Sarki in India

People Name:	Sarki
Country:	India
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	32,000
World Population:	465,700
Primary Language:	Nepali
Primary Religion:	Hinduism
Christian Adherents:	2.66 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South Asia Hindu - other
Affinity Bloc:	South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The traditional and primary occupation of the Sarki was shoe-making, but nowadays only a few among them are occupied as leather-workers or cobblers. This profession gave them low status in Hindu India for two reasons. Working with leather meant working with "dead" materials. Secondly, they dealt with shoes, covering the lowest part of the body.
The Sarki people live in Uttar Pradesh, India, Bhutan and Nepal. Most of them live in Nepal.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They are in a desperate situation to learn new trades so they can make an honest living. Some of them are musicians who play the mandal. Some are dancers.

What Are Their Beliefs?

They have family deities and a village deity. Some of their deities are Santala Devi, Maidevta and Dat Kali. Their witchdoctor is called lama or jhankri.

What Are Their Needs?

The Sarki people need better schools so they can compete in India's rapidly changing economy.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to bless the Sarki people economically and spiritually as a testimony of his love and power.
There are some Christians among the Sarki community. Pray they become more than cultural Christians, instead becoming zealous disciples of Christ who disciple others in his ways.
Pray the Sarki community will be dissatisfied with their spiritual lives, and they will hunger to know the creator God and his son who came to give them life to the full.