People group profile · PG041767
The Panan of India
The Panan of India, numbering about 258,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste of Palakkad, Thrissur, and Ernakulam districts in Kerala, traditionally umbrella-makers and exorcists. Agricultural labor, masonry, and government service now supplement umbrella-making.
They are an indigenous people in the Tamil people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Malayalam.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 258,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Tamil
- Primary language
- Malayalam (mal)
- 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
- Kerala: Palakkad, Thrissur, and Ernakulam districts; also Tamil Nadu: Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Panan 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 Panan
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Malayalam · Dravidian family
100% speak Malayalam
Gospel resources in Malayalam
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Bible League International · audio, text
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Holy Bible, Malayalam Contemporary Version ™ · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Panan
- 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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