The Chamar (Bagheli) of India

The Chamar (Bagheli) of India, numbering approximately 118,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a significant community of northern India, traditionally associated with leather work and tanning. Over time, many Chamars have moved away from their traditional occupation and are now part of the broader agricultural and urban labor force. They mostly adhere to Hinduism and Bagheli is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Chamar (Baghelkhandi)

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: India
People Cluster: Chamar
Primary Language(s): Bagheli (bfy)
Primary Religion(s): Hinduism
Population: 118,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG046044

Pray for the Chamar (Bagheli) of India

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Hinduism
Religious Affiliation: Hinduism

99%
%
Hinduism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Bagheli
Language Family: Indo-European

100%
%
Bagheli Speakers

Media Resources in Bagheli:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Bagheli:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Wycliffe India, 2020✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Bagheli bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Chamar (Bagheli) are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Chamar (Bagheli):
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Chamar (Bagheli) of India

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
readTitus 3:3

Pray for those who seek worldly pleasures instead of God to flee from sin and choose God’s goodness and lovingkindness by placing their faith in Jesus.

Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
readIsaiah 43:19

Pray that the lost will see the new thing God can do in their lives and trust in His plan and purpose for them.

But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
readHebrews 10:38

Pray that as people trust in Christ, they will live by faith and not shrink back from their hope in Christ.

Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
readPsalm 34:3

Pray that God will raise up believers who will go to those in this people group who do not yet follow Jesus, and that they will invite many to magnify the Lord with them so that His fame will spread to the ends of the earth.

Chamar (Bagheli) Across Countries (ROP3 - 116416) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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