Chopan 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.

Introduction / History

The oldest known community in the Himalayan Mountains of Kashmir are the Pohul people! Their ancestors were shepherds; today they still tend livestock.


Where Are they Located?

The small Pohul community lives in Jammu and Kashmir, India's far northern state with a Muslim majority.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Pohuls are shepherds, the oldest occupation in that region. They tend their flocks of sheep and goats in these rugged Himalayan Mountains. They sometimes have to climb over boulders with their livestock to find good grazing land and clean water. The Pohul people are widely distributed in rural areas; however, some have been able to mix with more affluent Muslim communities and are now working for the Indian government.

The Pohul people rarely eat meat primarily because it is expensive, but on special occasions they will enjoy mutton, a favorite meat in India. Like many other castes in India, the Pohul people have their marriages arranged by their parents. Indeed, marriage is their most important ritual although these Muslims keep it simple.

They are unengaged as well as unreached, so no one is involved in reaching out to the Pohuls with the gospel. Their rural, remote lifestyle is an obstacle in reaching them, but nothing is impossible with God.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Pohul people are Sunni Muslims who believe that Islam offers the spiritual answers that all peoples need.


What Are Their Needs?

The Pohul people need to have the chance to become children of the Living God and disciples of Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that God will put it on the hearts of Indian believers to disciple the Pohul community in the ways of Christ and teach them to disciple others.
Pray for God to prepare Pohul hearts to recognize the truth of the gospel message.
Pray for Jesus movements to bless extended families so the gospel will spread rapidly among this people group.


Scripture Prayers for the Chopan in India.


References

(J&K book, pp 567-76)
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17897/IN
http://www.peoplegroups.org/Explore/groupdetails.aspx?peid=49070
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgFhObOLx7c


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Chopan
People Name in Country Chopan
Alternate Names Pohul; पोहुल
Population this Country 3,600
Population all Countries 3,600
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17897
ROP3 Code 113377
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)
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 1
  Jammu and Kashmir 3,600
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Kashmiri (3,600 speakers)
Language Code kas   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kashmiri (3,600 speakers)
Language Code kas   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kashmiri
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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