India

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Official name:
Region: South-central Asia
Area: 3,166,000 sq km
Government:
Official languages: Hindi (national language) along with 21 other
Monetary unit: Rupee
Cities: Delhi, Mumbai

DEMOGRAPHY
Population: 1,129,866,154
Population density: 356

ECONOMY
GDP (PPP):
per person:
</small>

LIFE & LIBERTY
HDI 0.545


Contents

[edit] Geography

India is bounded on the South by Indian Ocean, South West by Arabian sea, South East by Bay of Bengal. India measures 3,214 km from north to south and 2,933 km from east to west with a total land area of 3, 287,263 sq. km. India shares its borders with Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, China and Tibet. India is separated from Sri Lanka by a narrow channel of sea formed by the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar. In the Indian Ocean, India is in the vicinity Maldives and Indonesia. The whole land can be divided as the following physiographic regions. They are the Northern Mountains including the Himalayas and North Eastern mountain ranges, The Indo-Gangetic plains, Desert, Central high lands, Coastal lands in West and East and the Islands.

[edit] Location

[edit] Climate

Since India is so vast the climatic conditions are varied. Basically India has three seasons hot, wet and cold. The heat starts from the month of February and reaches its peak in the month of May/June. In some places in Central and North India, the temperature touches 45 degree Centigrade. It is dry and dusty. The monsoon arrives in the first week of June. Travel becomes difficult during the monsoon. The monsoon ends by October. The climate is cool in the whole country, but it is severe in the North.

In general, the seasons in India are: The Hot (March 15 - June 15) The Monsoon (June 15 - October 15) The Cool - (October 15 - March 15) During the hot season, the coastal areas are hot, muggy, humid and mosquito-ridden. The low plains are very hot and dusty. During this time of the year, it's usually best to go to the high plains (still hot but bearable) or the hills (quite comfortable). The British used to move the India national capitol from Delhi to the hill station of Shimla every summer! For most areas of India, the hot season is not a good time to come.

[edit] Natural Resources

[edit] Demographics

[edit] Peoples

India has a huge population of one billion. There are over 4,693 distinct communities living in India, according the Anthropological Survey of India. There are 6 main ethnic races in India, they are the Negrito, Proto-Australoids, Mangoloids, Mediterraneans or Dravidians, Western Brachycephals and Nordic Aryans.

India has a social structure known as Caste system. This has religious sanction from Hindu Scriptures. The Caste of person is determined by birth. A caste is a group of people with same culture and identity and generally marry within themselves. It is important to know that there is hierarchy in this structure. It is generally divided into four layers with several castes within each spectrum. The Brahmins or the religious priests belong to the top category who are believed to have come from the head of Brahma one of Hindu gods. The Kshatriyas from the chest and they are of warrior class. The Vaishyas are business community from the stomach of Brahma and the Shudras from the legs. Apart from this hierarchy of the four main castes there are untouchables, termed as Harijans by Mahatma Gandhi and they like to call themselves as Dalits. The Dalits constitute about 16.48% (around 250 million)of the Indian Population. The name, “Dalit,” is roughly translated as “broken people.” The Dalits have suffered social, religious, economic, and political exploitation and deprivation since the development of the caste system 3,000 years ago. The tribals are out of this category, because they are animists. The Tribals constitute 8.08% of the population. Discrimination based on caste, though outlawed in the Constitution, remains a fact of life. Dalit women are frequently sexually abused or sold into prostitution, and the careers of many them are hampered by their place in the caste system. The great majority of Dalits live in dire poverty and are sadly the targets of many violent attacks, most of which go unpunished.

The Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsees and Sindhis are other religious groups living in this nation. The Muslims constitutes 11.7% of the population while Sikhs form 2% of the population. Buddhist constitutes 0.8% and Jains 0.4% of the population.

[edit] People Group Focus:

The Brahmin (40 million) are the highest caste in the Hindu world, maybe only 18,000 openly profess Christianity.

Other Forward Castes - the Rajput (40m), Mahratta (28m), Jat (12m), Bhumihar (4m), Arora (3.8m), and Samon (3.7m) may have no more than 5,000 Christians, little effective ministry among them.

Many Backward Caste peoples - the Yadava (31.5m), Kurmi (25.7m), Ahir (25.4m), Gujar (8.5m), Sonar (7.1m) - have no known Christians, or only a few thousand.

