Why North India?

Historically, most of the growth of the Indian church has been concentrated in the southern and north-eastern parts of the country and it is true to this day. This part of the country is often neglected or often considered resistant to the Gospel thus bypassed by many missions and missionaries. This is an area often called "the North India-Hindi Belt." This area stretches across north and central India and covers nine states: Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana. Why is this area so important? It is a major population center. The Ganges River belt contains one of the most heavily populated regions of the world. If Uttar Pradesh were a country, it would be the seventh most populous in the world; if Bihar were a country, it would be the thirteenth. Fifty percent of the total Indian population lives there, some 550 million people. It is a political center. New Delhi is the capital and center of political power in India. Practically everything flows from this area of the country. But there are other, more pressing evidences of the importance of this region. It is the most socially deprived area of India. It is the religious hub of India. This area of India is known as the heartland of Hinduism, a religion that boasts some 33 million gods. It is the birthplace of both Buddhism and Jainism. Some of the most revered Hindu and Buddhist shrines and places of pilgrimage are in this region. Muslims also have a strong presence, with some of their most important learning and worship centered in the area. It has the smallest Christian presence in all of India. The Christian population of North India is 1.0 % of the total population.     Sign up for our Email Newsletter