People group profile · PG041730
The Agariya of India
The Agariya of India, numbering about 338,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a traditional iron-smelting community whose name derives from aag (fire) and the iron furnace, concentrated in the Maikal hill ranges of central India. They worship Lohasur, the god of the iron furnace, and many have now turned to agriculture.
They are an indigenous people in the Munda-Santal people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Chhattisgarhi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 338,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Munda-Santal
- Primary language
- Chhattisgarhi (hne)
- 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
- Madhya Pradesh: Mandla and Rewa districts; Chhattisgarh: Bilaspur district (Maikal hill range); also Uttar Pradesh: Agra, Mathura, and Mirzapur districts; Jharkhand: Gumla and Palamu districts; Bihar: Rohtas district
Where they live
Gospel status
The Agariya 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 Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Agariya
- 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
100% adherents
Primary language
Chhattisgarhi · Indo-European family
100% speak Chhattisgarhi
Gospel resources in Chhattisgarhi
- Bible available, published 2024
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 2012 Bharatiya General Conference Mennonite Church · audio, text
- Bible Society of India · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Agariya
- 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.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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