The Kolta community is distributed in the Bolangir, Sambalpur and Sundargarh districts of Orissa. There are a number of gotras among them. They speak in the Oriya language. They are mainly engaged in the cultivation, cattle and goat rearing.

The KALINGI: Population 236,000. The Kalingi are also called Kalinga or Kalinji. This is a Backward Class community of Andhra Pradesh. Their name is likely to have been derived from Kalinga, the territory between the rivers Mahanadi and Godavari. The community is divided into two sub-castes, namely Buragaum Kalinga and Kinthala Kalinga. Oriya Kalingi was also mentioned in the 1891 census. Marriages normally take place within the sub-castes, and sometimes with father's sister's daughter or mother's brother's daughter. The sons inherit the father's wealth. Agriculture is their main occupation. They practise wet-rice cultivation as well as dry-millet cultivation. In Orissa, the Kalingi are said to have migrated from Andhra Pradesh during the reign of Ashoka. They speak Telugu. The Kalingi are divided into two subdivisions: Kintali and Borgani. They marry within their community and outside their gotra and surname (lineage). May the Kalingi come to know our God through faith in Christ. May the Christians reach out to this community in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh.

The Vaddar are traditionally involved in digging canals and wells, and making roads and railway tracks. In North India and Pakistan, they are known as Od but in South India as Vaddar. During the time of Aurangzeb, some of them became Muslims and most of them are now in Pakistan. Their clan (gotra) names are used as surnames. A majority of them are now agricultural labourers. Child labour is common. Marriage is prohibited between persons with the same surname. They believe in soothsaying, witchcraft, etc. Their population in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka is 3.2 million. In Karnataka, 910,000; in Andhra Pradesh 720,000; Maharashtra 300,000; etc. Hindu 98%; Muslim 2%.

The Telaga people are located in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu. Their population is 10,400,000 in India and Bangladesh. In Andhra Pradesh their populationis 6.6 million. They were originally soldiers by profession but are now mainly agriculturists and traders and landowners. They are also called Kamma, which in Telugu means the ear ornament worn by women.Widow remarriage is not permitted. When matters affecting the community have to be decided, a council of leading members assemble but in some places, there is a permanent headman called Mannemantri or Chaudri.

The Halalkhor are Muslim. The term consists of 'halal' meaning lawful and 'khordan', meaning to eat - one to whom all food is lawful. This community is synonym for Mehtar and Bhangi. They speak Urdu at home. In UTTAR PRADESH, the Halaikhor mainly live in the districts of Basti, Gonda and Jaunpur. They do not own land. Men make baskets and winnowing fans, while women are engaged in cleaning and sweeping. They perform as musicians. In BIHAR, the Halalkhor live in the plains of Ranchi, Lohardaga and Gumla districts. They speak Hindi and Sadri. Their traditional occupation is scavenging. They are regarded as Other Backward Class.

The Rajabongshi people: Population 2,500,000; Literacy 25%. These people live in Bihar, West Bengal and Assam. They are mostly found in the districts of Cooch Behar, Jailpaiguri, Darjeeling, North and South Dinajpur in West Bengal, and in the Goalpara region in Assam. They are mostly engaged in agriculture. When a Rajabongshi buys a plot of land for house building, he calls their own Pundit to see if the land would be suitable for the purpose. The Pundit comes and draws some figures on the earth and determines whether it is good for purchase. Word for All has a Bible translation project in Kamta / Rajabongshi language since 2003. It is expected to be completed in 2018.

The Kodaku people: Its ethnologue code is KSZ. The people who speak this language are in Serguja district of Chhattisgarh, Gumla Garhwa and Palamau districts in Jharkhand and Sonabhadra district in Uttar Pradesh. The current population of the people is 100,000. The word Kodaku means diggers of soil or earth. This community has their council with a Mahato as the village headman. They are animists. Most of them are agricultural labourers. They practise monogamy. The young man to be married has to pay bride price. The literacy rate is 3%. They are in the below poverty level. The Bible translation work in Kodaku taken by Word For All, since 2005.

