Saturday, April 4, 2009

The Marathi People in India

India is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, with hundreds of linguistic nationalities and hundreds of different castes (tribes) residing in each state. The caste levels are based on the measure of purity in relationship to the holy scriptures. The Marathi-speaking peoples live near the west coast of central India, in Maharashtra and other surrounding states. The Marathi cluster includes four distinct unreached people groups: the Berar Marathi or Brahmani, which has a population of over seven million; the Dhanwar; the Maratha, with a population of over sixty million; and the Thakur. Each group speaks a different dialect of Marathi.
Image

The Marathi groups vary in location and type. Some of the Marathi tribes tribes live in the hills, while others live in the Deccan Plateau. There are landowners and cultivators, as well as illiterate tribes living in small jungle villages. All levels of society can be seen among them, however, the majority belong to the lowest class of farmers. They also have differing religious practices and cultural traditions.

The Family...
The basic social unit in India is the family. Families generally are large, and extended families often live together or near each other. Rural women are responsible for the children, household, and helping in the fields. Traditional marriages are still arranged by parents, often with the consent of the bride and groom. Marriage is sacred to most Indians and is considered to endure beyond death. Chastity is the most treasured virtue of womanhood.

Appearance...
Women wear a long length of fabric or a colorful pantsuit with a knee-length shirt. They also wear considerable jewelry. The red dot on their foreheads was traditionally a sign of femininity, gracefulness, and marital status, but has become for many an optional beauty aid.

Men wear Western-style suits or more traditional clothing, such as the large piece of cloth wrapped around the waist. Hindus and Muslims may wear a long shirt with pants, sometimes accompanied by a jacket or a vest.
Image Most of the Marathi are Hindus. For them, Hinduism is a "way of life" defined more by their actions than their beliefs. Shared beliefs of various indigenous religions have merged over thousands of years. They worship many gods, have sacred writings, hymns, rituals, theology, social laws, and myths concerning Hindu gods and goddesses. They teach that animals have souls. Cows are sacred and other animals are also revered. They believe that the soul never dies but is reborn in a form of an animal. If a person lives a good life, the soul will be born into a higher state. A person's reincarnation continues until he or she achieves spiritual perfection. Eight percent of the Marathi are Muslim, result of invaders and wars with the Moguls that took place during the eighteenth century.

What you can do…

  • Adopt the Marathi people.
  • Learn as much as possible about this group
  • Organize strategic prayer
  • Provide financial resources to train local leaders
  • Arrange short missions trips

...until there is a strong church established among the Marathi people..

How to Pray for the Marathi...

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to break the power of idolatry and superstition that are keeping the Marathi bound.
  • Take authority over every spiritual power that has ruled their lives from generations, and declare freedom in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Ask the Lord to call people to share Christ with the Marathi.
  • Grant wisdom and favor to nationals and missionaries targeting the Marathi.
  • Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Marathi through dreams and visions.
  • Ask God to give us creative ways to train Christians to reach the Marathi.
  • Pray that God will give the Marathi believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
  • Pray that Christian radio broadcasts, the Jesus film, and gospel recordings will have an impact among the Marathi for the Glory of God.
  • Pray for God to raise up a strong local churches among the Marathi.

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