Christianity in Jharkhand

Christians are a religious community residing in the Indian state of Jharkhand. As per 2011 Census of India, 4.3% of people in Jharkhand are Christians.^[1] Christians are majority in Simdega district of Jharkhand.^[2]

Outer view of St. Mary's Cathedral, mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Ranchi.

Overview

Christianity is a minority religion in Jharkhand, a state (formerly Southern region of Bihar state, colloquially Chota Nagpur division) of India. Jharkhand is known for tribals such as Munda, Santhal, Oraon and Kharia. A Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Ranchi exists. St. Mary's Cathedral in Ranchi has been a cathedral since 1909.^[3] The Church of North India has a Diocese of Chota Nagpur with a seat at Ranchi. The Church of North India has a St. Paul's Cathedral in Ranchi.^[3] Gossner Theological College is in Jharkhand. Many Munda & Kharia are Christians.^[4] The then pope visited Ranchi in 1986.^[5] The Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chotanagpur and Assam has its seat in Ranchi.^[3] Dhanbad has Oriental Orthodox Churches.^[6] Christian missionaries arrived in today's Jharkhand in 1845.^{[citation needed]}

History

See also: Christianity in India

Pre-independence era

Christian Mission Stations of the Indian Empire, 1893

By the year 1765 Britishers were successful in their military mobilization to bring Santhal Pargana under British rule. After this conquest, the British colonial planters in India indentured tribal people of the Chota Nagpur Plateau region into Northeast India about 150 years ago for the purpose of being employed in the tea gardens industry as workers and came to be known as Tea tribes. These tribals were influenced by the Christian missionaries who came along with the British. These Christian missionaries worked for the improvement standard of living and providing education to the children of the tribals.^{[citation needed]}

Nearly 15 decades later missionaries from Germany left started their voyage to India in 1844 and reached Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) in 1845. These missionaries were initially heading for Mergui in Myanmar (formerly Burma) in view of preaching the Christian faith among the Karen people or in the areas located in the footsteps of the Himalayas. However, on meeting some people from Ranchi, they changed their plan and headed for Chhotanagpur and its main town, Ranchi. They reached Ranchi on 2 November 1845 and camped on, what is now known as, the 'Bethesda Ground' in Ranchi.^[7] By 1872, the Christian population in the Jharkhand region was 16,190, which increased to 43,535, 96,125, and 155,606 in the 1881, 1891, and 1901 censuses, respectively.^[a] The growth of Christianity in the region was largely among the tribal communities, which contributed to the rise of anti-conversion movements like the Birsa Munda Movement and the Tana Bhagat Movement.

Post-independence era

After India became independent, the missionaries who remained post independence, worked for the improvement standard of living and providing education to the children of the tribals. Evidently many of the tribals emerged as sportsmen especially in the game of hockey and football.^[8]

Even the first Prime Minister of India, Dr. Jawaharlal Nehru, in his The Discovery of India acknowledges the contribution of the early missionaries for development of tribals dialect stating that even laboured at the dialects of the primitive hill and forest tribes... ^[9]

Christian missionaries work in tribal belt of Jharkhand, c. 1950 – c. 1960

• 
  Worker's Meeting, Hisri (1950).
• 
  Trainee of Chandwa Bible Training School (1957).
• 
  Bihar (present-day Jharkhand) Church Conference, India (1958).
• 
  Class of 12 who received diplomas. O. P. Lal, teachers: John and Miriam Beachy, Paul and Esther Kniss (1959).
• 
  Christian bridegroom (1961)
• 
  Evangelist Paikas Toppo preaching "Lo, I am with you always" (1962).
• 
  Mirchulal (on left) talks with Christians of the Latehar congregation (1964).
• 
  Pastor Sushil Khakha welcomes three newly baptized members into church fellowship in Nareshgarh (1967).