The Manipuri are famous throughout the world for their beautiful expressive dances. Themes are generally taken from the life of the god Krishna. About 1,5 million Manipuri people live in North-East India. This group is of Mongolian descent and speak a language called Meithei. The Manipuri have only one social class, which corresponds to the Indian caste of “untouchables.” These people have no prestige and are dominated by higher classes. The people desperately need to hear of the love and power of Jesus. Although they are somewhat dissatisfied with Hinduism, the Manipuri have been resistant when presented with the gospel. Pray for the Manipuri and for spiritual breakthroughs.

The Sayyed

The Pathan

The Malik

The Lakarharas

The Dawoodi Bohra

[edit] Language

A list of the languages in India see: Gospel Recordings

[edit] Provinces

[edit] Cities

CITY FOCUS: TUMKUR, Karnataka Pop. 249,000; Christian: 2% The Good news reached Gubbi, a town nearby, in 1835. In 1848 the Church was built by the Wesleyan Methodist Mission. As a result of the famine in 1877 an orphanage was founded. In 1923 a women's Bible School was opened in the Union Kannarese Seminary at Tumkur. Today there are a number of congregations and Christian ministries in the city.

[edit] Life

  • Reforms have benefited the educated Indians, while the majority people were untouched. Education, health care and water remain distant dreams for them. The new wealth of India is not getting to the lower “backward” castes. According to the World Bank, 750 million of India’s 1.1 billion people still live below the poverty line. Even in Bangalore, India’s shining high-tech capital and high tech mecca, with more than 500 major international corporations with its IT operations, there are still 700 slums that lack adequate roads, water, lighting, and toilet facilities. Other Indian cities such as Kolkota, want to set up special economic zones where industry can flourish. In order to do this, they grab land owned by farmers, and often pay them very little compensation. These now-landless farmers will not be qualified for the kinds of work needed in the new economic zones. How will they earn a living in the years to come?
  • Dharavi is the largest slum in Asia located in Mumbai where a ten square feet single room may cost Rs. 1,500 per month. Six-eight members share this stinking apartment. In this slum, one toilet is shared by 1,440 people, where a population of 1 million plus lives. 15-20 households share one tap. India is ranked 126th in Human Development Index.
  • Doctors and Hospitals: There are 70 doctors for 100,000 persons in 2006. Thee were 83 hospital beds for 100,000 people in 1991 and this number has increased to 89 in 2006. (Source: Business Today, 14 January 2007, p.190)
  • Judges: There are 13 judges for every 1 million persons in India, while US has 107. (Source: The Week 21 January 2007, p. 6)
  • The ministry of social justice and empowerment states there are 80,000 manual scavengers (who are Dalits) in Madhya Pradesh, second only to Uttar Pradesh with 149,000. Women comprise 93 per cent of the work force according to a study done by NGO in 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh. One NGO has helped 1624 villagers to adopt alternative means of employment. (Source: The Week 28 January 2007, p.28)
  • Still millions believe that the river Ganges washes their sins away. There are millions of people who refuse to believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross. They reject historical facts of Jesus' death and resurrection. If Jesus is exalted in our land, He will draw our people to Himself. Praise God for those who are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. May they influence our people for good and bring about changes in our nation.
  • It is estimated that at least 2000 orphaned or runaway children live in an antisocial subculture in the capital city. Many are abused. Growing numbers are HIV positive. Some are child sex workers, traumatized and infected with Aids. One organization wants to promote their spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual and social development and to lead children to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. Their desire is to carry out this ministry in partnership with the local church. They have started holistic club programs in slum areas. They have Bible stories, songs, classes in Hindi, English, vocational skills, health and a meal. They are involved in training local people and in researching the needs of the children.

[edit] Economy

Indian economy is improving, but about one third of India's rural population or some 300 million people live below the poverty line, most on less than Rs 12 per day. Children account for nearly one-third of this vulnerable group, and nearly half of them are malnourished. (CCF)

[edit] History

[edit] Government

India with over 1.1 billion people is the second most populated country in the world and the largest democracy.

