Bhojpuri Storying (BHOSTY)

Overview

Bhojpuri is spoken by approximately 50 million people across Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal's Terai regions, with a community literacy rate of around 30%. Oral tradition is central to Bhojpuri culture, making audio and storying-based scripture formats especially effective for reaching this community.

The Bhojpuri Storying resource (2018) is an oral Bible engagement tool — a collection of Scripture stories designed for oral communicators rather than a formal written translation. This type of resource is particularly suited to Bhojpuri communities where oral communication and folk storytelling traditions remain strong. IBT India's broader Bhojpuri project included milestones such as the release of Psalms and Proverbs in 2019 and a New Testament dedication in 2024. The Storying resource complements the written New Testament (BHOAPI) by making biblical content accessible in a format suited to oral learners. Resources are available through Global Recordings Network, bhojpurishubhsandesh.com, and YouVersion.

Language and People

Bhojpuri (ISO 639-3: bho) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately 50 million people primarily in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (India) and Nepal's Terai region. It is written in the Devanagari script.

Publishing and Organizations

Published 2018. Distributed by Global Recordings Network and bhojpurishubhsandesh.com.

References