People group profile · PG049106
The Bantar of Nepal
The Bantar of Nepal, numbering about 62,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Terai Dalit community scattered from Jhapa to Chitwan whose name traces to Banatara, meaning jungle sage, predating Nepal's unification under Prithvi Narayan Shah and maintaining both Hindu worship and their own traditional deities.
They are an indigenous people in the Bihari people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Nepali (individual language).
Fast facts
- Country
- Nepal
- Population
- 62,500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Bihari
- Primary language
- Nepali (individual language) (npi)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bantar 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 Bantar
- 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
98% adherents
Primary language
Nepali (individual language) · Indo-European family
100% speak Nepali (individual language)
Gospel resources in Nepali (individual language)
- Bible available, published 2012
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Darchuleli)
- JESUS (Baitadeli)
- JESUS (Acchami)
- JESUS (Bajureli)
- JESUS (Nepali)
- JESUS (Bajhangi)
- Magdalena (Nepali)
- The Savior (Nepali)
Bibles
- New Revised Version · video, audio
- New Revised Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bantar
- 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.
Bantar in other countries
The same people (ROP3 111459) is reported in 1 other country.
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