People group profile · PG041688
The Karaiyar of India
The Karaiyar of India, numbering about 2,700 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Tamil maritime people of India's Coromandel coast whose name means people of the coast, first recorded by the 2nd-century Greek writer Ptolemy, who traded pearls and chanks while also serving as a warrior caste in the navies of Tamil kings.
They are an indigenous people in the Tamil people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Tamil.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 2,700
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Tamil
- Primary language
- Tamil (tam)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Andhra Pradesh: Chittoor and Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore districts, east Puducherry enclaves; Karnataka: Chamarajana district; Kerala: south; assorted border areas; Tamil Nadu state
Where they live
Gospel status
The Karaiyar 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Karaiyar
- 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 Tamil
- Bible available, published 2024
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Tamil)
- The Savior (Tamil)
Bibles
- Contemporary Version · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Easy-to-Read Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Karaiyar
- 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.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
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