People group profile · PG049847
The Sarodi of India
The Sarodi of India, numbering about 36,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a community of Yavatmal, Wardha, Nagpur, and Chandrapur districts, Maharashtra, also called Sarode or Joshi, traditionally fortune-tellers who begged with a decorated ox. Selling milk and agricultural labor now support most families.
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
- 36,500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Marathi-Konkani
- Primary language
- Marathi (mar)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- 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 Sarodi 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Sarodi
- 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 Sarodi
- 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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