People group profile · PG041741
The Choupal of India
The Choupal of India, numbering about 159,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste weaving community concentrated in the Purnia and Katihar districts of northeastern Bihar, also known as Tanti. They speak Surajpuri and today work mainly as agricultural laborers while some continue weaving coarse saris.
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 Surjapuri.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 159,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Hindi
- Primary language
- Surjapuri (sjp)
- Primary religion
- Folk 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
- Bihar: Purnia and Katihar districts; also West Bengal
Where they live
Gospel status
The Choupal 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 Choupal
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Surjapuri · Indo-European family
100% speak Surjapuri
Gospel resources in Surjapuri
- Bible available, published 2011
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Choupal
- 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.
- 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.
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