People group profile · PG049821
The Lonar of India
The Lonar of India, numbering about 432,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are an occupational community of Maharashtra whose name is derived from lona (salt), reflecting their traditional trade of making salt and lime. Many now work in limekilns as wage laborers and they follow the Varkari sect of Hindusim.
They are an indigenous people in the Marathi-Konkani people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Marathi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 432,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Marathi-Konkani
- Primary language
- Marathi (mar)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh states; Maharashtra: Belgaum, Bidar, and Karnataka districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Lonar are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Lonar
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
99% adherents
Primary language
Marathi · Indo-European family
100% speak Marathi
Gospel resources in Marathi
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
Bibles
- 1993 Bible League International · audio, text
- Marathi New India Bible Version · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Lonar
- 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.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
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