People group profile · PG042171
The Mala Kuravan of India
The Mala Kuravan of India, numbering about 27,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Tribe of Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu who trace migration from north Travancore during the Pandyan era, their name combining hill and palmistry. Once bonded laborers, they now practice embroidery.
They are an indigenous people in the Telugu people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism, and they primarily speak Malayalam.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 27,500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Telugu
- Primary language
- Malayalam (mal)
- 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 ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Karnataka: Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, and Mysore districts; Kerala and Lakshadweep states; Puducherry: Mahe; Tamil Nadu: Colimbatore, The Nilgiris, and Tirunelveli districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Mala Kuravan 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 Mala Kuravan
- 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
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 Mala Kuravan
- 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.
- 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.
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