Demographics

See also: Religion in Jharkhand, Tribes of Jharkhand, and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes § Demographics

Christianity in Jharkhand

Year	Pop.	±%
1872	16,190	—
1881	43,535	+168.9%
1891	96,125	+120.8%
1901	155,606	+61.9%
1911	209,923	+34.9%
1921	234,724	+11.8%
1931	389,770	+66.1%
1941		—
1951	415,548	—
1961	502,195	+20.9%
1971	658,717	+31.2%
1981	740,186	+12.4%
1991	843,717	+14.0%
2001	1,093,382	+29.6%
2011	1,418,608	+29.7%
Note: Prior to the 1951, the area corresponding to present-day Jharkhand is used;[a] 1951–2001 census, Bihar's figure also included (but the Christian population in present-day Bihar was minimal), from which Jharkhand was bifurcated in 2000. Source: Census of India[10][11]

Christianity among social group of Jharkhand, 2011 census^[12]

1. Scheduled Tribes (94.3%)
2. General (incl. converted Scheduled Castes) population (5.67%)

Concentration of Christianity in Jharkhand, 2011

According to the 2011 census, the Christian population in the state stood at 1,418,608, reflecting an increase of 29.75% from the 2001 census, which recorded 1,093,382 Christians. Simdega district has the highest concentration of Christians, accounting for 51.14% of its population, followed by Khunti at 25.66% and Gumla at 19.75%. The Scheduled Tribes, primarily Oraon, Munda, Santal, Kharia, Mal Paharia, Sauria Paharia, Ho (Kolha) constitute 94.33% (1,338,175) of the Christian population, while remaining 5.67% (80,433) belongs to the general population (including converted Scheduled Castes) of the state.^[12] The breakdown of Christianity among Scheduled Tribes is:

Statistics of Christianity among tribes, 2011 census^[12]

Scheduled Tribe Community	Christian Pop.	Pct. of Christians in Community	Pct. of Christians in ST Christians	Pct. of Christians in State Christians
Asur, Agaria	2,079	9.26	0.16	0.15
Baiga	20	0.56	0	0
Banjara	5	1.03	0	0
Bathudi	4	0.12	0	0
Bedia	136	0.14	0.01	0.01
Bhumij	600	0.29	0.04	0.04
Binjhia	68	0.47	0.01	0
Birhor	684	6.38	0.05	0.05
Birjia	2,010	32.03	0.15	0.14
Chero	126	0.13	0.01	0.01
Chik Baraik	1,959	3.62	0.15	0.14
Generic Tribes	19,285	11.1	1.44	1.36
Gond	316	0.59	0.02	0.02
Gorait	43	0.86	0	0
Ho	19,891	2.14	1.49	1.4
Karmali	142	0.22	0.01	0.01
Kawar	63	0.77	0	0
Kharia, Dhelki Kharia, Dudh Kharia, Hill Kharia	133,249	67.94	9.96	9.39
Kharwar	401	0.16	0.03	0.03
Khond	33	14.93	0	0
Kisan, Nagesia	1,103	2.96	0.08	0.08
Kol	594	1.11	0.04	0.04
Kora, Mudi -Kora	455	1.39	0.03	0.03
Korwa	805	2.26	0.06	0.06
Lohra	7,408	3.43	0.55	0.52
Mahli	8,618	5.65	0.64	0.61
Mal Paharia, Kumarbhag Paharia	24,482	18.03	1.83	1.73
Munda, Patar	403,466	32.82	30.15	28.44
Oraon, Dhangar (Oraon)	449,092	26.16	33.56	31.66
Parhaiya	229	0.9	0.02	0.02
Santal	236,304	8.58	17.66	16.66
Sauria Paharia	24,357	52.7	1.82	1.72
Savar	148	1.53	0.01	0.01
Total ST Community	1,338,175	15.48	100	94.33

Churches and ministry

The major denominations and church bodies in the state are given below.

• Roman Catholic Church having 1,058,812 members in 8 dioceses and 280 parishes.

• Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church having 583,960 members in 1,895 congregations.

• North Western Gossner Evangelical Lutheran Church having 135,000 members in 735 congregations.

The other smaller denominations are:

• India Pentecostal Church of God
• Dipti Mission
• Bihar Mennonite Mandli
• Gospel Echoing Missionary Society

Source:^[13][14]