Introduction / History

The Kunbi (alternate names of Reddi and Desai) are a prominent community of Gujarat, India. Traditionally they belong to the fourth of the Hindu Varnas, Sudra. The Kunbis have several sub-sectors including the Anjna, the Lewa and the Kadwa. These social divisions regulate marital alliances.

They live mainly in India, but some are in Pakistan. Kunbi people in Pakistan speak Sindhi rather than Gujarati.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Being a dominant community, the Kadwa Kunbi have been primarily landlords and landholders. Social control is regulated through traditional caste and village councils. The traditional occupation of most of the Kunbi groups is settled farming, followed by animal husbandry and paid labor.

Most Kunbi communities are non-vegetarian, and all the communities eat rice as their staple cereal. Jowar, wheat, bajra and ragi are the other cereals they eat. Both men and women smoke a homemade cheroot (chutta) which results in a high incidence of mouth and throat cancer.

Among the Kunbi people, cross-cousin marriages prevail. They do not permit widows to remarry.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They are Hindu by faith and worship many deities. Their main festivals are Ugadi, Akshade and Dussehra. They play bhajans and kirtans as part of their festivals.

What Are Their Needs?

All Kunbi people need the chance to experience the abundant life that only Jesus Christ can offer. Few can hear because no one has been sent.

Prayer Points

Pray for the salvation of the Kunbi people and that God may send several Christian workers to work among them and meet their spiritual and physical needs.
Pray for the Kunbi Christian believers to reach out to their own people.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Kadwa Kunbi people in India and Pakistan.

Scripture Prayers for the Kunbi Lewa in India.

References

India Missions Association, Edited by Philipose Vaidyar, Copyrighted © Used with permission.