PANJAB

1 The Panjab is the home state of the Sikhs, and the only state where they are in the majority.

2 The Sikh religion with its unique doctrines and culture has spread to many parts of India and beyond

3 Most of the Christian community originated in the 19th Century in mass movements from depressed Chamar and Chuhra castes

4 Many churches are cooperating for saturation church planting in Reach Panjab 2000. Some of the goals:

a) Strong churches in each of Panjab's 12 districts

b) Christian workers based in every one of the 491 pincode areas

c) Every people group to have a church

5 The Ludhiana Christian Medical College and Hospital has a world-wide reputation for Christian care and witness

RAJASTHAN

1 Christians are a tiny minority within minority Dalit and tribal groups.

2 Unreached peoples:

a) The Bhil(IEM), Mina (Indian Inland Mission, Pentecostals), Garasia (IEM) and others are Hindu/animist and only now beginning to respond to the gospel

b) The Meo are Muslim;

c) Higher-caste Hindus,

d) Jaipur, the capital, with two million people

3 Vision for the future emerged from a key Harvest Consultation in 1998:

a) A church in all 1404 pincode areas by 2010;

b) EHC is distributing literature to every home for the third time

SIKKIM

1 Since 1994 Sikkim has had fewer restrictions on religious freedom than ever before.

2 New vision for the evangelization of Sikkim is resulting in increased outreach,

a) To reach the northern part of Sikkim which is largely Buddhist

b) To reach neighbouring, but closed, Bhutan and Tibet

3 The Lepcha and Bhotia are the indigenous peoples of Sikkim and are largely Buddhist

Geography - Panjab

Area 50,400 sq.km.

Population 24,100,000

Capital Chandigarh in Haryana;

Peoples - Panjab

People groups 96.

Main groups Jat(Sikh) 8.3m; Jat(Hindu) 1.5m; Tarkhan 930,000; Brahmin 609,000;

SC (51) 28.3%.

Languages Panjabi 92%; Hindi 7.3%.

Religion - Panjab

Sikh 63.6%; Hindu 34%; Christian 1.1%; Muslim 1%.

Geography - Rajasthan

Area 342,000 sq.km.

Population 53,300,000

Capital Jaipur 2,050,000.

Peoples - Rajasthan

226.

Main groups Bania/Vaisya 4.9m; Rajasthani Muslim 4.8m; Brahmin 4.7m; Jat(Hindu) 3.9m;

SC (65) 17%.

ST (12) 12%.

Languages Hindi 90%; Urdu 2.2%; Panjabi 2.1%; Sindhi 0.8%.

Religion - Rajasthan

Hindu 89%; Muslim 7.5%; Jain 1.8%; Sikh 1.5%; Christian 0.12%

Geography - Sikkim

Area 7,100 sq.km.

Population 510,000

Capital Gangtok.

Peoples - Sikkim

Nepali 75%

Indigenous/Tibetan 20%

Indian groups 5%.

Languages Nepali is now the de facto state language.

Religion - Sikkim

Hindu 67%; Buddhist 27%; Christian 5%; Muslim 0.9%.

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