People group profile · PG041503
The Devanga of India
The Devanga of India, numbering about 708,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a widely distributed South Indian weaving caste whose name means limb of god, tracing descent from Devalan, created by Lord Shiva to weave garments for gods and men, and remaining culturally homogeneous across many states.
They are an indigenous people in the Telugu people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Telugu.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 708,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Telugu
- Primary language
- Telugu (tel)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Nationwide; concentrations in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu; also Puducherry
Where they live
Gospel status
The Devanga are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Devanga
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Gospel resources in Telugu
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- Magdalena (Telugu)
- The Savior (Telugu)
Bibles
- Contemporary Version · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Easy to Read Version · audio, text
- Grace Ministries · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Devanga
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- 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.
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