Poundra in Bangladesh


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.

Introduction / History

West Bengal is the home of almost three million Hindu Pod people. They prefer to be called Poundra. Their name means lotus. They are divided into a number of clans. They are Bengali speakers who live primarily in India. A smaller number live in Bangladesh.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The majority live by farming small tracts of land. Some of them own their own land. The landless among them work in other occupations such as fishing, carpentry and bamboo work. Education has become important to them, and they work hard so their children can attend school.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Pod people practice Hinduism, which has affected religious beliefs throughout South Asia, even in Muslim countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins. Almost all Hindus participate in yearly celebrations like Holi, the festival of colors and the start of spring / Diwali, the festival of lights / Navratri, the celebration of autumn / and Rama Navami, Rama's birthday.


What Are Their Needs?

The Pod people need to submit to Jesus Christ so they can experience the abundant life He offers them in John 10:10.


Prayer Points

Pray that Christian from low class communities will begin a disciple making movement among the Pods in India and Bangladesh. Pray that Christian literature will be provided as their literacy is increasing. May Pod extended families soon experience and embrace God's gift of salvation. Pray for a spiritual hunger that will lead the Pod community to seek and find Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Poundra in Bangladesh.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Poundra
People Name in Country Poundra
Alternate Names Bartiya; Padmaraj; Padmaraja; Paundra; Paundra Kshatriya; Pod; Pondara; Pondari; Poundara Kshatriya; Pundari; Pundarika; Punro; Sapui; पॉड
Population this Country 31,000
Population all Countries 3,399,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17896
ROP3 Code 113376
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 6
Largest States
Khulna
16,000
Sylhet
9,900
Dhaka
2,500
Barisal
1,600
Rajshahi
700
Chittagong
200
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 6
  Khulna 16,000
  Sylhet 9,900
  Dhaka 2,500
  Barisal 1,600
  Rajshahi 700
  Chittagong 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Bengali (23,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
Sylheti
7,900
Bishnupuriya
100
Assamese
40
Primary Language Bengali (23,000 speakers)
Language Code ben   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 4
Secondary Languages
  Sylheti 7,900
  Bishnupuriya 100
  Assamese 40
People Groups Speaking Bengali

Primary Language:  Bengali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1800-1980)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1801-1984)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1809-2022)
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Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Bengali Jesus Film Project
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Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Bengali Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Online New Testament (Bibles India) Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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