Sirkiband (Sikh traditions) in India

People Name:	Sirkiband (Sikh traditions)
Country:	India
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	63,000
World Population:	63,000
Primary Language:	Punjabi, Eastern
Primary Religion:	Other / Small
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South Asia Sikh - other
Affinity Bloc:	South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Their name is related to making mats since they have traditionally made mats from grass reeds. The Sirkiband are a scheduled caste which means they have low, but not really low status. They live in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana. The Sirkiband in Punjab speak Punjabi.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of them are landless. They make ropes and mats for a living. Some of them are laborers. They have a low literacy level, so the gospel will need to be presented in oral forms. The Sirkibands in Haryana speak Haryanavi. They make grass thatch from grass. They live in Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi too.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Sirkiband people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.

What Are Their Needs?

They need to accept the blessings of Jesus Christ, the one who came to give life to the full.

Prayer Points

Pray that Indian believers will lead them into a disciple making movement. Pray that gospel recordings and the JESUS Film provides them with the chance to taste and see that the Lord is good. Pray for intercessors and workers.