Introduction / History

The Manihar have a name derived from two Sanskrit words, mana and kara. Mana meaning "precious stone" and kara meaning "maker." Therefore, the Manihar have been known for their occupation of making and selling glass, lac or ivory bangles for many years.
Over half of a million Manihar are spread over Pakistan, north India and Nepal. They can be found in nine different zones of Nepal.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The business of making and selling of bangles has long been the livelihood of Manihar communities. Due to the limited availability of elephant tusks for ivory, many bangles and beads now are manufactured in plastics. Today some Manihar take other jobs including tailoring. The literacy rate among the Manihar tends to be low. They speak primary Nepali and use Urdu and Bhojpuri in Nepal and mainly Urdu and Hindi in India. Siddiqi is a common surname.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They are Sunni Muslims. Sunni religious practices are staid and simple. They believe that Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
In most of the Muslim world, people depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. They often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces. and tend to share foods with other Muslim families but traditionally do not allow marriage outside their community.

What Are Their Needs?

In India workers are just beginning to work among the larger populations but in Pakistan the work has yet to begin. Pray for individuals with a Muslim background that can begin work among them in this Hindu background nation.

Prayer Points

Pray for the authority of Christ to bind hindering spiritual forces to lead them from darkness to light.
Pray for signs and wonders among them and for great breakthroughs with a rapid multiplication of disciples and house churches.
Pray for bold workers who are driven by the love of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Manihar people in Pakistan.

Scripture Prayers for the Manihar in Pakistan.