People group profile · PG047923
The Dhoba (Punjabi) of India
The Dhoba (Punjabi) of India, numbering about 106,000 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 Panjabi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 106,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Dhobi
- Primary language
- Panjabi (pan)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Punjab, Chandigarh, and Haryana
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dhoba (Punjabi) 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 initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Dhoba (Punjabi)
- 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
Panjabi · Indo-European family
99% speak Panjabi
Gospel resources in Panjabi
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Punjabi)
- Magdalena (Punjabi)
- The Savior (Punjabi)
Bibles
- 2000 Bible League International · text
- Indian Revised Version · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dhoba (Punjabi)
- 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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