Long ago, the prosperity of Gujarat state enticed people of surrounding states and made it a target of various Muslim tribes. The Islamic rulers reached their greatest power under the Monghal dynasty and overtook the Gujarat kingdom by the end of the thirteenth century. However, the Hindu Maratha fought the Monghals and also established an empire in Gujarat. Apparently, the Pardhi came under Maratha influence at that time. As these groups continued warring over the Gujarat territory, the British rose to power by 1817. The Pardhi were scattered into other areas, taking whatever jobs were available. Today, the Pardhi Bhil consist of many distinctive sub-groups.

What Are Their Lives Like?
The Pardhi are a rather unusual people in comparison the surrounding Bhil tribes. Because of their refusal to become a part of the caste system (a rigid system of social classes), they are a predominantly isolated group. They prefer hunting, begging, or even stealing for a living, rather than submitting to a social system that they consider demeaning and degrading. Those who make a living by thievery steal items that they can trade or sell, as well as standing crops for food.

Many of the Pardhi Bhil live scattered throughout the Bombay region. They have become a wandering tribe of game and bird hunters, living in primitive huts that are made of mud and sticks. Those who live in Kutch, (northwestern Gujarat), enjoy catching snakes, and many of them have become snake charmers. Many Pardhi groups make and sell baskets, while others make black-stone vessels.

Features that distinguish the various Pardhi groups from one another are somewhat unusual. Some groups hunt with traps and snares. Others travel from village to village and chisel household grinding stones. The Chitewala hunt with tamed leopards, and the Thanknkar and Langoti have very strong criminal tendencies. Some of the Pardhi groups sell oil from crocodiles, perform monkey shows, or kill only birds that are black. These are but a few of the peculiarities that distinguish these varying groups.

As is the practice of most Bhil tribes, the Pardhi marry only within their own sub-groups. Their places in society range from the most primitive tribes to those who hunt with firearms.

What Are Their Beliefs?
Ninety-five percent of the Pardhi practice ethnic religions. They are firm believers in the spirit world and its influence on the physical world. They worship millions of gods and goddesses in their houses. These deities must be worshipped and appeased in various ways.

Though the vast majority of the Pardhi do adhere to the superstitions and pagan religions that have permeated their culture for centuries, there has been some Hindu influence among them. There are more adherents to Hinduism than to Christianity, with the professing Christians numbering less that one percent of the population.

In spite of their pagan beliefs, there have been several interesting manifestations of the Spirit of God among them. One tribesman told this story: "A village priest talks about white people from another part of the world who will come and tell the village people about the real God...the priest says we must follow him." When missionaries first arrived to the Pardhi, that priest and his family immediately became followers of Jesus Christ.

What Are Their Needs?
As of this time, the Bible has not been translated into the Pardhi language. However, it is evident that God has prepared the way for this people, and now they need missionaries to teach them about the true God. They are wanderers, like the people of Israel, who need to find lasting security in Jesus Christ.

Prayer Points

• Pray against the demonic spirits that are keeping the Pardhi Bhil bound.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will break up the soil through worship and intercession.
• Pray that the Lord will call people to India to share Christ with the Pardhi Bhil.
• Ask God to encourage and protect the 18 known Pardhi Christians.
• Pray that God will give these believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
• Pray that God will raise up qualified linguists to translate the Bible into Pardhi.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Pardhi towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
• Pray that God will reveal Himself to them through dreams and visions.
• Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Pardhi.

See also the following Bhil Groups:
Of India: The Bhilala; The Central Bhil; The Chodhari Bhil; The Dangs Bhil; The Dhatki Bhil; The Eastern Bhil Bhilbari; The Pawari Bhil; The Tadvi Bhil; The Rajput Garasia; The Adiwasi Garasia; The Dhodia.
Of Pakistan: The Meghwar Bhil; The Sansi Bhil.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Pardhi Bhil
• Country: India
• Their language: Pardhi (Bahelia)
• Population: (1990) 16,400
  (1995) 18,100
  (2000) 19,700
• Largest religion: Ethnic Religionist 95%
  Hindu 3%
  Nonreligious 1.9%
• Christians: <1%
• Church members: 18
• Scriptures in their own language: None
• Jesus Film in their own language: Available
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: None
• Mission agencies working among this people: 4
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 4,200 (23%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 900 (5%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 3,300 (18%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 13,900 (77%)

• Country: India
• Population: (1990) 850,638,100
  (1995) 935,744,300
  (2000) 1,022,021,300
• Major peoples in size order: Hindi (High Hindi) 9.5%
  Telugu 7.8%
  Maratha 7.4%
  Bengali 6.4%
  Hindi (Bazaar, Popular) 5.5%
• Major religions: Hindu 78.2%
  Muslim 12%
  Christian 4.3%
• Number of denominations: 163