Koli of Gujarat 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.

Subgroups: 9

Subgroup Name Population
Thakur 587,000
Kotwal 493,000
Talabda 365,000
Baria 124,000
Thakarda 110,000
Pagi 77,000
Chunwalia 67,000
Ghedia 22,000
Divachakoli Unknown

Introduction / History

The Koli people are also called Dongar or Raj Koli. Generally Koli means a fisherman but the Koli people's primary occupation is agriculture. One of their subgroups are those who live in Gujarat and speak Gujarati. These Gujarati speakers also live in other areas of India though they are less populous outside Gujarat.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Their staple food consists of rice, nagli, varai and wheat. Other than agriculture they are also involved in cattle production, dairy and poultry farming and wage labor as subsidiary occupations.

They live in nuclear families. Bride price plays an important part in marriage. The marriage ceremony lasts for three to four days. They allow for divorce and remarriage. They bury their dead, but in some cases they cremate.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Gujarati Koli follow a number of Hindu traditions. Members of each clan have their own deity.


What Are Their Needs?

The Koli of Gujarat need the opportunity to allow Jesus Christ to enrich their lives physically, economically and spiritually. Some Koli villages are without electricity. Solar panels would greatly improve their lives. They often lack access to clean water and modern medicine. The Koli of Gujarat must hear and understand the message about Jesus Christ to have their sins forgiven and to obtain eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement to Christ among this Koli community.

Pray for more literacy and development programs and better schools.

Pray for a spiritual hunger that will drive all Koli subgroups to Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Koli of Gujarat in India.


References

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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Koli of Gujarat
People Name in Country Koli of Gujarat
Alternate Names Macchi Koli; Machikoli; कोली ऑफ गुजरात
Population this Country 9,278,000
Population all Countries 9,278,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 186
PeopleID3 21555
ROP3 Code 118356
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Hindu - other
People Group Koli of Gujarat
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 9
  Thakur 587,000
  Kotwal 493,000
  Talabda 365,000
  Baria 124,000
  Thakarda 110,000
  Pagi 77,000
  Chunwalia 67,000
  Ghedia 22,000
  Divachakoli 0
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 on file 20
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Gujarat
9,134,000
Daman and Diu
51,000
Madhya Pradesh
32,000
Dadra and Nagar Have
21,000
Tamil Nadu
15,000
Rajasthan
6,800
Delhi
6,400
Karnataka
6,100
Telangana
1,300
Jharkhand
1,300
Maharashtra
1,200
Chhattisgarh
1,000
West Bengal
700
Kerala
400
Uttarakhand
200
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 20
  Gujarat 9,134,000
  Daman and Diu 51,000
  Madhya Pradesh 32,000
  Dadra and Nagar Have 21,000
  Tamil Nadu 15,000
  Rajasthan 6,800
  Delhi 6,400
  Karnataka 6,100
  Telangana 1,300
  Jharkhand 1,300
  Maharashtra 1,200
  Chhattisgarh 1,000
  West Bengal 700
  Kerala 400
  Uttarakhand 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.01 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.54 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.45 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gujarati (7,729,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
Hindi
947,000
Marathi
35,000
Kacchi
23,000
Koli, Wadiyari
21,000
Sourashtra
12,000
Konkani
6,500
Ahirani
2,300
Marwari (India)
1,300
Dangi
600
Wagdi
500
Primary Language Gujarati (7,729,000 speakers)
Language Code guj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
  Hindi 947,000
  Marathi 35,000
  Kacchi 23,000
  Koli, Wadiyari 21,000
  Sourashtra 12,000
  Konkani 6,500
  Ahirani 2,300
  Marwari (India) 1,300
  Dangi 600
  Wagdi 500
People Groups Speaking Gujarati

Primary Language:  Gujarati

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1809-1965)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-1985)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1823-2021)
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Mobile App Android Bible app: Gujarati Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
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Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Gujarati Literacy & Evangelism International
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Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Akella Srinivas Ramalingaswami - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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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