National Capital: New Delhi States: 28, 7 union territories Languages: 22 official Prime Minister: Man Mohan Singh President: Prathibha Patil Parliament: 543 members

[edit] Religion

[edit] Hindu

  • Indian society is primarily organized by the fourfold Hindu caste system; each caste corresponds to a part of the creator god, from the head to the feet. Below the four main castes, however, is a fifth group, comprised of Dalits and tribals, who number around 250-300 million. The name, "Dalit,” is roughly translated as “broken people.” The Dalits have suffered social, religious, economic, and political exploitation and deprivation since the development of the caste system 3,000 years ago. Most of India’s Christian population is actually drawn from among the Dalits and lower castes who, in leaving Hinduism, are perceived to undermine India’s social structure. Discrimination based on caste, though outlawed in the Constitution, remains a fact of life. Dalit women are frequently sexually abused or sold into prostitution, and the careers of many them are hampered by their place in the caste system. The great majority of Dalits live in dire poverty and are sadly the targets of many violent attacks, most of which go unpunished.
  • Post-Independence India has seen the revival among upper-caste fundamentalists of Hindu nationalism, or “Hindutva,” under the slogan “one nation, one religion, one culture.” One consequence of this philosophy is the opposition to religions other than Hinduism, particularly Christianity and Islam. In an interview in November 2003, VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia referred to Christian witness as “religious terrorism” and to religious conversion as “cultural AIDS,” describing Christianity as a virus. Togadia had threatened in December 2002 that “all Hindutva opponents will get the death sentence, and we will leave it to the people to carry this out.”
  • Hindutva ideology is associated with a number of groups known collectively as the “Sangh Parivar,” among whom the largest organization is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The RSS has recently been labeled by two US-based think-tanks as a quasi-terrorist organization. According to the RAND Corporation, the RSS “espouses a strong and militant religious philosophy based on exclusivity and hate.”
  • Christian communities and individuals of all denominations across India have suffered a considerable number of attacks at the hands of Hindu fundamentalists. The number of recorded incidents against Christians in 2005 is estimated to have exceeded 200, though a large number of attacks go unreported. The religious organization of the RSS, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), is often accused either of inciting, or of being directly implicated in violent attacks against Christians. A number of women have been brutally sexually assaulted in connection with attacks on churches. In some cases, police have been directly implicated in violence against Christians, or at least in failing to take proper action in response to these attacks.

[edit] Islam

[edit] Buddhism

  • Buddhists form a smaller minority (0.8% of the total) but are estimated at about 8 million people. Bihar is the birthplace of Buddhism and Buddhist thinking, as in China, influences a wider population than that. Anti-conversion legislation and active persecution complicates any outreach to Buddhists. Many Tibetans (Buddhists) were exiled to China: over 130,000 estimated and the Dalai Lama is headquartered in Himachal Pradesh. Around 4,000-5,000 Tibetans escape their native land every year, with most seeking refuge in India. There are 35 Tibetan settlements and numerous smaller communities in India. They seek to keep their cultural identity alive while adapting to life in a foreign country. In addition neo-Buddhists figure prominently as hundreds of thousands of Dalit and OBC (Other Backward Castes) seek to convert wholesale to Buddhism in protest against the caste system and other social evils against them.

[edit] Christianity

  • With over 24 million Christians, comprising 2.3% of the country's population, Christianity is India's third-largest religion. The first Christians in India were converted by the apostle Thomas, who arrived on the Malabar Coast in Kerala in 52 AD; Christianity in India underwent major transformations during the colonial and post-independence periods. The two main regional concentrations of Christian population are in Kerala, South India, and in North-East Indian states.

The informal estimate of Christians in India is estimated as 50 million.


Christianity came into India, before it reached the West. There is a strong tradition that St. Thomas one the twelve disciples of Jesus came to India in 52 A.D. and later died as martyr in Mylapore (Chennai - Madras). The Christianity in the state of Kerala is about 2000 years old. But the Christian faith was limited to the boundaries of Kerala.

Then new surge began as Vasco da Gama reached Kerala in 1498. This was followed by Catholic missionaries like St. Xavier who came to India. Xavier was able to plant strong churches among the fishermen in the Western and Eastern shores of the country. The first Protestant Danish-Halle Mission 1706 A.D. was at Tranquebar which was the next move which had marginal effect in the shores of Tanjore in Tamil Nadu. Thus an era of modern missions, 1792 began. William Carey, followed this. The Bible Seminary he established in Serampore is still serving the missions in India. Several missionaries from various missionary societies in several regions served faithfully. Churches were established in several areas. Revivals took place in South India in 1976 and in Nagaland (North-East India) in the 1980's. During these times, many tribes who were from lower strata of society came to know Christ. Hence Christians in India are treated as low caste. Of course, not everybody! There were people movements among certain people groups like Garos, Nadars, Malas and Madigas. Mainly the downtrodden were attracted by the gospel. Even today the majority of Christians in India are from Dalit or tribal background. Christianity has strong base in the Southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh and in the North-Eastern states of Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland.

