People group profile · PG041654
The Dholi of India
The Dholi of India, numbering about 151,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of Rajasthan also known as Nagarchi, whose name derives from dhol, meaning drum, traditionally serving as musicians and drummers at weddings while tracing clan divisions to Rajput lineage.
They are an indigenous people in the Hindi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism, and they primarily speak Marwari (India).
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 151,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Hindi
- Primary language
- Marwari (India) (rwr)
- Primary religion
- Folk Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Rajasthan
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dholi 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 but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Dholi
- 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
Primary religion
Folk Hinduism · Hinduism
98% adherents
Primary language
Marwari (India) · Indo-European family
100% speak Marwari (India)
Gospel resources in Marwari (India)
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dholi
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
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