People group profile · PG049359
The Balahar of India
The Balahar of India, numbering about 12,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a distinct Hindu caste community of northern India, found primarily in Uttar Pradesh, especially in the Bundelkhand and Doab regions.
They are an indigenous people in the Hindi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Braj.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 12,500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Hindi
- Primary language
- Braj (bra)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Bihar state; Delhi; Haryana: Gurgaon district; Madhya Pradesh: Bhind, Gwalior, and Morena districts; Rajasthan: Bharatpur and Sawai Madhopur districts; Uttar Pradesh: Agra region
Where they live
Gospel status
The Balahar 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 Balahar
- 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 Braj
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Braj Bhasha)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Balahar
- 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.
- 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.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.