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People group profile · PG041928

The Parhaiya of India

The Parhaiya of India, numbering about 38,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of Palamau, Ranchi, and Hazaribagh districts in Bihar, also called Baiga, tracing legendary descent from the Pandavas. Agricultural labor, basket-making, and hunting and gathering remain common.

They are an indigenous people in the South Asian Tribal people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Sadri.

Pray for the ParhaiyaPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Parhaiya people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Parhaiya

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
38,500
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
South Asian Tribal
Primary language
Sadri (sck)
Primary religion
Hinduism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC ?
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Widespread in north India: northern Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand states; Delhi

Where they live

Gospel status

The Parhaiya are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Parhaiya

  • 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

Hinduism

100% adherents

Primary language

Sadri · Indo-European family

100% speak Sadri

Gospel resources in Sadri

  • Bible available, published 2023
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Parhaiya

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

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