[edit] Prayer Movement

In India, a national network now links many Christian leaders and ministries for increasingly well organized, informed, united prayer. A movement to make Ram the main god of India has resulted in the government’s saying he is just a legend. Large numbers are coming to Christ with churches and house fellowships being multiplied in most parts of the country. Bihar, once the most corrupt and backward of all India’s states, has moved to the number three spot in development with new roads and infrastructure being added and progress being made in removing corruption. It is no accident that a strong prayer network has united Christ’s people to pray in this state over the last few years. 4500 believers recently met there to fast and pray in over 37 degree Celsius heat.

[edit] History

UNDERSTANDING INDIA J.N. Manokaran I History

a) Indus Valley Civilization India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. India’s first major civilization flourished for a thousand years from around 2500 BC. The centre was along the Indus River Valley, which is the modern Pakistan. The major sites were discovered about one hundred years ago. The cities, Mohenjodaro and Harappa built over four thousand years were sophisticated. The organized garbage collection, drainage system and streetlights were excellent. This advanced civilization collapsed due to the various occupants of the Indus Valley. India derived from the river Indus. Those who lived in the Indus valley eventually became "Hindus" and Indians.

b) Later Occupants The Aryans occupied this part of the world from the Harappans and Mohanjadarons. The people who were original inhabitants were edged into the Southern parts or into the forests. Thus the people living in North were called Aryans while those of the South as Dravidians. The Aryans came around 1500 BC and they spread across India from the Punjab and Sind and down the Ganges towards Bengal. Under Darius (521-486) the Punjab and Sind became part of the Persian Empire, but this was still peripheral to India itself.

The next major invasion was from Alexander the Great. Alexander the great reached upto Beas river in 326 B.C and the troops refused to march further.

c) The rise of Indian religions The primitive religion of the people of India is animism. Animists are worshippers of nature. Since sun is beneficial, they worshipped sun. Similarly they worshipped river, rains, fire, Cow etc. Later these features were incorporated into other religions.

The Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism were born in India. The Hindu religion is considered by Indians as one of the oldest religions in the world. The Vedas, the sacred books of Hindus is claimed to have written 1500- 1200 B.C. Buddhism and Jainism were born almost during 5th century B.C. Buddhism grew fast in India and was embraced by King Ashoka. But Hindu revival from 200-800 A.D. eradicated the popularity of Buddhism. Buddhism became a religion in many Eastern countries. Jainism has a small following. Sikhism is about 500 years old, it has a wide following in the Western part of India.

d) The political scene The Maurayas and Guptas are the two dynasties that ruled major parts of North India. While in South there were numerous other dynasties. The kingdoms were small and were at constant war with one another. There were remarkable kings who contributed to the welfare of the nation.

e) The arrival of Muslim Rulers While the Hindu kingdoms ruled in the South, in North there was rise and fall of Buddhism. At that time the Muslims started invading India. Mohammed of Ghazni was the first Muslim invader from Afganisthan. Ghazni is small town between Kabul and Kandahar. From 1001 Mohammed invaded India several times. In 1192 the Muslim powers took over India on a permanent basis. Several dynasties ruled the last being the Moghuls. The six great Moghuls were Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb.

f) The Marathas Throughout the Moghul powers, there were other powerful Hindu Kingdoms like that of Rajputs. The Marathas became prominent because of Shivaji and he constantly fought with the Moghuls.

g) The arrival of the Europeans Vasco da Gama from Portugal arrived in Kerala the Southern part of India in the year 1498. This gave the Portuguese monopoly of Indian trade with Europe. In 1510 they captured (arrived / settled / occupied) Goa and they controlled until 1961. In 1612 the British made their first permanent settlement at Surat, Gujarat. For about 250 years British power was exercised by their rule through the East India Company. The Dutch and French also had their trading posts in India. The British had to contend with the Mysore Kings, Marathas, and the Sikhs, before they controlled the whole country.

h) Rise and fall of "Divide and Rule" of British India The British were effectively in control by the beginning of 19th century. British had a disciplined and efficient army. So they were able to run the whole nation. Under British, India was a patchwork of states, many of them nominally independent. British introduced India a well-developed and smoothly functioning government and civil-service structure. The British instituted English as the local language of administration. The Railway service was introduced by them. Now India has the second largest network of Railways.

