People cluster
Kunbi
Unreached
< 0.1%
Evangelicals
Who they are
The Kunbi are a large community of farmers in western India, with more than 25 million people. The word Kunbi is used for several castes of cultivators, that is, groups of families who by tradition work the land. They live mainly in the state of Maharashtra, where Mumbai is located, and also in Gujarat and neighboring states. There is also a small number in Pakistan.
Most speak Marathi, the language of Maharashtra, or Gujarati, the language of Gujarat. Life revolves around the fields: cotton, soybeans, sugarcane, rice and grains. Many families depend on the rains of the monsoon, the rainy season, and suffer when it fails, with debts and lost harvests. At the same time, many Kunbi children now study and work in the cities.
The Kunbi are Hindu and take part in the great religious festivals of the year, such as the festival of Ganesha in Maharashtra. They also respect gods tied to the village and the family, with offerings and requests for protection for the home and the crops. The gospel has still reached very few of them.
What sets the subgroups apart
The biggest difference is the region of each group. In Maharashtra, the Kunbi speak Marathi and are mostly small farmers. In Gujarat, the Leva and the Kadva are part of the Patidar, also called Patel, landowning farmers who have also stood out in business, including among the Indians who emigrated to other countries. There are also Leva in Maharashtra, where they are considered Kunbi. For this reason, the life of a village Kunbi in the interior of Maharashtra can be very different from that of a Patel family in Gujarat.
Where they are still unreached
2
Countries
25.1M
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
India
|
98.5%
|
24.769.000 |
Pakistan
|
1.5%
|
379.300 |
The 13 peoples in this cluster
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
May the Kunbi know Jesus as the Lord of the harvest, who cares for those who work the land.
For the farming families weighed down by debt and worn out by drought, that they would find hope and help.
May the Word of God in Marathi and Gujarati reach the villages in a simple and accessible way.
For the young Kunbi who study and work in the cities, that they would meet Christians who welcome them.
May churches arise in the Kunbi villages, led by people from the community itself.
For the few Kunbi who follow Jesus, that they would remain firm and live in peace with their neighbors.