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People group profile · PG049107

The Barae of India

The Barae of India, numbering about 329,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Hindu occupational community traditionally engaged in growing and selling betel leaves, whose name derives from barej, the shed for cultivating betel vine. They are also known as Tamboli and Chourasia and live mainly in Madhya Pradesh.

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

Pray for the BaraePrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
India
Population
329,000
Affinity group
South Asian Peoples
People cluster
Hindi
Primary language
Awadhi (awa)
Primary religion
Folk 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
Bihar state; Delhi; Madhya Pradesh state; Uttar Pradesh: Allahabad, Bahraich, Bara-Banki, Faizabad, Gonda, Kheri, Lucknow, Pratapgarh, Rae-Bareli, Sitapur, Sultanpur, and Unnao districts

Where they live

Gospel status

The Barae 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 Barae

  • 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

Awadhi · Indo-European family

100% speak Awadhi

Gospel resources in Awadhi

  • Bible available, published 2005
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs 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 Barae

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

Barae in other countries

The same people (ROP3 117127) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
BaraeNepal61,500Engaged yet Unreached

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