In 1857, there was first war of Independence, described by the British as “Sepoy Mutiny”. The result was the East India Company handed over the administration to the British government. Democratic systems began to be implemented in India, although the British government was in firm control. At this time reformers like Vivekananda, Sree Narayana Guru, Mohan Roy and Ramakrishna Gokhale, Gangadara Tilak, Vallabai Patel, Nehru, Subramania Bharathi, V.O.Chidambaranar, Mohamed Ali Jinnah brought sweeping changes in Indian society.

i) Gandhi In 1915 Mohandas Gandhi came to India from South Africa, where he had practiced as a lawyer. He started the Independence struggle through satyagraha. He followed the policy of non-co-operation and non-violence. After World War II the decision to grant Independence was taken. But the Muslim who was large minority preferred to have a separate nation, as they feared Hindu domination. The Muslim League led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah demanded a separate nation for them. The British conceded to this and there was severe inter-communal violence that left many dead and displaced. Thus India & Pakistan received Independence on 14th and 15th of August1947 respectively.

j) Independent India Independent from Britain in 1947, (August 15, 1947) it is the world's largest functioning democracy. It has suffered from troubled relations with surrounding nations, and had been involved in three wars, two with Pakistan and one with China.

Pakistan was part of India before it gained its independence. Gandhi who was a freedom fighter had problems with his colleague who was a Muslim, who wanted a separate nation for Muslims. It was during that time, after mass killings of Hindus and Muslims, that the Muslims from all over India went to Pakistan to form their own nation.

The strength of India is the secular character and robust democracy. India has developed in several areas. India did not become a victim of coups or dictatorships as in other countries. There is remarkable development in the areas of agriculture, industry, trade, science and technology. India had to fight against China and Pakistan in its borders. India has demonstrated its nuclear power also.

India has a parliamentary system of government. The people directly elect members to the lower house of Parliament called as Lok Sabha. The leader of the party with majority Members of Parliament becomes the Prime Minister.

  • The 200 years since William Carey, the great Baptist pioneer, have been remarkable. The Holy Spirit has used countless thousands of Indian and expatriate workers to affect India for good in education, health, challenging social wrongs, and to plant over 300,000 churches. There have been periodic revivals in the Panjab and in South India, in Nagaland in 1976 and Mizoram in the 1980s. Praise God!

[edit] Churches

See Denominations in India

Some churches in India are:

  • the Church of South India (CSI),
  • the Church of North India (CNI),
  • the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church,
  • the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar,
  • the Methodist Church in India,
  • the United Evangelical Lutheran Church in India.
  • Evangelical Church of India,
  • Indian National Evangelical Church,
  • Good Shepherd Community Church
  • believers Church of India,
  • Assembly of God,
  • Indian Pentecostal Church,
  • Indian Pentecostal Assembly,
  • Church of God,
  • The Pentecostal Mission,
  • Church of Nazarene,
  • Salvation Army,
  • Good Shepherd Assembolies
  • Brethren Assemblies,
  • Hebron Assemblies,
  • Laymen Evangelical Fellowship.
  • Berachah Church of God,.

[edit] Persecution

Hindu nationalist forces push profoundly anti-Christian political propaganda

Persecution of Christians in India is not a new phenomenon. But it suddenly increased and became more organized since 1998. On December 25, in Gujarat the tribal Christians were attacked while they were celebrating Christmas. 21 churches were burnt and several Christians were injured. The following month, on January 31, 1999 Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two minor sons Philip and Timothy were burnt alive in Orissa. Orissa shares with Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka the worst record for Hindu extremist violence. Many churches have been destroyed and Christian workers attacked, some molested and killed. Church growth in Orissa has also increased in despite harsh state anti-conversion laws.

