People group profile · PG041497
The Thandan of India
The Thandan of India, numbering about 289,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts, Kerala, organized into matrilineal clans, traditionally coconut-tree climbers. This work continues alongside farm labor.
They are an indigenous people in the Malayali people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Malayalam.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 289,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Malayali
- Primary language
- Malayalam (mal)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC ?
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority ?
- Minimally Reached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Mysore districts; Kerala and Lakshadweep states; Puducherry: Mahe; Tamil Nadu: Colimbatore, The Nilgiris, and Tirunelveli districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Thandan are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Thandan
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
96% adherents
Primary language
Malayalam · Dravidian family
100% speak Malayalam
Gospel resources in Malayalam
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Bible League International · audio, text
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version ™ · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Thandan
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
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