Women with brightly colored, beautifully patterned saris covering their heads and men with their bright, colorful turbans – the Mewari people can be easily identified by the way they dress.
Mewari is the common term used to refer to different caste groups and includes some tribes.
An extremely dry climate is typical of this region. The scorching heat of the summer and the freezing cold of the winter have toughened the people. Lack of water is a major challenge for agriculture, with droughts generally seen every three or four years, yet sometimes heavy rains cause floods and destruction.
The Mewar region consists of the four southern districts of Rajasthan and the people are known for their bravery and valor. When other parts of India bowed down to the British during their invasion, the Mewari did not. They would rather die than bow before the enemy.
Religious groups in this area include Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Muslims and Christians. Generally, the Mewari are very religious and may worship several deities and gurus. The numerous temples dotted all over the area bears witness to this.
There are approximately 50,000 Christians in the whole of Rajasthan, with about half of them being migrants from South India. Most Christian leaders are not of Rajasthani origin. Christians are a small community, and few local leaders have emerged. As in some other parts of the country, the general impression is that Christians are a low caste. They are also known as beef eaters and consumers of alcohol. Perhaps because of this, most who have responded to the gospel are from lower castes.
The Mewari are very proud of their religion, culture, traditions etc. and as a result have not responded to the gospel easily. The few churches established about a century ago are now closed and several worshipping groups have vanished. These churches could not sustain their growth without feeding from God's Word in their mother tongue, but God's Word in Mewari will have the power to transform their future thinking, and way of life.
Christians among the Mewari to stand firm in the faith and not be shaken because of adverse situations.
God to raise up workers from among the Mewari who will better present the Gospel in a culturally appropriate manner.
A mother tongue translation team to be initiated, trained and equipped to translate the Scriptures accurately.
Scripture Prayers for the Shorgar (Muslim traditions) in India.
| Profile Source: Anonymous |