Most of the churches attacked were independent in nature which have seen the highest growth in the last 40 years. In 1999 All India Christian Council (AICC) was formed. The idea was to 'Protect and Serve' Indian Christian communities and mission organizations irrespective of denominational background. AICC records annually over 200 instances of attacks on Christians around India. Other groups actively working are National Council of Churches (NCC), Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), All India Catholic Union (AICU), Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI).

The Hindutva groups are mainly behind all these attacks. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is the main body under which most of the other extremist groups operate. RSS was founded in 1925 and has over 30 front organizations under them known as Sangh Parivar (family). Their political wing is Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) which led the previous national government in India. They presently have power in several states in North India.

Prayer is needed for India, where Hindu nationalist forces are advancing strategically and gaining political ground in the lead up to the next federal elections due by May 2009. Their political propaganda is profoundly anti-Christian and causing persecution to escalate dramatically and intensify, according to the World Evangelical Alliance Religious Liberty Commission.

For example, with elections scheduled for December in Madhya Pradesh state, Christian leaders say their community is increasingly targeted as part of an effort by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to consolidate Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) votes. “This year alone, from January to August 2008 we have recorded 35 major incidents of atrocities against the Christian community,” Anand Muttungal, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Madhya Pradesh, told Compass. “When we talk of major incidents, we do not count minor incidents like cases of harassment, beatings, attacks on church halls and filing false cases against Christian workers.” Muttungal added that “quite alarming” major incidents of violence have numbered more than 150 since the BJP came to power in the state in 2003.

In Orissa, Hindu extremists belonging to the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on July 23, 2008, tortured and forcibly “reconverted” Christians to Hinduism in Kantapala village, Jajpur district.

Elsewhere in Karnataka, nearly 40 Hindu nationalist extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, VHP and Ram Sena (Army of Ram) on July 20, 2008, stormed the Gypsy Prayer Hall in Vinayakanagara, Davangere district, burning Bibles and hymnals outside the church. Several Christians were beaten, dragged to the police station and accused of forcible conversions. With the intervention of the Global Council of Indian Christians, the Christians were released the next morning,

[edit] Church and State Relations

Although the constitution provides for freedom of worship and witness, a number of individual states have begun passing anti-conversion legislation and restricting Christian activities. Anti- Conversion law is in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, and Gujarat. Some states have not enforced laws and protected Christians from attack.

[edit] Evangelization and church planting

WORD FOR THE WORLD:

  • 30 people attended a Bhajan at Bapudham colony. 26 New Testaments and 500 tracts were distributed at Ramdharbar colony. About 100 tribal children of Wangini are growing in the Lord. 60 young people committed their lives to the Lord in two retreats. Pray for the workers who minister to the leprosy patients, slum dwellers, villagers, and handicapped children. More info: wfw@vsnl.com.

INDIA FELLOWSHIP FOR THE VISUALLY HANDICAPPED

  • Praise God for the 530 people who heard the good news of Jesus Christ during the Hindi camp in Chhattisgarh. Praise God for the salvation of Patel (B) in Madhya Pradesh. Pray for the right person in Uttar Pradesh to take up the Braille Correspondence Course in Hindi. Praise God for 4 visually disabled persons who became teachers in Government Schools in Orissa.

[edit] Mission

Some of the mission organisations in India:

  • Mizoram, State in Northeast India, is one of the most active Christian states in the world. Awakenings and revivals in recent years have dynamized the Church and transformed society. Over 2,000 Mizo missionaries in India and beyond.
  • Nagaland, State in Northeast India: Thousands have served the Lord in other parts of India and beyond.
  • Vishwa Vani in India produces HIV/AIDS/community health broadcasts for India and other countries.
  • Pray GOSPEL RECORDINGS ASSOCIATION as they distribute recordings in the Deori and Monpa: Dirang languages. There are no believers among these groups. Pray for a good response to the messages and changed lives.

[edit] Bible Translation

  • The number of languages spoken in India is 430; that having complete Bible is 60; that having only New Testament is 48; that having a part of the Bible 30; that having at least one book of the Bible is 60 + 48 + 30 = 138; number of current translation projects is 103; and number of languages needing survey /translation is 169. (Source: NLCI, Bangalore)
  • May many young people dedicate their lives and churches adopt languages so that complete Bibles are available in the remaining 370 languages.

[edit] Broadcasting

[edit] Councils and Networks

[edit] Future Trends

[edit] For More Reading

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