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People group profile · PG046044

The Chamar (Bagheli) of India

The Chamar (Bagheli) of India, numbering about 118,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a significant community of northern India, traditionally associated with leather work and tanning. Over time, many Chamars have moved away from their traditional occupation and are now part of the broader agricultural and urban labor force.

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

Pray for the Chamar (Bagheli)Print profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
118,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Chamar
Primary language
Bagheli (bfy)
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 ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
Southern Asia, Asia
Location
Chhattisgarh: Bilaspur and Koriya districts; Madhya Pradesh: Anuppur, Chhindwara, Dindori, Jabalpur, Mandla, Panna, Rewa, Satna, Shahdol, Sidhi, and Umaria districts; Uttar Pradesh: Allahabad, Banda, Mirzapur, and Hamirpur districts

Where they live

Gospel status

The Chamar (Bagheli) 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 Concentrated Church Planting

Next steps for the Chamar (Bagheli)

  • 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

99% adherents

Primary language

Bagheli · Indo-European family

100% speak Bagheli

Gospel resources in Bagheli

  • Bible available, published 2020
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Chamar (Bagheli)

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

Download a prayer guide

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