Sikh Valmiki in India

The Sikh Valmiki 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.

Introduction / History

The Valmiki are also called Balmiki. They are a caste of street sweepers with low status.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In India Valmiki people face discrimination from a young age. At school their children are given derisive names. They are treated like they cannot learn by public school teachers. Those who work in parks clean things up, then take a stroll in the park only to be told to leave either by high caste members or by the police. If they resist, the police will beat them. Valmiki women are sexually abused by high caste men. There is nothing they can do about it.
Since the root of these problems is in the Hindu based caste system, some Valmiki have changed to a different religion. Most commonly they become Buddhist, but others have adopted Islam or Sikhism. Those who became Sikhs were once used by the British colonialists as a military force.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Sikhism originated from a 15th century teacher named Guru Nanak Dev as a reform movement. He rejected the Hindu caste system, taught that all people were equal and that all have equal access to God. The Sikh God is formless, without gender and is to be found in everyone. One gets closer to God by living a good life and by practicing charity. Like Hindus, Sikhs believe in reincarnation and the law of karma; you reap what you sow in your previous life. Like Muslims, the Sikhs worship only one God.
One may recognize a Sikh man by his distinctive turban. All the 10 great Sikh gurus wore turbans. Sikh teaching mandates that a person not cut his or her hair. They worship their holy book, the Granth Sahib, which is a collection of hymns.
There are roughly the same number of Sikhs as there are Jews in the world, but Sikhs are most concentrated in Punjab, their homeland. However, you will find smaller numbers of Sikhs all over the world. Many of the best Indian restaurants in the West are owned and operated by Sikhs.


What Are Their Needs?

The Valmiki people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Sikh Valmiki people to have the justice they need.
Pray for them to find their identity and sense of worth in the God who gave them life, and the savior who offers them life to the full.
Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Sikh Valmiki.
Pray God will have mercy on the Valmiki, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Sikh Valmiki to the gospel.


Scripture Prayers for the Valmiki (Sikh traditions) in India.


References

https://www.allaboutsikhs.com/sikh-way-of-life/sects-and-cults/balmiki/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ZiGyCwLSY
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valmiki_caste


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Valmiki (Sikh traditions)
People Name in Country Valmiki (Sikh traditions)
Natural Name Sikh Valmiki
Pronunciation wahl-MEE-kee
Alternate Names Balmik; Balmiki; Bhangi; Hair; Hari; Mehtar; Mehtor
Population this Country 290,000
Population all Countries 290,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 6
People ID 22350
ROP3 Code 119349
ROP25 Code 308545
ROP25 Name Valmiki / Balmiki (SC)
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 15
Largest States
Punjab
278,000
Haryana
5,500
Chandigarh
2,400
Uttar Pradesh
1,800
Rajasthan
1,000
Chhattisgarh
400
Madhya Pradesh
300
Jharkhand
300
Maharashtra
300
Uttarakhand
200
Himachal Pradesh
200
Jammu and Kashmir
90
Delhi
60
Telangana
10
Gujarat
10
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 15
  Punjab 278,000
  Haryana 5,500
  Chandigarh 2,400
  Uttar Pradesh 1,800
  Rajasthan 1,000
  Chhattisgarh 400
  Madhya Pradesh 300
  Jharkhand 300
  Maharashtra 300
  Uttarakhand 200
  Himachal Pradesh 200
  Jammu and Kashmir 90
  Delhi 60
  Telangana 10
  Gujarat 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
100.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (180,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 26
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Hindi
57,000
Bagri
1,300
Haryanvi
700
Chhattisgarhi
200
Marwari
100
Dhundari
90
Awadhi
70
Kanauji
70
Marathi
50
Shekhawati
50
Garhwali
40
Pahari, Mahasu
40
Kumaoni
30
Gujarati
30
Bundeli
20
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (180,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 26
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Hindi 57,000
  Bagri 1,300
  Haryanvi 700
  Chhattisgarhi 200
  Marwari 100
  Dhundari 90
  Awadhi 70
  Kanauji 70
  Marathi 50
  Shekhawati 50
  Garhwali 40
  Pahari, Mahasu 40
  Kumaoni 30
  Gujarati 30
  Bundeli 20
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
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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, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
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 Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download Bible from Google Play Store Operation Agape
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Eastern Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Sarbjitsinghrockybalmiki - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
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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