People group profile · PG049495
The Chakali of India
The Chakali of India, numbering about 2,550,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Telugu-speaking washerman community of Andhra Pradesh whose name derives from chaku (to wash). They are also known as Rajakulu and Dhobi, historically serving villages through hereditary patron-client ties and payment in kind.
They are an indigenous people in the Dhobi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Telugu.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 2,550,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Dhobi
- Primary language
- Telugu (tel)
- 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 (statewide); also Odisha; Tamil Nadu: Chennai, North Arcot, Tiruvannamalai, and Dharmapuri districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Chakali 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 Chakali
- 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 Telugu
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- Magdalena (Telugu)
- The Savior (Telugu)
Bibles
- Contemporary Version · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- Contemporary Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Easy to Read Version · audio, text
- Grace Ministries · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Chakali
- 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.
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