Vaghri (Muslim traditions) in India

Introduction / History

Their name Vaghri comes either from the Sanskrit word for "net" or for a word for "tiger-like." The Vaghri were originally forest hunters. During the British colonial period they were labeled as a caste of petty thieves. This idea has continued to hurt the Vaghri people in their desire to escape poverty. They are classified are a backward scheduled caste, which means they have low status. Others believe they have a Rajput background which would give them higher status.
The Muslim Vaghri live in India's Gujarat state. Others live in Pakistan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Besides being hunters, the Vaghri worked as traders, hawkers, animal breeders, and stonemasons. Most Vaghri people are landless. They try to grow vegetables on the small plots of land they possess.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Vaghri people are Hindu, but there are Muslims among them. Many of the Muslim peoples of South Asia converted from Hinduism during the days of the powerful Moghul Empire, but they retained elements of Hinduism in their Islamic belief system.

What Are Their Needs?

The Vaghri people, be they Hindu or Muslim, need the abundant life that comes from a relationship with Christ.

Prayer Points

Pray the Lord will open the hearts of the Vaghri people to desire God's blessings through a movement of family-based discovery Bible studies.
Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to both the Hindu and the Muslim Vaghri communities in Pakistan and India.
Pray for a spiritual hunger that will drive them to seek and find the Lord.
Pray for a church planting movement among the Muslim Vaghri community in Pakistan.

Text Source:   Joshua Project