People group profile · PG047922
The Dhoba (Odia) of India
The Dhoba (Odia) of India, numbering about 5,705,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a traditional washer (laundry) community of South Asia, best known historically for washing clothes for households, temples, armies, and towns. They are a caste‑based occupational group, found across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
They are an indigenous people in the Dhobi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Odia.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 5,705,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Dhobi
- Primary language
- Odia (ory)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Dispersed CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Andhra Pradesh: Vishakhapatnam district; Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Raigarh, and Raipur districts; Jharkhand: Ranchi and Singhbhum districts; West Bengal: Medinipur (Midnapore) district; Assam and Odisha states
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dhoba (Odia) 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 but there has been dispersed church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Dispersed Church Planting
Next steps for the Dhoba (Odia)
- 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
Gospel resources in Odia
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- 1997 Bible League International · audio, text
- Easy to Read Version · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dhoba (Odia)
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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