Adi Dravida in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 1

Subgroup Name Population
Manser 26,000

Introduction / History

The Adi Dravida of southern India were called the Paraiyar. Due to the negative connotation of the name Paraiyar or pariah in English, the leaders of this community in the early 20th century requested that their name become Adi Dravida or "original Dravidians." Today, the Adi Dravida are a scheduled caste which means they receive special benefits for government jobs and places in education to rectify past societal wrongs. In the past, many of the Adi Dravida were indigent agricultural workers tied to the land. They were also forced to live by themselves in hamlets outside the other villages and towns.

The Adi Dravida live primarily in the southern Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Some are scattered across the rest of India. They speak Tamil and other regional languages.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Adi Dravida have been poor farmers and agricultural workers. Some own their own land while others labor for landowners. Some Adi Dravida are shoemakers and leather workers. Others dig graves and take care of funerals.

The Adi Dravida are endogamous; that is, they marry within their caste. They do not practice child marriage.

The men spend the day working the soil growing rice, other grains, fruits and vegetables. Women tend to family responsibilities and also help the men in the fields. Unfortunately, illiteracy is high among the Adi Dravida. By giving the Adi Dravida scheduled status the Indian government is trying to increase literacy and access to higher paying jobs. Some Adi Dravida are educated and entered professions like medicine, engineering and law.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Adi Dravida are Hindu. They worship the Hindu gods like Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, Krishna and Hanuman. Due to their low caste, sometimes Adi Dravida have not been allowed entry into Hindu temples. This fact has led some leaders to encourage the people to leave Hinduism and to embrace Buddhism.


What Are Their Needs?

The Adi Dravida people needs dedicated Christ followers to influence their communities.


Prayer Points

Pray that God would create a hunger for his word among the Adi Dravida. The complete Bible is available in Tamil, their language.
Pray that the Lord would lead Indian Christians to become friends with the Adi Dravida to help them with their educational and vocational needs.
Pray that the small number of Adi Dravida Christians will be discipled and share the gospel with their brothers and sisters.


Scripture Prayers for the Adi Dravida in India.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Adi Dravida
People Name in Country Adi Dravida
Pronunciation AH-dee DRAH-vee-dah
Alternate Names Adi Dravidar; Chakkiliyan; Harijan; Harijans; Madiga; Mala; Parayan; Pariyar; Samban; आदि ड्रॅविडा
Population this Country 9,646,000
Population all Countries 9,646,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 193
PeopleID3 16164
ROP3 Code 111266
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 29
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Tamil Nadu
8,214,000
Karnataka
901,000
Andhra Pradesh
299,000
Puducherry
162,000
Maharashtra
48,000
Delhi
6,500
Kerala
4,800
Gujarat
2,600
Odisha
2,200
Madhya Pradesh
1,400
West Bengal
1,300
Telangana
700
Jharkhand
700
Chhattisgarh
500
Andaman and Nicobar
500
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 29  (only 20 largest shown)
  Tamil Nadu 8,214,000
  Karnataka 901,000
  Andhra Pradesh 299,000
  Puducherry 162,000
  Maharashtra 48,000
  Delhi 6,500
  Kerala 4,800
  Gujarat 2,600
  Odisha 2,200
  Madhya Pradesh 1,400
  West Bengal 1,300
  Telangana 700
  Jharkhand 700
  Chhattisgarh 500
  Andaman and Nicobar 500
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.09 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.10 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.81 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Tamil (7,657,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
Telugu
485,000
Kannada
346,000
Tulu
54,000
Konkani, Goan
4,600
Malayalam
4,500
Odia
400
English
300
Konkani
200
Wagdi
Primary Language Tamil (7,657,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 10
Secondary Languages
  Telugu 485,000
  Kannada 346,000
  Tulu 54,000
  Konkani, Goan 4,600
  Malayalam 4,500
  Odia 400
  English 300
  Konkani 200
  Wagdi 0
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Tamil Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Tamil Bible (தமிழ் பைபிள்) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Tamil Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Dr. Nagaraja Sharma - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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