shekhawati 1,800
  Bagri 1,800
  Magahi 1,200
  Awadhi 800
  Maithili 500
  Chhattisgarhi 500
  Haroti 500
  Kanauji 300
  Bengali 300
  Bundeli 100
  Punjabi, Eastern 100
  Angika 100
People Groups Speaking Hindi

Primary Language:  Hindi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1806-1962)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1811-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1818-2022)
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 DAVAR Partners recording, Old Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
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 Hindi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
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 The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
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
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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